Schoolchildren and their electronic creations have qualified for a national robotics challenge.

Park High School's Year 8 VEX robot team have successfully qualified for the VEX Robotics IQ Challenge National Championships.

The IQ event will see 20 teams from primary and secondary schools across the UK and Ireland compete in a series of robotics matches.

Winning teams competing in the UK Nationals will be given the opportunity to attend the VEX Robotics World Championships 2015 in Louisville, in the US state of Kentucky, in April this year.

The Park High team is one of only two teams who qualified for the UK National Final in their London heat.

Paul McKnight, head of VEX Robotics, said: “The VEX platform is becoming an extremely important part of UK classrooms as it gives children a strong and hands on understanding of STEM subjects through the free curriculum and the exciting extra-curricular competition.

“These are areas in which UK schools are currently focusing on due to the large skills shortages and one of the reasons why National Grid have continued their sponsorship of the programme.”