A fleet of karts designed and made by all 36 pupils at Poolburn School were tested on the track yesterday, providing plenty of thrills but few spills.
''How transport works'' was the technology focus for the term, culminating in yesterday's derby at the Poolburn Hall tennis courts. Principal Craig Hickford said the pupils started the theme with a visit to the Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell ''which got them enthused, and then we took things a step further''.
Teams of pupils designed the karts, made models of them, refined the designs and then sourced materials and made the karts, with the assistance of ex-pupil and local farmer Bevan Arthur, who did the welding, cutting and reinforcement work.
''This is authentic learning and it's hooked them. They've written about karts and used their maths skills in the design,'' Mr Hickford said.
The children loved the derby, with the Fire Birds team lining up against the Lightning Bolts, the Flash Flamers coming up against the Super Silly Sea Creatures and the Man Power team competing against the Push Predators and the Grease Monkeys.
All sorts of contraptions made it to the starting blocks and pupils took turns to drive and push the karts, completing laps of the track. The activity had engaged the pupils' interest for weeks and the karts would now become a ''lunchtime activity'' at school for the children, Mr Hickford said.
