Sentinus Junior Innovators 2026
Sentinus Junior Innovators 2026
Get ready for an exciting day of creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on STEM action at the Sentinus Junior Innovators Event!
This year we are excited to announce prizes of £500 worth of STEM resources for the winning school in each challenge.
In it’s 21st year, taking place on 12th June 2026 at South Lakes Leisure Centre, this event brings together primary school pupils from across Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland to take part in two engaging STEM challenges designed to inspire the next generation of innovators.
Event Overview
- Date: 12th June 2026
- Venue: South Lakes Leisure Centre, Craigavon, BT64 1AS
- Who Can Enter: Open to ALL primary school
- Team Format: One team of two pupils per school to attend.
Participants will compete, collaborate, and showcase their creativity in a fun and supportive environment.
Run live challenges within your class over the coming months to select a team of two to go forward and represent the school at Junior Innovators 2026.
Why Take Part?
The Sentinus Junior Innovators event is designed to:
- Inspire a love of STEM from an early age
- Build confidence and teamwork skills
- Provide a memorable and rewarding experience
- Connect classroom learning with real-world applications
See full details below
Primary STEM Challenge
The Primary STEM Challenge encourages pupils to think like real engineers and scientists. Teams will be presented with a practical problem and tasked with designing and creating an innovative solution.
Pupils will:
- Apply creativity and critical thinking
- Work collaboratively as a team
- Develop problem-solving and design skills
- Present their ideas confidently
This challenge focuses on real-world applications of STEM and encourages pupils to explore how science and technology can solve everyday problems.
Schools will select a team of two pupils to attend the event
Winning school will receive £500 of STEM Resources for use in school.
K'NEX Construction Challenge
In the K’NEX Construction Challenge, teams will use K’NEX components to design and build a functional structure based on a given brief.
Pupils will:
- Design and construct a working model
- Explore engineering and structural principles
- Test and refine their builds
- Demonstrate teamwork and innovation
This hands-on challenge is perfect for developing spatial awareness, creativity and practical engineering skills.
Schools will select a team of two pupils to attend the event
Winning school will receive £500 of STEM Resources for use in school.
Space Show
- Inspire curiosity about space and science
- Introduce pupils to careers in the space sector
- Bring STEM learning to life in an engaging way