South England pupil’s recycling invention awarded Silver Medal in London
Maisie, a Year 3 pupil at Everdons Primary School in Wokingham, has recently achieved a significant feat by winning a Silver medal at the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal for her innovative invention which aims to encourage recycling and has been turned into a prototype.
Maisie’s invention, ‘4 Bin Swopper’, is a smart recycling bin that automatically sorts waste into four categories. Her concept aimed to make recycling more accessible and engaging, particularly for younger students and those with visual impairments. It was initially submitted to the “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” annual STEM competition, ran by Primary Engineer, in 2024. UK School pupils from the ages of 3-19 are tasked with interviewing an engineer, before being asked to identify a problem in the world around them and coming up with a creative, engineered solution to that problem. All entries are read and graded by professional engineers, with every single pupil who takes part receiving a named and graded certificate. The competition then culminates in exciting regional public exhibitions and award ceremonies, where shortlisted designs are displayed, and the winners and highly commended are invited on stage to receive their awards.
The University of Southampton, one of Primary Engineer’s partners, selected Maisie’s idea to develop into a working prototype during the 2024–2025 academic year, recognising its potential to improve recycling practices in schools.
The university’s team of final-year engineering students, forming the ProtoTeam, collaborated closely with Maisie throughout the development process. They engaged her in design discussions, allowing her input to shape the project’s direction. Maisie’s enthusiasm and insights were instrumental in refining the prototype, ensuring it aligned with her original vision. The finished prototype was unveiled at Primary Engineer South England regional award ceremony on 11th June 2025, then submitted to the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal Award.
The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal, which is now in its fourth year, acts as the forerunner to the illustrious MacRobert Award, the leading prize for engineering innovation in the UK. The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal is designed to celebrate the achievements of the school pupils, students and young engineers who have all worked together to create innovative and world-changing prototypes based on a school pupils’ engineering idea.
Maisie and her family attended the official award ceremony for The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal ceremony at the prestigious Drapers’ Hall in London on Monday 17th November 2025. The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal Award Ceremony is a collaboration between Primary Engineer and The MacRobert Trust, with support from Weir and Christopher Ward.
Earlier in the year, Maisie’s family commented to say “We’re incredibly proud of Maisie and so grateful to the entire team at Primary Engineer and the University of Southampton. The experience was truly inspiring—not just for Maisie, but for us as a family. Seeing her creativity supported and celebrated in such a meaningful way was unforgettable. Thank you for bringing her vision to life with such care and enthusiasm.”
Congratulations to all the medalists, and you can find a full list of them here: Primary Engineer Award School Pupils and Engineers in London – Primary Engineer
Read more about this prototype here: https://www.primaryengineer.com/tag/uospt25/