Build to Learn Limited

15/09/2026

What does it take to build a ship strong enough to explore Antarctica?

Today I had the pleasure of visiting the two Year 2 classes at Upland Primary School in Bexleyheath for our KS1 Ernest Shackleton workshop.

We started by discovering who Ernest Shackleton was, what made his expeditions so remarkable and why, more than 100 years later, we are still telling his story.

Then it was time to build!

The children were challenged to recreate Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, using LEGO® bricks before building the frozen Antarctic landscape in which the ship eventually became trapped in the ice.

There were tricky moments, redesigns and plenty of problem-solving along the way, but that is all part of the challenge. Shackleton himself might have recognised some of the perseverance, determination and resilience on display around the classroom today.

One of my favourite parts of delivering these workshops is seeing that moment when a child steps back from something they have created and feels genuinely proud of what they have achieved.

A brilliant day of history, storytelling, creativity and building. Thank you to everyone at Upland Primary School for having me

20/07/2026

As another school year comes to an end, I would like to say a huge thank you to every school, teacher and organisation that welcomed Build to Learn into their classrooms this year.

It's been an incredible first full academic year, and I am so grateful for the support the business has received.

This year, Build to Learn has:

🧱Worked in 136 different schools

🧱 Delivered 430 curriculum-based LEGO workshops

🧱 Inspired 2,384 children through hands-on learning

From science and history to geography, design, storytelling and engineering, it's been a privilege to see thousands of children learning, creating and problem-solving with LEGO.

A huge thank you to every teacher who booked a workshop, every member of staff who helped make the sessions such a success, and of course every child who brought so much enthusiasm, imagination and creativity to each build.

We look forward to returning in September with new workshops, new schools and plenty more LEGO building!

Have a fantastic summer, and thank you for being part of such an amazing first year. 🧱

21/05/2025

Behind The Build: KS1 History Of The Seaside

As summer approaches, the classroom atmosphere often shifts towards lighter, more seasonal topics, and one that always captures the imagination of KS1 children is The History of the Seaside. This delightful topic blends elements of KS1 History and Geography, making it a rich area for hands-on exploration, particularly in Year 2.

At Build to Learn, we have created a workshop that brings this topic to life in a way that is meaningful, interactive, and most importantly… fun. This week, we travelled to a school in London to deliver our History of the Seaside Workshop, and in this post, we are taking you behind the scenes to show you how we transform curriculum learning into a creative experience with LEGO bricks.

Read the post in full - https://buildtolearn.co.uk/behind-the-build-ks1-history-of-the-seaside/

20/05/2025

Children Struggle To Hold Pencils As Fine Motor Skills Decline

“Children are struggling to hold pencils and use scissors,” reports The Times in a recent article highlighting a growing concern among primary school teachers. According to a YouGov poll, 77% of educators have observed a decline in pupils’ fine motor skills over the past five years—skills vital not only for handwriting and creativity but for overall learning readiness.

Read the full article -

“Children are struggling to hold pencils and use scissors,” reports The Times in a recent article highlighting a growing concern among primary school teachers.

19/05/2025

Behind The Build: Great Fire Of London Workshop

At Build to Learn, we believe history should not just be taught, it should be experienced. Our Great Fire of London LEGO workshop brings this historic event to life in a way that books and whiteboards simply cannot. Recently, we delivered one of our most popular KS1 History Workshops at an infant school in Wokingham, Berkshire — and the children’s enthusiasm truly set the topic ‘alight’.

Read the full post here -

Check out what happens behind the scenes at a Build to Learn workshop on the topic of Great Fire of London for KS1 Learners.

16/05/2025

Resilience Isn’t Just Taught, It’s Built, One Brick At A Time

At some point in every workshop, a child will experience a setback. It could be a model collapsing just before completion, a structure not turning out as expected, or the frustration of struggling to bring an idea to life.

For some, the reaction is immediate, they dive straight back in and start fixing it. But for others, the moment is overwhelming. Some freeze, unsure if they even want to try again. Others sigh in frustration, ready to abandon the build altogether.

But what happens next is what really matters.

In these moments, resilience isn’t something we explain, it’s something children experience. And how we respond, whether as educators, facilitators, or peers, determines whether they see this as failure or an opportunity to try again.

Read the article in full here -

Discover how hands-on learning builds resilience in schools. Through interactive workshops, students experience setbacks, problem-solving

15/05/2025

A Mission To Make Learning Hands-On

At Build to Learn, we believe hands-on learning is more than just a buzzword, it is the key to unlocking creativity, curiosity, and deeper understanding in the classroom.

After over a decade of running Brickies Club, I saw the incredible power LEGO had to transform how children engage with history, geography, and literacy, not just STEM.

That moment of realisation inspired me to launch Build to Learn, a new initiative dedicated to helping schools bring the curriculum to life through hands-on, LEGO-based workshops.

Read the full story behind our mission here:

Discover how hands-on learning transforms the classroom. Build to Learn uses LEGO to bring history, geography, and literacy to life.