1. The V&A Innovate National Schools Challenge is a free educational project run by the Victoria and Albert Museum (the "Promoter").
2. Entry to the project is open to all England-based students aged 11 – 14 years who are currently in years 7, 8, or 9 of state-funded secondary school (the "Schools"). The project is open to teams of four to six students (the "Teams"). There is no minimum or maximum number of entries per School but there must only be one entry per Team and a student may only form part of one Team.
3. The Promoter will assemble a Judging Panel of suitably qualified and experienced individuals to assess the entries.
4. To enter the project, final design sheets along with an entry form must be emailed to innovate@vam.ac.uk no later than 11.59pm on 10 January 2025 to be considered by the Judging Panel. Entries submitted any other way, including by hard copy, will not be accepted. Schools should submit on behalf of the Teams and may submit multiple entries, but only one entry per Team.
5. The Promoter shall not be responsible for late, lost or delayed entries or network, computer hardware or software failures of any kind that may delay or restrict entry to the project.
6. The project runs until 10 January 2025 when submissions close. Ten Teams will be selected to attend the Innovate Pitching and Awards Day at the V&A, South Kensington taking place in the 2025 Spring Term. Entrants must attend the Innovate Pitching and Awards Day in order to be considered for the winners' awards. Schools will be informed whether they are finalists in January 2025.
7. Every student who enters work for consideration will receive a certificate. These will be posted to Schools after the entries have been submitted. There is no alternative prize or cash alternative.
8. All the ten finalists will receive: the opportunity to attend the Innovate Pitching and Awards Day and an Innovate Finalist 2025 plaque to display at school.
9. Of the ten finalists there will be six winning Teams selected by the Judging Panel across six categories. The winning Teams will receive an Innovate trophy. There is no alternative prize or cash alternative.
10. An overall winner will be selected. The overall winning Team will receive an invitation to a free bespoke workshop with a designer at the V&A, South Kensington. A suitable date will be arranged directly with the winning school. If the Team is unable to visit the V&A, the promoter will offer the option of the workshop taking place at the winning Team's School. There is no alternative prize or cash alternative.
11. All Teams should keep their original design or artwork and winners must be able to provide the original design or artwork to the Promoter upon request.
12. The Judging Panel's decision is final and binding in all matters and no correspondence will be entered into. The names of the Judges will be made available on request, subject to applicable law.
13. All entries should respond to the contextual challenges outlined in the challenge information on the Innovate webpages.
14. Entries should be submitted according to the instructions given on the Innovate webpages.
15. Entries must not offend or be likely to offend, depict or condone violence, cause distress, or contain explicit or offensive material (e.g. pornography, racial discrimination, etc.).
16. Submission of an entry is confirmation that it is the Team's own original work and that it does not infringe the intellectual property rights or copyright of a third party.
17. Selected Teams agree to take part in promotional activities if required to do so. Where required the parents or guardians of the winners will be asked to sign any necessary consents or permissions as part of the project.
18. The Judging Panel's decision shall be final, and the Promoter will not enter into any communication or correspondence regarding individual entries.
19. The Promoter will not be liable for any loss or damage, however caused, to any entries, and bears no responsibility for incomplete or delayed entries.
20. The Promoter reserves the right to refuse to award prizes to anyone found to be in breach of these terms and conditions and to select another winner.
21. The Promoter reserves the right to delay or cancel the project at any stage if it considers such action necessary, or for reasons beyond the Promoter's reasonable control, and the Promoter will have no liability to the entrants in respect of any such delay or cancellation.
22. Entry to the project is free, however all materials for the production and submission of designs, in all forms, must be provided by the entrants.
23. The project and these terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed according to English law.
24. By submitting an entry, each School and Team agrees to these terms and conditions