October 1, 2010 -- The BETT Middle East show, being held in Abu Dhabi, 21-22 November 2010, sees the launch of the Arabic version of award-winning primary ICT resource Race to Learn which features a road safety activity developed specifically for the Arabian market. 

Co-developed by Cambridge University Press and Williams F1, the Formula One™ motor racing team, Race to Learn Arabic comprises 10 half-days of cross-curricular activities in areas such as Science, Maths, English and Design.  The road safety activity helps educate children on this important issue and complements Government initiatives to minimise serious accidents and make the roads a safer place.

BETT 2010 Award winning Race to Learn uses Formula One as an exciting point of engagement for primary school children. The use of multimedia content including real Formula One footage grabs the children’s attention as they work through a range of educational activities on the interactive whiteboard and develop their team working skills. 

Race to Learn Arabic is also being launched by Williams F1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 14 November.  “Safety is a vital part of Formula One motor racing,” said Chris Hughes, Sales and Marketing Director of Cambridge University Press MENA, “and Race to Learn is the ideal way of communicating road safety to children aged 9-11 in a fun yet serious manner.” 

Sir Frank Williams, Team Principal of the AT&T Williams team commented: "The Williams team was founded in 1977 with support from the Middle East and we are therefore delighted to be returning over 30 years later to support the education of children in the region. Race to Learn helps children to develop in a range of subjects but also in life skills such as team work - and, of course, that is how a Formula One team has to work too.  We are also very pleased that a new road safety module has been added.  Road traffic accidents are a global epidemic, killing over 1,300,000 million people a year; and countries in the Middle East are among the most dangerous. Children who learn about road safety can help improve this, protecting their own lives and those of their friends and family."

In Race to Learn children form their own racing teams of 4 or 5, establish a team identity, and undertake educational activities based around Formula One racing - for example, understanding aerodynamics and road safety.

Winning the 2010 BETT Award for Primary Digital Content, Race to Learn was commended by the judges for “superb activities that are highly engaging for children” and “with helpful teacher introduction and age-appropriate activities, Race to Learn is a well thought through support for cross-curricular learning.”

Race to Learn was launched in September 2009 to UK primary schools and has already been licensed by the London Grid for Learning for online delivery to 2,000 primary schools across the capital.  Cambridge University Press and Williams F1 have now expanded the project overseas with foreign language versions in Portuguese and Arabic.

Reviewed in the UK’s leading trade title, Teach Primary!, Race to Learn scored 10/10 and attracted commendations that included: “The activities have been carefully thought out and the children loved them.”

To find out more about Race to Learn, visit www.racetolearn.org  or contact Sarah Keefe, Marketing Manager, New Directions Group, Cambridge University Press, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8BS  Tel: 01223 325048 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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