COLCHESTER school pupils were given an insight into how to be entrepreneurs as part of an exciting outside workshop. 

As part of an enterprise day before the end of winter term, Year 9 students at Stanway School took part in an exciting workshop ran by BussinessKids, an educational company based in Colchester.

Students were challenged with the task of being a catering company, which had to provide the “perfect prom” for 100 students on a limited budget, before gaining even more skills by presenting their pitches to a panel of judges.

Lyndee Oscar, managing director at BusinessKids said entrepreneurial education teaches children how to identify problems they have never encountered before - a very important skill "in tomorrow’s world".

Lyndee said that as a judge she was really impressed by the “very professional” project planning and presentations.

She said: “We certainly have many born leaders and lots to showcase at Stanway School and Essex."

Gazette: Teamwork - Y9 Stanway School pupils and Lyndee Oscar (centre)Teamwork - Y9 Stanway School pupils and Lyndee Oscar (centre) (Image: Seana Hughes)

Mr John Player, head of school, added: “I had the opportunity to go and help judge the final of our Year 9 Enterprise competition, in which students were pitching for a catering contract for a School
Prom.

“Some of the ideas, branding concepts and marketing strategies were simply
phenomenal and we were very lucky to have business guests join us for the finals.”

Mr Player added he hopes to take some of the “successful students out to rewards days at Essex University” which will also further “help ignite their entrepreneurial spirit".

Feedback from students showed they most enjoyed the teamwork, communication, and creativity in the task.

One student said the workshop helped them to realise “business can be fun” and another even said the workshop helped them “want to show who I am instead of hiding”.

As well as running programmes in school-time, BusinessKids will be offering a “create a new enterprise in a week” programme during the upcoming Easter and Summer holidays.