Whizz-kid pupils rise to business challenge

Photo: Darren Robinson

Sophie Pepper-Proctor, from St Thomas’s School, Leesfield, is pictured (front left) with fellow pupils on the Business Challenge who attended a briefing with project co-ordinator Caroline Ireland (left) and Tesco staff Caroline Dean and Mike Andrew.

NINE junior schools in Oldham are taking part in Business Challenge project devised to encourage young students to experience first hand the world of work.

A trade fair takes place on on Friday at the Tesco Extra store in Huddersfield Road, where the youngsters will display and sell their goods.

Each school has to design, manufacture and sell a product — with all profits going to a charity of the school’s choice.

The schools and products are: St Thomas’s, Leesfield, You’ve Been Framed; Greenacres Primary, Flower Power; Littlemoor Primary, Mugamania; Watersheddings Primary, Bedazzled; Burnley Brow Community, Chadderton, Woodland Wishes Handmade Greetings Cards; Delph Primary, Mosaic Madness; St Anne’s RC, Greenacres, Awesome Accessories; St Hugh’s, Holts Village, Flower Fruit Shoe Company; St Mary’s Greenfield, Sounds Familiar?

Each school has to organise themselves as a business, with sales, production, art and design, marketing, quality control, accounts and secretarial departments under the leadership of a managing director.

Mystery shoppers and judges will visit each of the businesses on Friday after which first, second and third prizes will be awarded. Schools will then go on to the City Learning Centre in Chadderton on July 9, where each will give a presentation to a panel of judges, who will evaluate their business models and award first, second and third prizes.