STUDENTS at The Wey Valley School in Weymouth are coming up with exciting business projects as part of a national competition.

Budding Dragons’ Den wannabes in Wey Valley School’s Business Enterprise Club have been coming up with ideas for business projects as part of a competition to find the next generation of entrepreneurs.

The ‘Tenner Challenge’ provides teams or individuals with £10 to form a start-up business and generate as much profit as they possibly can in one month.

The competition is open to 11-19 year olds and the aim of the challenge is to give young people a taste of what it’s like to be an entrepreneur.

Jen Symes, who teaches Maths at Wey Valley and runs the Business Enterprise Club, said: “This is our second year in the Tenner Challenge, with 25 students from Years 9 and 10 now signed up for the club.

“The students in Year 10 who were novices last year are acting as fantastic mentors for the new members in Year 9, and some of the ideas they’re developing are very innovative.”

Business ideas currently being explored include the design and production of novelty key-rings, dream catchers, bracelets, Christmas cards, car-washes and cupcakes.

The students have already raised £100 towards the school’s Will Mackaness Trust, which promotes young people’s participation in water activities. Jen said: “The club raises members’ awareness of the many crucial aspects of running a business. They have to dream up a workable business idea and then learn through hands-on experience about designing, producing, financing and marketing their project, as well as about risk and evaluation.”

“It’s an exciting life lesson and I’m full of admiration for the imagination and perseverance demonstrated by our students.”

Products created by the students will be on sale at Christmas fairs in the Weymouth area and the winners of the challenge will be announced next May.