Student entrepreneurs stepped into the 'lions lair' to pitch their business ideas.
The school hall at Sunninghill Prep School in Dorchester was transformed into the 'lions lair' boardroom with pupils pitching their business ideas to a selection of local businesses, known as the 'lions'.
The idea - based on the popular BBC2 series, Dragons’ Den - was to give Form 8 pupils the chance to work collaboratively on new business concepts. Youngsters has to research, design, produce and sell their own product, with the aim of raising the most money for their chosen charity at the Summer Fayre.
The three businesses were: ‘Wags & Whiskers’, selling dog bowties, bandanas, treats and magnets, ‘Fudge It’ selling delicious homemade fudge and ‘Case Closed’ selling bespoke phone cases and pencil cases.
Sunninghill pupil Felix, from the winning team Wags and Whiskers, said: “It was great fun working together to come up with interesting ideas for a business but we had to put in a lot of hard work that took time. It paid off though as we sold lots of our products at the summer fayre and it was extremely fun!
"We were incredibly proud to make over £400 for Ferne Animal Sanctuary, which is a brilliant charity. Overall I loved this experience and it felt really good to have a strong and committed team to help me along the way.”
Sarah Smith helped run the project with fellow teacher Freddie Salisbury. She said: “The project takes our pupils out of their comfort zone working in a business environment. It affords them the opportunity to apply their personal learning and thinking skills which underpin the ethos at Sunninghill and apply these skills to real-life business situations.
"Additionally, it allows them to acquire new life skills with workshops on marketing, finance and presentational skills."
One of the Lions, Ian Jefferis, said: “Each year I am amazed at the teamwork, determination and high-quality presentational skills that the Sunninghill students portray as they demonstrate what they have achieved through the Lions’ Lair process. Well done to all participants and staff on a challenge both met and conquered. Raising over £900 collectively in the process for charities is the icing on the cake."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here