Sixth form students pitch their 'Inspired Ideas' to leading local businesses and institutions

As a school specialising in Business and Enterprise , it will come as no surprise that Southborough High School students develop a keen understanding very early on about the many challenges that businesses face in the world today. By the time students reach Sixth Form, most share an impressive appreciation of business matters and are, quite literally, chomping at the bit to put their creative and lateral thinking skills to good practice. With this in mind, it was no surprise that Southborough Sixth Form students proved to be the ideal candidates to take part in a highly rewarding business and enterprise initiative called 'Inspired Ideas', a scheme created and developed by the Schools Vocational Development Service (SVDS) and hosted this year by Roehampton University.

Over fifty Year 12 Southborough sixth formers recently found themselves sitting face to face with key personnel from five local businesses and institutions that had come looking for fresh, 'inspiring' business solutions to a number of wide ranging issues they were facing.

Vocational Development Advisor at SVDS Sharon Pratt ensured that the businesses taking part in the initiative were well respected, high profile establishments based within the Royal Borough of Kingston and included Hampton Court Palace, Ronald McDonald House - Camberwell, Queen Elizabeth Foundation, Pizza Express, Radisson Hotel Guildford,and Kingston Comedy Festival. The event was held at Roehampton University.

Students were given just four days in which to respond to the business briefs of their allocated client and they then presented their final recommendations via a power point presentation to both the business representatives themselves and a panel of independent judges. Students were judged on their knowledge, understanding and analysis of the brief itself, as well as their creative response to the brief and their presentation skills.

Mr Sanders, Head of Sixth Form commented: "The feedback I received from both the judges and the businesses themselves were incredibly complimentary. Despite there being only one official winner in the initiative – Radisson Hotel Guildford won the prize of dinner at Jamies' Kitchen in Kingston - many of the solutions put forward by each team were actually implemented in one way or another by each business, which illustrates the high standards met by the students. As for the students themselves, not only did they get the opportunity to gain invaluable 'hands-on' knowledge and skill, they appeared to thoroughly enjoy the experience as well".

Historic Royal Palaces
Kingston Comedy Festival
Pizza Express
Queen Elizabeth's Foundation