BEXTON Primary School pupils have been perfecting their entrepreneurial skills for a new ‘Apprentice’ style challenge.

Year 6 students have teamed up with new business venture Stepping into Business to create a sport-themed Enterprise Challenge project.

The aim of the project is to give pupils the opportunity to gain life skills and an experience which will teach them about the business world.

With help from teachers and parent volunteers, the children, who are in teams of six, have to design, pitch, market and create a business idea that they will sell to the children of Bexton Primary School.

On June 12, the children had their all-important ‘Pitch Day’.

Six ‘business angels’ from the area volunteered to give up a day to watch and judge the teams; Christian Zuger, a senior digital designer, Andy Mitchell, an area account manager, Mike Houghton, a group marketing director, business owner James Routs, Jules Greaves, director of The Organised Life Ltd and business owner Chris Kupersaravic.

They watched all ten 10-minute pitches and decided what teams where to be awarded a £100 start up costs to produce their product, runner up £75 and the rest of the teams were awarded £50.

They looked at the creativity of the business idea, branding, feasibility, financials, research, teamwork and presentation skills.

The winning team, Team#, swayed judges with their ‘Sporty Loom band’ idea, based on the World Cup Flag colours and the runner up team, Sportycorns, impressed judges with their ‘beat the goalie’ penalty shoot-out idea.

Businessman Christian said: “It was a lot of fun for both the children and business angels, very creative and a must for every school.”