Plymouth school wins special award in front of Dragons' Den star

A Plymouth school has won a national enterprise competition. Cann Bridge School was crowned the overall national winner of the Tycoon 1k Key Stage 3 and 4 category of the Tycoon Enterprise Competition 2024.

The competition challenges learners aged six to 18 years old to launch their own businesses. Cann Bridge School's venture Sensory Explorers took home the top prize in a highly competitive field.

Although Cann Bridge entered the Special Educational Needs (SEN) category, the judges were so impressed by the quality and scope of the learners' business plan that they moved them into the mainstream Key Stage 3 and 4 category. There, they emerged victorious over more than 200 entries.

At the awards ceremony held in London on Thursday, November 14, the learners had the opportunity to showcase their business to an audience of over 250 special guests including entrepreneur Peter Jones.

The Sensory Explorers team, made up of learners from Key Stage 4 at Cann Bridge, designed and sold sensory products in response to market research identifying the needs of parents, carers, businesses, and schools.

The learners not only developed a range of sensory products but also used order forms, pop-up stalls and events to sell their creations, applying practical skills in areas such as English, Maths, IT, and Design Technology, while also enhancing their teamwork, entrepreneurship, and employability skills.

Lee Fisher, Class Teacher at Cann Bridge School and Project Lead for Sensory Explorers, said: “We’re incredibly proud of what our learners have achieved. Their hard work, creativity, and determination really shone through.

"Winning this national award is an outstanding accomplishment, but equally important is the opportunity our learners had to apply real-world skills, from business planning to presenting to an audience.”

Cann Bridge School has long been dedicated to providing applied enterprise learning opportunities, with a well-embedded curriculum that includes an internal café run by learners for the school community, as well as work-related learning in the wider community. This focus on practical learning is key to the school’s vision of preparing learners for future independence and success.

The Sensory Explorers venture was also a financial success, generating over £2,000 in profit, which the learners themselves chose to reinvest into creating sensory outdoor learning spaces for each classroom at Cann Bridge. This initiative will further enhance the school’s commitment to providing an enriching learning environment for all learners.

This year marks the fourth time that a team from Cann Bridge School has made it to the national finals of the Tycoon Enterprise Competition. In previous years, the school’s teams have consistently performed well, with a post-16 team finishing as runners-up in 2014, another group of 14 to 16-year-olds reaching a second-place spot in 2016, and a team emerging as winners of their age category in 2018.

Shane Baker, Headteacher of Cann Bridge School, said: “The victory in the mainstream category is a testament to our learners' abilities and the incredible dedication of our staff. Sensory Explorers has shown how every learner, regardless of their special educational needs, can achieve greatness when given the right support and opportunities.

"This is just one example of our school’s commitment to ensuring that all of our learners can thrive and succeed in the world around them.”

The Tycoon Enterprise Competition is part of the Peter Jones Foundation and offers learners the chance to learn valuable business skills in a safe, controlled environment, with the support of mentors and resources to bring their ideas to life.