Ryde Academy continued their run of success as Young Enterprise Company Programme winners on the Isle of Wight, coming out on top again in competition with a number of other Island schools and colleges.
This year all teams in the competition performed exceptionally well, managing to develop their business ideas and start to trade, despite the disruptive pandemic which meant that most teams were unable to meet their business advisors in person. All the guidance and advice was delivered over video calls.
10 school teams developed their business ideas over the Autumn term and faced Dragons Den in the Spring, capturing extra cash investment in their business.
Places in the Grand Final were taken up by Isle of Wight College, Ryde School, St Catherine’s School and Ryde Academy.
‘Whisk Takers’ from Ryde Academy finished on top. Team captain Maisie Revert summed up the delight of her team:
“We really pulled together as a team, it was a fantastic experience. We are so proud to have won this. There were lots of challenges. There is so much that we have learnt and taken on board to help in our career development.”
Team Business Advisor, Reuben Loake, commented:
“It is so rewarding to see the students going on in life and putting into practice some of the skills they have learned through this programme.”
Article continues below this advertisement
Jamie Busby from Hose Rhodes Dickson, sponsors of the Company Programme on the Island, commented on the strength of the competition this year:
“We have had some fantastic innovation this year across the different teams, made all the more remarkable by the disruptive impact of the pandemic on schooling and activities.”
David Thornton, CEO of Ed-WISE who deliver the Company Programme on the Island praised the centre leads and business advisors in each school:
“The school centre leads and business advisors have given amazing support and helped to keep the students enthused and progressing their businesses, in very difficult circumstances.”
Arrangements are already in place for the next Company Programme competition, for the coming new academic year, starting in September.
In the bad old days, before the privatisation of our State funded taxpayer fuelled education system, Ryde High School classes of ’96 and’ 97 were the first, possibly only, years of the non fee paying riff raff to have higher exam results than The Ryde School. Academies count for nothing till you can beat them at their own game.