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Cirencester Deer Park School

Cirencester Deer Park School

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Year 11 Business Challenge

Real-life challenge for our GCSE Business Studies pupils

On the morning of Thursday 16 December 2021, our Year 11 GCSE Business Studies pupils, starved of any opportunities to put their business acumen to the test in real world situations through lockdown, were put through their paces in a Dragons' Den meets The Apprentice challenge (but without the unnecessary showboating for the camera and ridiculous group names).

To add some reality and jeopardy to the challenge, a couple of entrepreneurs from Nailsworth were invited in to judge the pupils’ efforts. Mike and Helen, owners of The Coffee Lada, not only judged the pitches from the pupils but kindly volunteered their business to be the focus of the challenge.

Working in teams of four, our pupils set about creating a business plan and pitch based on the aims and objectives of The Coffee Lada, which they presented to the judging panel who included Mike and Helen.

y11 business studies challenge coffee lada

y11 business studies challenge coffee lada

y11 business studies challenge coffee lada

y11 business studies challenge coffee lada

The overall winners of the challenge were Coco, Eloise, Isla and Nyah. They managed to convince the judges to pick their pitch and business plan with a combination of expertly applied business knowledge, creative thinking and plenty of chutzpah!

Helen, co-owner of The Coffee Lada, said “The girls’ idea was low cost, scalable and showed a great understanding of the philosophy and principles underpinning our business model for The Coffee Lada. Their pitch was very well researched and brilliantly presented.”

y11 business studies challenge coffee lada

y11 business studies challenge coffee lada

To round off the challenge and ease us in to the festive season, after the judging The Coffee Lada crew fired up their mobile coffee machine and served coffees to staff across the lunch break, giving a tasty and much-needed caffeine jolt to keep staff going at the end of term.

Mr Cluttterbuck, Deputy Head