Sir Christopher Hatton Academy year 10 students pitch vision for Wellingborough's future
More than 250 Sir Christopher Hatton Academy Year 10 students put their employability skills to the test during an innovative Work Experience Week, working with Wellingborough Town Council and local employers to develop proposals for a new community event as part of Wellingborough's Town of Culture programme.
Working in teams as professional event management companies, students responded to a live client brief to design an exciting, inclusive and financially viable community event. Throughout the week, they researched community needs, developed creative concepts, planned budgets and marketing campaigns, considered event logistics, and delivered professional presentations.
The project was delivered in partnership with Wellingborough Town Council, with Town Clerk Sally McLellan introducing the challenge, supporting students throughout the week and returning to judge the final presentations.
Students also took part in employer-led workshops that explored the skills needed to deliver successful events. Rhys Barnes, Finance Analyst at Weetabix, introduced budgeting and financial planning, while Trudie White from Hatton Academies Trust shared her expertise in marketing and promotion. Aaron Badhan, founder of Mr Badhan's Maths Tutoring, supported students with research, data analysis and developing persuasive pitches. Additional sessions covered event logistics, health and safety, and project management, giving students an authentic insight into planning a large-scale community event.
The week culminated in presentations to a judging panel comprising Deputy Mayor Councillor Vinnie Whitrow, Town Clerk Sally McLellan, Council Leader Councillor Simon Masters, Deputy Council Leader Councillor Launa Koriya, employer representatives and senior leaders from Sir Christopher Hatton Academy.
The judging panel praised the high standard of the presentations, with students proposing ideas including community scavenger hunts, family discos, sports events, drive in cinema and a range of other creative concepts designed to celebrate Wellingborough and bring the community together. Every team demonstrated creativity, professionalism and confidence while responding thoughtfully to questions from the panel. Although some proposals stood out, every group embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and developed valuable employability skills throughout the week.
Jennifer Coe, Assistant Principal at Sir Christopher Hatton Academy, said: "Young people continually exceed our expectations when they are trusted with real responsibility. This week wasn't about completing a worksheet or learning about work – it was about experiencing it. Students worked to a genuine client brief, collaborated with employers, solved real problems and presented their ideas to senior community leaders. The standard of work they produced was exceptional. They demonstrated creativity, professionalism, resilience and confidence, and proved exactly what young people are capable of when we give them meaningful opportunities to shine. Every team brought something different to the table, and for me, every student who embraced the challenge was a success."
Co-Principal Alastair Mitchell said: "Projects like this demonstrate what education should be – ambitious, relevant and rooted in the community. We are incredibly grateful to Wellingborough Town Council and our employer partners for investing their time in our students and helping prepare them for successful futures."
Sir Christopher Hatton Academy extends its sincere thanks to Wellingborough Town Council, employer partners and members of the judging panel for sharing their expertise, challenging students to think creatively and supporting the next generation of young professionals. Special thanks go to Rhys Barnes of Weetabix, Trudie White from Hatton Academies Trust and Aaron Badhan for helping bring the world of work to life, as well as Deputy Mayor Councillor Vinnie Whitrow, Town Clerk Sally McLellan, Council Leader Councillor Simon Masters and Deputy Council Leader Councillor Launa Koriya for giving their time to hear the students' presentations and provide valuable feedback.
The Work Experience Week forms part of Sir Christopher Hatton Academy's wider careers programme, providing students with meaningful experiences that develop the knowledge, confidence and employability skills needed to thrive in further education, employment and beyond.