ENTERPRISING North Yorkshire students have proved their pedigree in the world of business by winning a prize at an Enterprise Fair.

Pupils from Welburn Hall School, near Kirkbymoorside, received £100 after receiving the runner-up prize in the Best Presentation Category at the Northern Way Enterprise In Education Programme showcase, held at Leeds United’s Elland Road ground.

The 11 to 14-year-olds, from the community special school, gave their presentation on a market garden scheme they set up using money from the programme.

Catherine Barr, a maths teacher from Welburn Hall, said: “It was culmination of what we had done and the children gave an explanation. It was quite an achievement.”

The school built a new green house and potting shed on the school grounds and raised the garden beds with £10,000 funding from the Young People’s Enterprise Forum (YPEF) and regional education business partnerships.

“They also made the garden accessible for the school’s disabled pupils. The garden was then used to grow vegetables which were sold to the school’s catering department and also to teachers and members of the local community.”

Sarah Fram, a teaching assistant, was also at the fair. She said: “It was really great. The children weren’t fazed by speaking in front of so many people at all. They took it in their stride – smiling all the time.”

The school plans to use the prize money to install a water feature in its sensory garden.

The YPEF’s Enterprising Yorkshire campaign aims to bring the region to the forefront of enterprise education nationally.

More than 118 schools received up to £10,000 to develop entrepreneurial schemes. It is hoped this will help develop keys skills such as leadership, decision making and team work. Suzy Alderson, director of YPEF which managed the £1.3 million programme, believes the best way for children to develop such skills is by running their own school business.

She said: “The region’s next generation of business leaders and employers need to be encouraged and nurtured in a thriving enterprise culture that is firmly part of school life. We wanted them to show us all of their projects. It was a great opportunity to show what they’d done”