ASPIRING young businessmen and women at the North School, Ashford, have been given a helping hand by a new qualification.

The applied business GCSE is worth two standard GCSEs and helps students get the necessary skills to work in the business world after leaving school.

Simon Murphy, the headteacher at the North School, has been encouraging students in year 10 to work with local companies in order to complete coursework for the exam.

Students have already set up links with Palmstead Nurseries in Wye in Sainsbury's in Ashford.