STUDENTS at a business and enterprise specialist school have been preparing for the world of work with a series of visits and challenges.

Young people from Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone, have spent time at the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall, London, taken part in the Global Enterprise Challenge at the London Hilton Metropole and the LionHeart Challenge in Southampton, and visited Smurfit Townsend Hook.

Invicta was the first school in Kent to be granted business and enterprise status, bringing with it more than £400,000. Part of the money was invested in a new computer suite for use by students and outside organisations.

At Pall Mall, they took part in the Directors of Tomorrow event and learned about enterprise from those who have done it, including the founders of Yo Sushi and Innocent, the "Smoothie" fruit drink maker, one of the UK’s fastest-growing companies.

Kent-born astronaut Michael Foale introduced the Global Enterprise Challenge. He set the students Rachel Holcroft, Hana Caselton, Emily Marshall, Eleanor Shilling, Kieron Fenn, Stuart Verga, and Ashleigh Brame, plus Claire Nannery from Valley Park, the task of producing a working model of an interactive exhibit to motivate eight to 12-year-olds to enjoy science.

As part of their project, they visited the Science and Transport museums before producing a business plan, model, three-minute speech and a Power Point presentation.

In their report, Hannah Caselton and Rachel Holcroft wrote: "It was daunting to begin with; however, we were prepared to embrace the challenge with enthusiasm by working together as a team."

Invicta won the South East challenge and went on to represent England in the final which was won by Scotland. Hannah and Rachel said: "It was the best experience that we personally have ever had at Invicta Grammar School and loved every minute of it. It was exciting, challenging and very inspirational."

Eight students took part in the LionHeart Challenge, an event run by the Learning and Skills Council and one of nine regional heads held around the country.

Gemma Caselton, Naomi Cresswell, Lisa Endell Jade Francis, Victoria Harford, Kelly Hews, Robyn Keynes, and Cassy Simmonds represented Kent in the regional contest. They were greeted with television cameras and interviewers when they arrived at the Holiday Inn, Southampton.

The challenge was to "conceptualise, design and create a product or service that promotes health, wellbeing and fitness as a positive lifestyle for young people”.

They were given four hours to prepare a mini-business plan, an IT mock-up that visually communicated the concept, a PowerPoint presentation and a three-minute verbal presentation to an audience and a panel of judges.

A school spokesman said: "The challenge was an excellent experience for the students. They were given a good insight into the business world using a brief that was topical and interesting.

“They learnt a lot about the demands of working to a time limit and the pressures of teamwork."

The visit to Smurfit by 12 business studies students was designed to help them better understand the challenges involved in paper production.