Students from George Salter Academy in West Bromwich, part of Ormiston Academies Trust, are celebrating after being awarded first place in the Envision Programme competition, impressing judges with a project designed to reassure fellow pupils navigating the Year 9 GCSE options process.
The academy’s Year 9 Envision Team presented their project to an audience of more than 100 people, explaining how the choices students make at GCSE do not limit their future opportunities, and highlighting the wide variety of careers available regardless of the subjects they choose. Their central message to younger students was simple: “Don’t panic!”
Watching our students present with such confidence, professionalism and enthusiasm was a real privilege.
Rupi Bellingham, Principal at George Salter Academy
The Envision Programme is a national youth social action initiative that supports young people to develop essential skills including teamwork, communication and problem-solving by designing and delivering projects that make a positive difference in their school or community. Teams present their work to a panel of judges, who assess both the quality of the project and students’ presentation, teamwork and leadership skills.
The George Salter Academy team delivered their presentation with confidence and maturity, responding to judges’ questions with enthusiasm and demonstrating the depth of thought behind their project. Their presentation received high praise from the judging panel, who were particularly impressed by the relevance of the project and the students’ ability to communicate their ideas, ultimately awarding them first place.
Rupi Bellingham, Principal at George Salter Academy, said:
“Watching our students present with such confidence, professionalism and enthusiasm was a real privilege. They identified an issue that many young people worry about and created a project that was both reassuring and genuinely useful for their peers. The way they handled themselves throughout the competition reflects the hard work they put into the project, and I couldn’t be prouder to see them recognised with this well-deserved first-place award.”