Three talented Year 9 students from West Exe School, Sophia, Tia, and Mason, have successfully secured funding for a social action project after pitching their plan to a Dragons' Den-style panel in Reading as part of the AQA/Dame Kelly Holmes Trust ‘Unlocking Potential’ programme. 

The event, held earlier this month, provided students with the opportunity to showcase their ideas and skills, with their pitch for a project working with a local primary school earning them a well-deserved victory.

The ‘Unlocking Potential’ programme, run jointly by AQA and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, aims to empower young people by developing their leadership, communication, and teamwork skills. The project is designed to support students in reaching their full potential by challenging them to come up with ideas that will have a positive impact on their community. 

In their pitch, Sophia, Tia, and Mason demonstrated how they planned to use their project to engage with younger students at a local primary school, providing mentorship and support that will have a lasting effect on both groups.

The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust was founded in 2008 by double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes to support retired athletes in transitioning from sport. Through mentoring programmes, the trust uses the skills and experience of athletes to inspire and transform the lives of young people. 

The school, which is part of the Ted Wragg Trust, prides itself on the West Exe Offer which includes an exciting extra-curricular programme including, the jazz band, Model United Nations, Ten Tors, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, climbing and school productions.  Over 100 students each year also volunteer for their growing Student Leadership Team which includes Student Parliament, the Green Team, Anti-Bullying Ambassadors, Primary Mentors, Sports Leaders and many more roles within the school community.

Julie Fossey, Headteacher at West Exe School said:

 “Everyone at West Exe School is incredibly proud of Sophia, Tia, and Mason for their outstanding achievement in securing funding for their social action project. This is a fantastic example of how our students are not only developing academically but also gaining valuable life skills through initiatives like the Unlocking Potential programme. Their commitment to making a positive difference in the community is inspiring, and we can’t wait to see how their project unfolds.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

 “At the Ted Wragg Trust, we are committed to helping students develop both academically and personally.  Taking part in the Unlocking Potential programme is a great way to nurture young people’s leadership skills while also encouraging them to give back to their communities. We are proud to see students from West Exe School embrace this opportunity, and we look forward to following the success of Sophia, Tia, and Mason as they complete their project.”