Bay class, who are all Key Stage 3 learners, presented their Christmas-themed business ideas to the Legal & General Homes team in its offices in Bracknell. The students faced the dragons and pitched their innovative products, including scented decorations, sustainable Christmas ornaments with biodegradable glitter and Legal & General Homes-themed gifts. Their hard work paid off, and each group managed to secure an order from a dragon.
The students returned to the Legal & General Homes office a week later to deliver the decorations and collect their payment. They went the extra mile and helped the Legal & General Homes team get into the festive spirit by decorating the office and listening to Christmas music.
Money raised from the sales of the learner’s decorations will be spent on social activities for the children to reward them for all their hard work. Kennel Lane is dedicated to supporting young people with a range of learning difficulties, including providing valuable work experience opportunities.
Alison Barringer, Key Stage 3 Lead at Kennel Lane School, said: “By working with Legal & General Homes, Bay class learners gained a valuable insight into a real working environment. They’ve been able to get so much out of this experience, including developing their communication skills and problem-solving abilities. Bay class worked hard to fulfill their orders for Christmas decorations for the Legal & General Homes dragons and really enjoyed decorating the office tree.”
Matthew Richardson, Land and Planning Manager at Legal and General Homes, said: “It’s always a pleasure working with everyone at Kennel Lane. I am really impressed with the decorations and want to thank all the children for bringing their best ideas to the table. The kids were so friendly and engaging and were a massive credit to themselves and their school.”
The event is part of Kennel Lane’s partnership with Talentino Careers, which works with schools and employers to improve accessibility to careers for all young people, including those with special educational needs.