Main Menu

WELCOME

Menu

WELCOME

Menu

National Careers Challenge 2025

  • July 10, 2025

On Tuesday 8th July, students from Fred Longworth took part in The National Careers Challenge at London’s Barbican Centre. Delivered by The Inspirational Learning Group in partnership with NatWest Thrive, the Challenge has engaged more than 700,000 young people across the UK, Middle East and China since its launch in 2013. Founded by cousins Ben and Michael Dyer, the programme brings real, employer-led briefs into schools, fostering teamwork, confidence and problem-solving skills among 11–16-year-olds.

Entrepreneur and TikTok star Simon Squibb – ambassador for National Careers Challenge 2025 – opened the Grand Finals with his “What’s Your Dream?” keynote, sharing personal insights on entrepreneurship. Viral sensation DJ Chicken Nugget and Britain’s Got Talent winner Viggo Venn were also in attendance, joining in the celebration of young talent and essential skills.

Across Years 7 to 10, each group tackled a bespoke challenge co-designed with leading employers:

Year 7 – Sustainable Town of the Future (Air Products)

Students designed sustainable communities that utilise gases produced by Air Products to reduce carbon footprints.

Year 8 – Future Airline (British Airways)

Teams reimagined air travel by creating an eco-friendly BA sub-brand, complete with innovative passenger experiences and sustainable operations.

Year 9 – Start Local, Think Global (NatWest Thrive)

Participants developed business ideas rooted in their communities but designed to scale to global markets, demonstrating entrepreneurial flair and financial intelligence.

Year 10 – Wellbeing Challenge (Wickes)

Groups designed and implemented dedicated wellbeing spaces within their schools, crafting solutions to enhance health, safety and mental-health support for students and staff.

Working alongside these industry partners, the Challenge equipped students with authentic insights into careers spanning STEM, aviation, finance and facilities management. Finalists not only presented to senior executives but also explored pathways they might never have considered.

Ben Dyer, co-founder of The Inspirational Learning Group, remarked,

“It was incredible to witness the creativity and determination these students brought to the Challenge. Our partnership with NatWest Thrive and support from our employer collaborators ensured that young people could tackle real-world challenges, build essential skills and see themselves as the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.”

Students from Freddie’s pitched their idea with distinction, doing both our school and local community proud.

Gallery

How Yondr Works

Frequently Asked Questions

We want our students to be engaged in their learning. A child at high school should not really have a reason to contact a parent during the day; however, if there is a genuine reason e.g. they have forgotten their packed lunch, a phone call can be made home from the school office. If a parent needs to contact their child in an emergency, they should contact the school office. If you need to contact your child during the school day, contact the main office on 01942 883796.

In case of a school emergency, we direct our students to safety first, following our school emergency procedures.

 

Students are in possession of their phone - in their Yondr pouch - for the entire school day. We will advise students to store the pouch safely in their school bag or blazer pockets.

If a student damages their Pouch or is caught on their phone, we will confiscate the phone and issue a sanction which is likely to be a suspension.

Note: Damage consists of any signs that the physical integrity of the pouch has been compromised, whether intentional or unintentional, as determined by the school or Yondr staff.

Damaged pouches will be charged to parents at a cost of £20.

They will be searched and wanded with a handheld scanner by a member of SLT. If they are found to have their phone on their person they will be expected to place it in their pouch. Refusal will be met with suspension.

If a student forgets their Pouch, their phone will be confiscated.

As per our previous mobile phone policy;

  • Confiscated phones will be taken to reception where the phone will be secured in the school safe.
  • Parents will be alerted to the phone confiscation via the school office.

Parents will have the option to collect the phone at the end of the day. If parents do not collect the phone, the phone will remain in school until the end of the week or until the student has their pouch.

In Yondr’s experience, this almost never happens. All students funnel past the unlocking stations at the exits, they want their phones back and don’t forget to unlock their pouches. If they do arrive home with a phone in a pouch, they can either come back to school to unlock it, or have a phone free evening!

The unlocking process is quick and takes under a second per student. 

As a privilege, Year 11 will be able to unlock their phones as they go off site at lunchtime; however, they will be expected to put their phones back into their pouches when they return to school for period 5.

Yes. There is an adapted version of the pouch which uses a Velcro fastener instead of a magnetic lock. This means the student still follows the policy, but the adapted pouch gives them easy access to their phone when required. If the student abuses this, they will face a sanction. We are already aware of these students.

Your Office 365 account username is your school network account username followed by @flhs.wigan.sch.uk 
The password is the same password that you use in school to access computers.