THE business nous and creativity of students from eight Oxford schools was tested in the last round of area finals for a national competition.

The Young Enterprise Business of the Year Award challenges pupils from schools across the UK to set up and nurture a business from scratch.

In Oxfordshire, a total of 512 students in 41 teams from 28 schools have designed, marketed and sold everything from postcards to paisley pyjamas.

Monday’s Oxford round victors were the Fleet team, from Oxford High School, and the Alpha team, of The Cherwell School.

Fleet managing director Lauren Rynsburger, 16, said: “I’m feeling really good. It has been challenging but everything went to plan.

“I was feeling like a proud parent at the end.”

Fleet sells jewellery from a women’s co-operative in Bangladesh and tries to be as ethical as possible in every aspect of the business, down to the recycled packaging used.

Miss Rynsburger said: “We’ve got a few changes to make before the county final. We’re still in progress.”

The top teams from across Oxfordshire will go on to compete in a county final at the Said Business School, Frideswide's Square, Oxford, next Thursday, election day.

From there, winners will go on to a national final in June.

At Monday’s event, held at Harley Davidson in Garsington Road, Cowley, teams were judged on a company report, a trade stall and a four-minute presentation.

Other schools competing included Oxford Spires Academy, St Clare’s, Headington School, Wychwood School and Rye St Anthony.

Bernard Grenville-Jones, who chaired the judging panel on Monday, said: “You can certainly see how they have developed in terms of grittiness and resilience.

“Each year at the final, I can’t help thinking, 'gosh, it was better than last year'.

“One of the benefits of Young Enterprise is that it runs for the full year.

“Usually in school it’s a one-man game, but you learn what it means to work as part of a team.

“Life and business are very similar. The sorts of skills going through this programme are the skills that make them of high value to society. It’s ‘life readiness’.”

The Oxford finalists will be pitted against those from South and Vale and North and West Oxfordshire, announced earlier this month, on election day.

Those teams include Jot It, from Our Lady’s Abingdon, Navigate, from St Helen and St Katharine in Abingdon, Vivify, from Burford School, and Re-Hide, from Bloxham.

Young Enterprise is a national charity forging links between schools and industry. Central and south manager Markus Rickard said: “You cannot fail but be impressed by the ingenuity, enterprise and sheer determination of the students who participated. They all displayed great creativity, resilience and resourcefulness in running their businesses.”