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Innovation Week at Pennthorpe: Where Curiosity Led the Way

Pupils at Pennthorpe School swapped classrooms for creativity during Innovation Week - tackling real-world challenges set by industry leaders, from AI to aviation.

Between the 16th and 20th of June, something remarkable happened at Pennthorpe. Classrooms were reshaped, timetables rewritten, and the walls between school and the outside world dissolved. Innovation Week turned the entire school into a creative, curious, and collaborative space, where the learning was real, the problems were real, and the ideas were very, very real.

Throughout the week, pupils from Years 3 to 8 worked in 17 mixed-age groups to tackle a wide range of real-world challenges. Each group was made up of children who wouldn’t usually work together, and that was precisely the point. From the very first morning, children were encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, find their voice within a team, and bring their skills and perspective to the table. What followed was an explosion of energy, imagination, and collaboration.

Over just five days, 52 real-life tasks were completed, ranging from the highly practical to the wonderfully inventive. Whether designing an eco-friendly holiday, creating a wellbeing space, planning a new city, or marketing cheddar to France, the emphasis was on curiosity, creativity, and the confidence to try and fail, in pursuit of something better.

One of the most ambitious projects of the week was the development of a two-part podcast, entirely pupil-led. From writing scripts and interviewing guests to recording, editing, and publishing, this was a shining example of what happens when children are trusted with a platform and a purpose. It was polished, professional, and, most importantly, entirely their own.

Much of the week’s magic came from the real-world voices that joined us. Guest speakers from across a wide range of industries gave pupils first-hand insight into innovation as it plays out in everyday life. From the creative worlds of performing arts, marketing, and visual effects, to the critical realms of sustainability, law, education, AI, and even government, each talk offered a glimpse into how bold thinking and original problem-solving are shaping the future.

We were proud to partner with six outstanding local businesses, each bringing something special to the table. From the engineering expertise of AJW Group and the craftsmanship of Ben Simpson Furniture, to the entrepreneurial flair of Firebird Brewery, Riverside Farm Campsite, and PMW Communications, the support from our local community elevated the entire experience. They challenged, inspired, and supported our pupils and left genuinely impressed by what they saw in return.


But perhaps the most powerful outcomes of the week weren’t found in the products or presentations, but in the people. Watching our pupils grow in confidence as they learned to listen, lead, and collaborate in unfamiliar teams was a privilege. Seeing them grapple with the reality that not every idea will work and that failure is part of the process was an education in itself. The skills they practised all week, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking, are the same ones they’ll need for life.

The feedback has been both moving and motivating. Parents told us their children came home buzzing with ideas, unable to stop talking about what they’d learned. One parent described the week as “a treat, with so much to reflect on,” while another shared how their child “could not stop talking about all the fascinating things he learnt about airplane components and their costs.” Others thanked us for bringing in such inspiring speakers, not just for the pupils, but for the adults in the room too.

And this may only be the beginning. Innovation Week has shown us what’s possible when education steps outside the conventional model. Mixed-age learning, real-world collaboration, hands-on projects, partnerships with industry, all of these are not only possible, they’re powerful.

At Pennthorpe, we are proud to lead with curiosity. Innovation Week wasn’t just a one-off; it was a glimpse into the future of learning.

June 2025