Pennthorpe School Shortlisted for Prestigious Talk Education Awards 2025
Published by Pennthorpe School on Friday 5th of September 2025
Pennthorpe School is proud to announce that it has been shortlisted for the Talk Education Awards for Innovation in Education 2025, in the highly competitive Entrepreneurship & Business category.
The Talk Education Awards celebrate the very best in educational innovation across the independent school sector, shining a spotlight on schools that are driving forward new ideas, bold initiatives, and outstanding practice. Being recognised by Talk Education — one of the UK’s leading platforms for independent school insight, advice, and guidance — is a mark of true distinction and places Pennthorpe among the most forward-thinking schools in the country.
Pennthorpe’s shortlisted entry showcased its pioneering Innovation Week, a whole-school initiative that reimagined entrepreneurial education for pupils aged 8–13. Across one extraordinary week, 17 mixed-age pupil groups worked on 52 live business challenges, from marketing to international markets and planning sustainable tourism, to prototyping new technologies and launching a fully pupil-led podcast.
Partnerships with six dynamic local businesses, including AJW Group, Ben Simpson Furniture, Firebird Brewery, Riverside Farm Campsite, and PMW Communications, gave pupils first-hand exposure to real-world commercial thinking. Pupils were mentored and their work reviewed by industry professionals, offering rare insight into how enterprise and creativity intersect in professional environments.
The programme also welcomed a line-up of inspiring guest speakers from fields as diverse as sustainability, performing arts, law, AI, government, sport, and gaming. Their stories brought entrepreneurial thinking to life, showing pupils how innovative ideas can evolve into businesses, movements, and solutions.
“We are honoured to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award,” said Chris Murray, Headmaster. “The Talk Education Awards celebrate the very best in independent education, and to be recognised in this way reflects Pennthorpe’s bold vision for what entrepreneurial education can look like in a prep school setting.”
Innovation Week is just the beginning. It signals Pennthorpe’s long-term commitment to embedding entrepreneurship and business acumen across the curriculum, ensuring pupils leave not only with knowledge, but also the confidence, creativity, and resilience to become future leaders and changemakers.
The winners of the Talk Education Awards 2025 will be announced later this year. For more information, visit Talk Education Awards.
