Catering students serve up scones and sandwiches

The spread served up by Year-9 students from the Sir Robert Woodard Academy was a big hit with all the guests, who paid £4.50 a head to take high tea at the school.

Guest and parent Paul Cronin, of Fourth Avenue, Lancing, was celebrating his fortieth birthday.

He said: “We recently ate at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, and this on par for taste and quality, but at a quarter of the price.”

The students baked an array of bread, cakes, scones, mini quiches, biscuits and rolls for their guests, all served with pots of tea.

Student Millie Cronin, 14, said: “I’ve enjoyed cooking and serving people, and getting experience for jobs in the future.”

The youngsters waited tables, took orders and even washed up afterwards.

Caleb Livous, 14, of Rectory Farm Road, Sompting, said he wanted to take GCSE catering because he thought it would be a valuable life skill.

Vice principal Katie Scott, who has been with the school since it became and academy four years ago, was among the guests enjoying tea and cake.

She said: “The more relevant education is to real life, the more engaging it is.

“These are absolutely the skills young people need to become employable.”