Pupils at Thames Christian College in London helped raise £1,750 at the school's Christmas Fair on Saturday. 

Pupils took part in an Apprentice-style challenge to select, bake and sell cakes at the Fair. They also practised their artistic skills at face-painting, ran a lucky dip and sold school calendars and raffle tickets. 

The event was supported by other traders from the school community, selling a wide range of Christmas gifts and crafts from jewellery, bags and scarves to skin products, clothing and photography.

One Thames pupil, Cecilia, who tried her hand at face-painting said: "This is trickier than it looks. I've never done face-painting before.

"That's the great thing about Thames, you get to do new things every day. It can be quite challenging but it's also a lot of fun." 

The Apprentice challenge was a great opportunity for Year 8 pupils to learn the four Ps of marketing, practise problem-solving, team and leadership skills and to put their sales techniques into practice.

The winning team 'Baketastic', made a profit of £54.10 with their Chelsea buns and fairy cakes decorated with chocolate drops.

Interestingly they were the team to spend the most on ingredients, producing scrumptious looking cakes which sold for a premium of £1 - £1.50 a cake.

One customer said: "The Baketastic team were very persuasive and made it hard to walk away without buying something. They were also confident at approaching people as they walked around the fair. 

"It's great to see teenagers having so much fun doing a task. Thames pupils are all so well behaved and outgoing. They will do well in the real world of work if they keep up the fantastic attitude they have now."

The money raised will go towards an updated sound desk, speakers and microphones for the school's music and drama departments. These will be put to good use in the forthcoming Christmas carol concert and drama performance.