STUDENTS in year ten at Heathfield Community School are receiving expert support from the business community under a mentoring scheme.

The school has relaunched its business mentors scheme, which encourages members of a variety of businesses to mentor a student from year ten until they take their GCSEs.

Natasha Rand, from the senior leadership team for enterprise and careers, said: "When I asked whether our year ten students would like a business mentor, I was overwhelmed with the response.

“Over 40 of our pupils said they would like one, so we had to select 12 who I have now matched with our business mentors." The mentors themselves are getting extra help.

Heathefield offered them a training session on developing positive relationship with their mentee at a workshop run by Ruth James, who directs the course, Surviving Teenagers Today.

Ruth covered topics including the development of the teenage brain, and how to motivate teenagers and help them decide what they want to do.

Donna Hibbert, operations manager for Premier Inn, said: "The evening was extremely interesting and positive; it made me appreciate what it is like to be a teenager and I am looking forward to mentoring my student."

Anybody interested in becoming a business mentor can contact Natasha Rand by emailing sch.545@educ.somerset.gov.uk.