Cafe culture serves up business skills

Petit Paris was the brainchild of Year 6 pupils who not only created the idea for the two-day eaterie, but also devised the menu, marketed it to parents and fellow pupils, and ran it too.

And the culmination to the annual enterprise project – which involved business experts giving guidance - saw takings over the two days pass the £2,000 mark.

Items on the menu to woo diners included Le Grand Fromage (cheese burger), Le Poodle (hot dog), Bon Baguette (tuna or ham sandwich), Arc de Croissant (croissant with jam and butter) and Ooh la la (warm waffles and ice cream).

The school hall was given a makeover complete with Eifel Tower banners and tricolor bunting, whilst the waiters and waitresses wore red, white and blue uniforms.

In the weeks preceding the opening of Petit Paris, the students were schooled in subjects ranging from marketing and design to budgeting and customer service.

Ashville Junior School headteacher Simon Bailey said: “Once again the enterprise project has been a resounding success, and I’d like to say a big thank you to all the businesses, parents and staff members who have offered so much help and expertise.

“The project’s grand finale was their Parisian café, Petit Paris. This was a superb ‘pop up’ café, where the Year 6 boys and girls ran the entire operation with minimum guidance from the teaching staff.

“The enterprise project teaches the students a number of real-life skills, it gives them an opportunity to work with local businesses, to work to a strict timetable, manage a budget and achieve the ultimate goal of turning over a profit.”

Expertise was offered by Barclays Bank, Amici Restaurant in Leeds, Omega Signs and Savvy Marketing.