The Academy won the Government’s national award for Building Enterprise Skills, one of four Enterprising Britain Awards 2018.The awards celebrate the work of organisations that support and encourage entrepreneurship. The award recognises the enterprise and entrepreneurship approach at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (DACA), one which is being embedded across all the Aldridge family of schools.

The Awards’ organisers stated: “The judges were impressed with the Academy’s highly innovative approach that puts the development of entrepreneurial skills at the heart of the school’s delivery of learning. The academy promotes the development of enterprise skills, allowing students to develop their skills with the support of academy staff and the local business community. DACA students can run a company or social enterprise in response to genuine customer needs, providing real services and products.”

The award was presented by Angie Cannizzaro, Deputy Director Business Growth at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Neville Reyner, CBE, President of Investment in Young People. It was collected on behalf of the Academy by Assistant Principal Michelle Billington , together with Beki Martin, Director of Enterprise & Entrepreneurship for Aldridge Education.