Pupils from Dame Alice Owen’s School in Potters Bar have been shortlisted in a national design competition for the second year running.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Jannes Van Winden, Annabel Hall, Ava Lily Read and Maya Korouei.Jannes Van Winden, Annabel Hall, Ava Lily Read and Maya Korouei. (Image: Archant)

Four Year Nine pupils, Jannes Van Winden, Annabel Hall, Ava Lily Read and Maya Korouei, have placed in the final ten at the Design Ventura competition, which is run by the Design Museum in Kensington. They designed coasters that can be joined together to create any kind of dining experience, such as table mats and table decorations.

After the whole year group submitted their ideas, five groups of students were shortlisted and had to pitch ideas to a panel of judges at the school, including headteacher Hannah Nemko. They then refined their proposals and submitted them to the Design Museum, where they competed against 240 schools and more than 10,000 pupils to get a place in the final ten.

Head of design and technology Lisa Chan said: “What’s even more exciting for us is we’ve been shortlisted for the second year in a row. Chancellor’s School were also in the top ten so that’s two schools in Hertfordshire that have been shortlisted.

“We went for a pitch day on Monday that involved a panel of judges including renowned architect Asif Khan, Sebastian Conran and representatives from Deutsche Bank.

“We as a school have been involved in the competition for the past four years. It’s a great competition to be involved in.

“There’s the opportunity for them to have a product line if they do win.”

The school, which made the shortlist last year but did not win, will find out whether they have won the competition in February.

Describing the moment she found out the team had made the shortlist, Lisa said: “I was absolutely ecstatic. I was over the moon.

“It’s unheard of to have your students selected for the shortlist two years in a row.

“I’m very proud.”