The pupils from Years 12 and 13 attended the Economics and Business Society’s inaugural event in the school’s new Marshall Centre for Learning. The event was made possible through a collaboration with AmplifyME, a specialised investment banking simulator which collects detailed performance data on how well each student performs. The purpose of the simulation itself was to actively train students in the workings of investment banking and teach the skills which are used day to day in the finance world.The event began with a short reception, giving the students the opportunity to connect in a professional environment, before beginning an induction session introducing the simulation, the world of investment banking and the importance of market awareness.
Moving onto the simulation, each student was given the responsibility of project managing twenty million dollars which they were able to invest into BitCoin, Meta, Tesla, Apple or Amazon, wherever they saw fit.
The simulation mimicked twelve months on the stock market in just forty minutes, with pieces of news being released every minute, requiring the students to analyse the data, consider the risks and react – all in a short space of time, allowing them to quickly ‘buy’ or ‘sell’ in order to make a profit.
Ruby R, a Year 13 student who attended the event, commented; ‘It was fascinating to learn about the tremendous impact simple news stories can have upon the stock market.’
Ruby went on to finish top of her class, winning the simulation competition, judged not only for having the highest profit margin, but also based on the quality of her risk management when reacting to the news releases.
Head of Economics at Felsted School, Mr Richard Castle explains: ‘It was a wonderful opportunity to put into practice some of the theories taught in the classroom. There is no substitute for hands-on experience and the simulation provides students with a safe space to develop their skills, giving them a real insight into the possibilities of working within finance in the future’.
Felsted Sixth Form offers a choice of A Level or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and is within the top 30 IB schools in the UK. Head of Felsted Chris Townsend adds; ‘Sixth Form is a crucial time in the development of lifelong learners when adult ambitions begin to emerge, and Felstedians are encouraged to develop the skills and motivation they need to fulfil their individual pathways. Events such as the stock market simulation, provide invaluable curriculum enhancement opportunities for our pupils, giving them practical experience of potential future careers, as well as being a lot of fun for students and teachers!’.
Categories: Felsted School School News
