Tupton Hall Students Crowned Joint Winners at National Manufacturing Day
Thirteen Year 10 Engineering students from Tupton Hall School gained a valuable insight into the world of manufacturing this week as they took part in National Manufacturing Day 2026, organised through Chesterfield's Made in Chesterfield initiative.
The event, which took place on 24 September, brought together more than 70 students from six schools across Derbyshire and Chesterfield, giving young people the opportunity to explore careers in manufacturing, engineering and innovation.
As part of the day, Tupton Hall students visited NIBE Energy Systems, where they toured the company's facilities and learned more about the technology, skills and expertise that drive the manufacturing industry. Students then worked alongside industry professionals on a real-world manufacturing challenge, developing ideas and solutions before preparing a presentation to showcase their work.
In the afternoon, students travelled to the iconic Barrow Hill Roundhouse and the new DRIIVe (Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle) Innovation Centre, where they presented their ideas to a panel of judges alongside students from other schools and representatives from local manufacturing businesses.
The standard of presentations was incredibly high, but Tupton Hall students rose to the challenge and were named the judges' Joint First Place Winners, a fantastic achievement that reflected their teamwork, creativity and professionalism throughout the day.
The National Manufacturing Day event formed part of the wider Made in Chesterfield initiative, which brings together manufacturers, schools and education providers to inspire the next generation of talent and showcase the exciting opportunities available within the sector.
Reflecting on the students' success, Mr Watson said:
"Our pupils were focused and performed well at the NIBE Energy Systems headquarters. After lunch, we had a motivational chat as a group and this seemed to do the trick as our students aced it in the presentation and came joint first!"
The experience gave students a first-hand look at modern manufacturing while developing their understanding of engineering, design, project management and problem-solving. It also highlighted the wide range of rewarding careers available within one of Derbyshire's most innovative and growing industries.
Congratulations to all our students who represented Tupton Hall School so brilliantly and demonstrated the ambition, determination and teamwork that make our school community so special.
Well done, Team Tupton! 👏🏆