Ort UK reaches for the skies

But earlier this year Zak was lucky enough to take to the air with his instructor, Ryanair pilot Jake Sekenofsky, who said the best lessons are “when I don’t have to lift a finger. Zak’s lesson was one of those.”

Zak told this week’s online graduation ceremony the experience “was beyond my wildest expectations as a sixthformer but the whole process has been phenomenal and a real privilege to be part of”.

Runners up were Jessie Hakkak of Yavneh College and Anna Subina of La Sainte Union.

The new award for partnership of the year went to Sophia Khan of Parliament Hill School and her mentor, BBC journalist Ian Westbrook. The first mentor of the year award went to business consultant Adam Kosky, whose student Harvey Moss from Yavneh College is looking forward to an internship with Arsenal Fan TV.

Dan Reinhold, who works for tax and audit giants KPMG UK and is ambassador to the Jump programme, said it helped introduce to practical skills such as learning to respond to emails professionally. “It is better to learn to arrive on time, to give a firm handshake and learn to look someone in the eye before their first interview.”