A learning academy designed to give young people experience of the work environment celebrated its first anniversary last week with staff and students dressing in onesies.

The £14m Technical Skills Academy was opened by shadow chancellor Ed Balls last year and was the result of a partnership between Barking and Daegnham College and the council.

Designed for 16- to 18-year-olds, it offers a range of courses including hairdressing, beauty, media, catering, enterprise, IT, construction and engineering.

There are also two restaurants and two salons on site that are run commercially and are open to the public.

To celebrate its inaugural year, staff and students donned wigs and dressed in onesies and raised money for Scar Quality, the charity set up by student Vicky Knight, which provides a support network for burns victims.

Hilary Moore, head of the academy, said: “We are dedicated to ensuring our students leave the academy with the skills they need for work, higher education and apprenticeships and this is certainly what we have been seeing.

“Many students have already gone into employment, become apprentices, or decided to continue their studies in higher level courses at the academy or at our main college site in Rush Green or gone to university. We are delighted with what we’ve achieved so far and look forward to many more years of success for our students.”