A TEAM of four students from Malmesbury School have outperformed the stock market and more than 10,000 other schools to win an investment competition.

The team won the 2015 ifs Student Investor Challenge on April 31 by taking part in a simulated live-trading challenge and giving a presentation on socially responsible investing to a panel of experts.

The team, titled “Withdrawal Symptoms”, featured Adam McClelland, Toby Journeaux, Jamie Wreathall and Ollie Blake and will now go on an all-expenses paid trip to New York as well as securing £2,000 for their school and £200 each.

In a tense final against eight other schools the team won over the judges with shrewd trading and a presentation on socially responsible investment.

Head teacher of Malmesbury School Tim Gilson said: "Winning this prestigious National competition is an outstanding achievement for Ollie, Adam, Jamie and Toby and also for Andrew McVernon their inspirational teacher.

“With the financial sector being so important for the National Economy we have long found it vital that all out students have the chance to be educated about finance, business and global trade.

“I am very grateful to the ifs University College for providing this wonderful opportunity for our students."

Vice Principal of ifs University College Alison Pask said: “Our congratulations go not only to the team from Malmesbury, but also to all of the finalists who took part in this year’s challenge.

“Once again, our panel of judges had a really tough decision to make with so many well-researched and presented arguments.

The ifs Student Investor Challenge is a free competition run by ifs University College, a university college for financial education.

It provides teams of up to four students aged between 14-19 with a virtual £100,000 to trade shares, stocks, futures and assets and the opportunity to experience the dynamic world of share dealing.