Zak Wolfson, named student of the year in this year’s Ort UK Jump mentoring scheme, can certainly claim to be a high flier.

The JFS student, one of a record participation of more than 250 pupils from 11 Jewish and general schools, has set his sights on becoming a pilot.

Each year, the charity matches pupils with a professional from a career that interest them who can offer guidance on what it takes to get there.

And though coronavirus put paid to face-to-face meetings, sessions continued online.

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.”