Exeter Student Turns School Project into Flourishing Bakery Business

Former OneSchool Global (OSG) Plymouth student Elodie Buckley has transformed a school project intoWillow & Finch, a thriving Devon-based artisan bakery supplying handcrafted cookies and tray bakes to cafés, farm shops, and retailers across the UK.

Diagnosed with epilepsy at a young age, Elodie struggled with traditional learning, but the school’s unique self-directed approach helped her discover her strengths.

It was during her Year 13 Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) that Elodie first explored whether her love of baking could become something more. Inspired by her late grandmother’s passion for home baking, and supported by teachers who championed an adaptive approach to learning, she developed the idea of a bakery built on freshly made, small-batch cookies. What began as a classroom experiment soon grew into a fully-fledged enterprise, driven by Elodie’s creativity, determination, and love of food.

“I never expected it to grow this much,” said Elodie.“I’ve always loved baking, but the encouragement from my teachers and family gave me the confidence to turn it into something bigger.”

Elodie first launched the Willow & Finch website from scratch in December 2021, offering six cookie flavours that were all baked from her family’s annex kitchen in Exeter. Orders from friends and family soon grew into a steady stream of nationwide deliveries.

By the end of 2022, Willow & Finch had expanded to include corporate gifting, creating bespoke packaging in company colours with personalised messages. In early 2023, Elodie exhibited at the Source Tradeshow in Exeter, a pivotal moment that introduced her cookies to trade buyers and helped the business take its first steps into wholesale supply.

Since then, Willow & Finch has established itself as a recognised brand supplying cafés, farm shops, and independent retailers nationwide.

Reflecting on her time at OSG, Elodie added: “The school’s approach gave me the freedom to learn in a way that worked for me. My EPQ didn’t just teach me academic skills – it gave me real-world experience that I use every single day running the bakery.” 

“I still can't really believe my school project has come so far. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed where we'd be today,” said Elodie. “We’re proud to still bake every cookie fresh to order in small batches, and now I’m excited to take Willow & Finch to the next level – expanding into the London market, strengthening wholesaler partnerships, and introducing new product lines.”