Enterprise Education

NATIONAL PRIORITY 5 – Learning for Life

“To equip pupils with the foundation skills, attitudes and expectations necessary to prosper in a changing society and to encourage creativity and ambition.”

What is Enterprise in Education?
Enterprise in Education is about learning across the curriculum, through core skills, employability skills, career education and aspects of personal and social development. The methods by which pupils learn and how they are taught will make a direct contribution to pupils’ experience of Enterprise in Education and will equip them for ‘real life’, helping them to understand and experience the role they will play in the working world in the future.

Elements of Enterprise in Education

• Integration of enterprising skills into the curriculum
• Career education
• Education for work … or building an understanding of work

Enterprise in Education will equip pupils with the skills, attitudes and expectations necessary to enable them to become:

• Successful learners
• Confident individuals
• Responsible citizens
• Effective contributors to life and work

The great opportunities and successes evident in school only come about due to the enterprising climate that is evident in classrooms on a daily basis promoting a confident ‘can do’ attitude in our pupils. This all round effort and success in every area of the school was recognised in June 2006, as the school was awarded a Platinum Award for Enterprise by East Renfrewshire Council, and then this year received very positive feedback from an HMIe Inspection focussing on Enterprise. I am delighted that we were short listed as one of the three finalists for ‘The Most Enterprising School in Scotland’ award at the Scottish Education Awards.

Pupils are taking the lead, making decisions and tackling projects with imagination and determination

Mearns Castle High School is continuing to develop a programme of activities which encourage enterprise and innovation as well as prepare our young people for the work of work. Many of these depend on good links with local businesses who supply valuable support in the form of mentors, advisors and work experience placements. Some of our pupils participate in the ERC Vocational Qualifications programme. The school was recently awarded the Platinum Award for Enterprise and reached the finals of Most Enterprising Secondary School in the Scottish education Awards.

WHOLE SCHOOL EVENTS INCLUDE:

• Eco schools award
• Fair trade
• Amnesty group
• Charities week
• Pupil council
• Drama productions
• PE clubs

ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITIES / COMPETITIONS

• S6 & S3 Mini Trials
• S5 Make your Mark Challenge
• S5 Great Expectations
• S5 European Youth Parliament Forum
• S6 YES Company Programme
• S1 and S2 Stairway to Success Group
• S4 Tree of Knowledge Motivational Day
• S3 Stock Market Challenge
• SVS and Hospitality
• PSE and tutor groups

ENTERPRISE YEAR GROUP EVENTS

• S1 Team Building Event
• S2 Make it in Scotland
• S3 Industrial Awareness Day
• S4 Work Experience
• S5 Interview Skills
• S6 Induction Day

ENTERPRISING AND CREATIVE SKILLS:

• Thinking skills
• Co-operation
• Communication skills
• Problem solving
• Collaboration
• Competitiveness
• Belief in your own ability
• Ability to recognise own strengths and weaknesses
• Using own initiative

ACTIVITIES WHICH FOSTER ENTERPRISING AND CREATIVE PUPILS:

• Class discussion
• Interaction
• Working as teams
• Open questions
• Finding out
• Problem solving
• Speculation
• Inventing
• Real-life challenges

ENTERPRISING AND CREATIVE PUPILS ARE MORE:

• Self-aware
• Self-confident
• Independent
• Socially skilled
• Flexible
• Determined and willing to persevere

ENTERPRISING AND CREATIVE PUPILS ARE BETTER:

• Communicators
• Planners
• Decision makers
• Leaders
• Team leaders
• Problem-solvers