Name of school/project
Young Enterprise Scotland – Kirkintilloch High School, East Dumbarton
Think and Do Business
Key Facts
The project involved
Think Business (S1) Teacher Led with YES materials a series of lessons and challenges designed to be run in 45 minute slots for S1 introducing and reinforcing enterprise concepts
Think More business (S2) Teacher Led with YES materials a series of lessons and challenges designed to be run in 45 minute slots
for S2 introducing and reinforcing enterprise concepts
The Tenner Challenge (S1/S2) Half day YES trainer led session followed up by teachers (link attached)
The High Street Challenge (S2) A day long enterprise event led by YES Trainers and supported by business volunteers where young people worked in teams to come up with a business they could potentially set up and run in a local disused shop unit
Do Business (S3) A daylong challenge led by YES trainers and supported by business volunteers that encouraged small groups to pitch new product and service business ideas.
Enterprise Life and Work (S4) 14 2 hour sessions delivered by a YES trainer to 10 x 4th years that led them to running their own business within the school
How it developed
Kirkintilloch and YES have enjoyed an effective partnership for around 2 years prior to the projects this year. We were very enthusiastic in taking up the offer of the enterprise support from YES a part of the pilot programme. Initially the Think Business and Think More Business materials were made available to be used by the S1 an S2 teachers as they saw fit. The Enterprise Life and Work programme was organised for a selected group of S4 pupils. Increased focus on enterprise led to further work on the High Street Challenge and the Tenner programme. Kirkintilloch are interested in pursuing further partnership with YES to further their enterprise goals should funding be available. After reflecting on their achievements we have also decided to timetable the YES Company Programme in next year for 2 periods a week for 5th and 6th years.
What pupils gained
- Understanding of issues relating to business practice and a further understanding of how businesses help to satisfy needs.
- Participating in collaborative enterprise activities leading to enhanced communication and teamwork skills
- Developing entrepreneurial skills that contribute to the success of the activity.
- Developing the skills and attributes that will be needed for learning, life and work.
- Gaining understanding of the relevance of their current cross-curricular learning to future opportunities.
- Given the opportunity to use enterprise activities to make informed choices about their lives and learning.
- Practical experience of enterprise and business.
How effective was the project
- All of S1-S3 were exposed to enterprise experiences
- 10 S4 pupils completed the running of their own business
- The Company Programme has been timetabled for S5/S6 pupils
- Pupils who participated in Think and Do Business demonstrated the following Attributes across the 4 capacities of CfE:
- Enthusiasm and motivation for learning
- Determination to reach high standards of achievement
- Openness to new thinking and ideas
- Ambition
- An enterprising attitude
- Self-reliance
- Pupils who participated in the Inventor’s Challenge demonstrated the following Capabilities across the 2 capacities of CfE:
- Literacy, numeracy and communication skills
- Think creatively and independently
- Learn independently and a part of a group
- Make reasoned evaluations
- Link and apply different types of learning in new situations
- Relate to others and manage themselves
- Develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world
- Assess risk and make informed decisions
- Achieve success in different areas of activity
- Make informed choices and decisions
- Develop informed, ethical views of complex issues
- Communicate in different ways in different settings
- Work in partnership and in teams
- Take the initiative and lead
- Apply critical thinking in new contexts
- Create and develop
- Solve problems
Is it sustainable?
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive – especially around the opportunities for practical experience of business an enterprise and exposure to business volunteers.
Kirkintilloch High School wishes to continue in partnership with YES depending on funding.
What costs did you incur?
TBC
Did you involve other partners?
No, though business volunteers were involved in the delivery of the challenge days
What support did you get?
Support from the school was mainly in terms of teachers and room allocations for the various classes and events. YES made use of its own volunteer network to get volunteers as and when needed.
YES provided all S1 and S2 materials for Do Business and Do More Business as well as providing facilitators and volunteers for the day and half day challenges.
A YES point of contact (Rab Macdonald) was made available to act as a support for other related enterprise activities
Ms Watts from Kirkintilloch was also able to attend a High Street Challenge event we ran in Notre Dame High School in Glasgow as part of her personal development and a chance to share best practice with other schools involved in the project.
Contact details
Waterside Road, Glasgow,
Lanarkshire G66 3PA
0141 955 2372
Any other useful information
Kirkintilloch High School’s pupil support team has been nominated in the Scottish Education Awards category of ‘Transforming Lives through Partnerships’ and reached the final.
Articles from the school website
http://www.kirkintilloch.e-dunbarton.sch.uk/news/default.asp?storyID=226&nid=2
http://www.kirkintilloch.e-dunbarton.sch.uk/news/default.asp?storyID=216&nid=2
Ambition, Enterprise, Secondary, Skills Development,Skills for Learning, Skills for Life, Skills for work, Teacher-led
