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Enterprise Education

Based on Ofsted’s report: "Learning to be Enterprising" August 2004

Enterprising Learning

Enterprise Learning comprises of Enterprise Capability supported by Financial Capability and Economic & Business Understanding. It is about providing opportunities for young people to ‘put together’ and apply in an enterprising way the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed through these strands.

It includes the development of entrepreneurial skills but is broader reaching than that. In the 21st century all adults need to be enterprising both in their work and in their personal lives. Businesses need employees who are innovative in their approach to solving problems, can cope with uncertainty & change, communicate well and are able to work effectively in teams. The development of these skills in young people is therefore an essential part of the preparation for adult life.

Enterprise Capability

The ability to handle uncertainty and respond positively to change, to create and implement new ideas and new ways of doing things, to make reasonable risk/reward assessments and act upon them in a variety of contexts, both personal and work.

(Definition used by Ofsted and based on the Howard Davies review)Learning outcomes include:

Knowledge and understanding of concepts – organisation, innovation, risk, change, teamwork
Skills – decision making, leadership, personal effectiveness, problem solving, managing risk, selling
Attributes – self-reliance, open-mindedness, respect for evidence, pragmatism, ‘can-do’ approach, commitment

Financial Capability

The ability to manage one’s own finances effectively and to become a questioning and informed consumer of financial services.Learning outcomes include:

Knowledge and understanding of concepts – money, credit, investment
Skills – budgeting, financial planning, personal risk management
Attributes – willingness to take responsibility for the impact of financial decisions

Economic & Business Understanding

Includes the ability to understand the business context and make informed choices between alternative uses of scarce resources.

Learning outcomes include:

Knowledge and understanding of concepts – market, price, competition, efficiency, economic growth, business organisation
Skills – decision making, investigation of simple hypotheses
Attributes – willingness to take an interest in economics, the role of business and its responsibilities.

Enterprise Learning requires a Learning Environment where pupils are expected to take personal responsibility for their own actions in an area where there may be uncertainty about final outcomes. They are given significant autonomy to tackle relevant problems or issues that involve an element of risk as well as reward for their successful resolution i.e. where there is considerable uncertainty about final outcomes.

Learning, within this context, can be promoted by engaging pupils in an Enterprise Process, or approach, which is akin to project working in a work-based context. This process involves four sequential stages:-

Stage 1: Tackling a problem or identifying a need

Pupils generate and develop ideas through discussion to reach a common understanding of what is required to resolve the problem or meet the need.

This activity could involve the manufacture of a product or provision of a service.

Stage 2: Planning the project or activity

Breaking down tasks, organising resources, deploying team members and allocating responsibilities.

Stage 3: Implementing the plan

Solving problems and monitoring progress.

Stage 4: Evaluating processes,

Reviewing activities and final outcomes, reflecting on lessons learned and assessing the skills, attitudes, qualities and understanding acquired as a result of the process.

Approaches to Enterprise Education

‘‘The whole aim is to encourage an enterprise culture throughout the school. We’re trying to get across the idea of enterprise as thinking innovatively for work and learning, including a practical commitment to achievement…to inspire pupils to take more responsibility for their own futures’’.

A whole school approach may be the overall aim but like any culture change programme this won’t happen overnight. It is perfectly acceptable to start small, using one or a combination of approaches, and work towards the vision of Enterprise woven into the fabric of school philosophy.

Examples of Approaches

Preparation for and de-briefing from Work Experience
Timetabled sessions for Enterprise e.g. within the PSHCE programme
Enterprise workshops provided by external providers
Business & Community projects
Business challenges
Training teachers to deliver Enterprise elements within their schemes of work (academic & vocational options)
Charity fundraising

The chosen approach will depend on what works best for an individual school. For example, a school with specialist status may choose to use that specialism as the main route of delivery. It isn’t a case of ‘one size fits all’. A combination of approaches may be used, with whole year group, optional & targeted provision clearly identified.This strategy for delivery of Enterprise Education should be developed within the programme of vocational and Work Related Learning and linked with the School Development Plan.

It is also important to develop a clear definition of the concept of Enterprise customised for the school and understood by all stakeholders and to explicitly identify what ‘5 days entitlement to Enterprise Learning for all pupils’ means in your school.

For more information on the Hertfordshire Enterprise Learning Partnership (HELP) please log on to www.enterprisevillage.org.uk for lots of useful information.

Barnwell School