The specialist status system encourages schools to be innovative in the way they teach and organise themselves. We feel our school in developing as an excellent Business and Enterprise College has enabled us to progress the work already taking place in the school. Becoming a BEC has been an invaluable means by which we can further enrich the enterprise education and understanding of our pupils. It has provided us with the opportunity to assist our pupils in forging stronger links with local businesses that potentially could provide them with employment opportunities post 16.

Oakmeeds Community College Business and Enterprise bid outlined community targets to further develop the schools relationship with the local and business community to raise their awareness as to what we have to offer as a school to the wider community.

Over the last 2 years every learner has participated in Business and Enterprise activities across the curriculum just a few of these include:

  • Business Education Lessons- Year 7, 8, 10 and 11
  • Make your Mark - Year 10 and 11
  • Impact; Enterprise drama group - Year 10
  • Young Enterprise - Year 10
  • Blue Skies Business Dynamics - Year 10
  • Entrepreneurs for Tomorrow – Year 10

These events are very popular with both staff and pupils and prove a solid foundation for future enterprise programmes and a good understanding of the business world.

In the coming year the College will seek to embed an Enterprise Learning culture across the curriculum. Central to this is the recognition and development of pupils’ skills in a range of subject areas.

The strands of Enterprise education
Enterprise capability is innovation, creativity, risk-management, risk taking and a 'can-do' attitude and the drive to make ideas happen. It is supported by:
Financial capability which is the ability to manage one's own finances and to become questioning and informed consumers of financial services; and
Business & economic understanding which is the ability to understand the business context and make informed choices between alternative use of scarce resources.
Enterprise Learning outcomes
 
Key outcomes
Enterprise capability 		Supportive outcomes
Financial capability 		Supportive outcomes
Business & economic understanding
Knowledge & understanding e.g. innovation, risk, managing change, personal effectiveness e.g. money, credit, investment, costing projects, personal finance e.g. market, competition, price, efficiency, growth
Skills e.g. decision-making, leadership, managing risks e.g. budgeting, financial planning, personal risk management e.g. decision-making, investigating simple hypotheses
Attributes e.g. self-reliance, 'can-do' attitude, ambition, pragmatism e.g. taking responsibility for outcomes of financial decisions e.g. taking an interest in business and economic issues

 

Ofsted found that where enterprise learning was very good there was a clear vision about its potential for raising standards and preparing young people for adult life. Enterprising schools have an ethos, which encourages both staff and pupils to take responsibility for decisions. Enterprising schools have developed innovative ways of teaching and learning which engage local business & the community.

Studies indicate strong business links and work based learning run alongside enterprise projects in all curriculum subjects provide the means by which young people gain awareness of the opportunities available to them in business, and industry. The tailor made teaching style of a business and enterprise college strengthens the relevance and understanding of pupils' in mainstream work in school