Year 8 were faced with an enterprising challenge, on 9^th February, when they took part in Bright Futures, “World of Enterprise Experience” led by Mr Sean Moses and Mr John Fernley. This challenge built on the skills developed in the “Money Matters” workshop which Year 8 attended last April, to promote financial capability and understanding, applying team working and communication skills.

“Be honest and focused!” the pupils were instructed. “The focus is enterprise, helping you to improve your chances in the future, non academic skills, your skills for work, your attitude and drive, entrepreneurship, innovation.”

The pupils were given the opportunity to work at various fun tasks for a set time in groups, sharing knowledge and ideas and trying to find the most efficient method for completing the work.

Then, building on this teamwork they were given a commercial enterprise, a profit making challenge where they had to design an attractive and innovative new loyalty card holder, make it and sell as many of them as they could manufacture for a profit, in the time available. Each group was given coloured pens, and tokens worth £5 with which they could buy raw materials.

They also had to pass quality control and the teams had to pay labour costs and tax!

The pupils were encouraged to be energetic and enthusiastic in their efforts, to be adventurous, to have fun, to have confidence in their ideas.

They learned that consistent quality, and efficient teamwork, as well as time management, is really important when you are involved in a commercial enterprise, buying raw materials, manufacturing and selling for profit!