Spotlight on Rotherham Ready

Emma Kerr EnterpriseUpfront Editor shares her experience of spending a day learning about an internationally recognised enterprise education initiative.

I was out and about meeting students, teachers and local businesses in Rotherham having been invited to Rotherham Ready’s Excellence in Enterprise event on 11 March 2009. The day provided an insight into the secrets of Rotherham Ready’s success and offered an opportunity for attendees to catch a glimpse of the energy the initiative has generated for enterprise education.

Rotherham Ready has worked to create a culture of enterprise in schools and colleges to equip the next generation with the skills needed to ensure their future success and that of the UK economy.

Working with children and young adults aged four to 19, the initiative believes that a young person’s enterprise learning should be gradual, with new experiences reinforcing previous learning and challenging them on to the next stage of development. 

It was clear from the onset that enterprise education is not seen as a bolt-on in Rotherham and that the project has been successful in supporting schools to embed enterprising teaching and learning across the curriculum.

Attendees were introduced to ‘The Big 13’, a set of enterprise capabilities which underpin the work Rotherham ready carries out by being asked to rate their enterprise skills using ‘The Enterprise Wheel’ one of the initiatives many resources. Identified by education and business leaders ‘The Big 13’ are the skills and qualities each young people needs to develop to face their future with confidence.

I experienced first hand the power of ‘The Big 13’ when I participated in the Mythical Enterprise Animal workshop delivered by students from one of Rotherham’s Junior schools. Our challenge was to create an animal which incorporated all of the 13 enterprise skills.

Key to the initiative is its comprehensive CPD programme which trains Enterprise Champions who share practice and drive enterprise development forward in schools across the borough.

Another important element in the initiative’s success is its role in supporting every school and college in the borough to achieve the Warwick Award for Excellence in Enterprise. The award provides a framework for assessing where schools are with their enterprise learning and provides an action plan for where they want to be.

It was evident that there is a real passion for enterprise learning across Rotherham, an energy which I am sure will continue as the project enters a new phase of becoming self sustaining.  

For further information on Rotherham Ready visit www.rotherhamready.org.uk