EnterpriseUpfront takes a look at the recipients of the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) Award for Enterprise and provides a synopsis of their achievements. Click on each region for further information.
Mr Colm Murphy set up St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School’s History Society, which now runs under the title of Young Enterprise. The group has published books, an award winning half-termly History Magazine, produced a CD of wartime music and a DVD on HMS Swift, a wartime destroyer.
Mr David Armstrong, Simpson School has develops projects to engage parents in their children’s education which include a Family and Friends Room as a “drop in” centre for parents which grew into workshops and eventually a pre-school was opened in the building.
Mrs Laura Dolby, Alfreton Nursery School, Alfreton has introduced a new style of learning in the school. Following a Scandinavian philosophy the school is a ‘forest school’, in which outdoor play and learning is linked to the curriculum.
Ms Rebecca Hughes from Selworthy School, Taunton works together with colleagues dealing with extreme behaviours resulting from rare syndromes, medical conditions, severe and profound learning difficulties. Using technology from games consoles to GPS, film and radio controlled cars to enhance teaching and learning of her class and the whole school to engage students.
Mrs Maxine Pittaway works with children with learning difficulties and disabilities at St Christopher’s School, Wrexham. The introduction of an Entrepreneurship and Business Policy at the school has led to the school having a fully operating hair and beauty salon, a café, a Fairtrade shop, a car valeting business and a charity shop.
Mr Keith Webber has successfully secured grants of £60,000 to fit solar powered panels into the sports hall of Okehampton College, Okehampton and is now helping schools in the community to raise funds for energy saving equipment. Other initiatives include First Aid, babysitting qualifications and ‘Have a Go’ taster science and maths lessons.
London
Ms Karen Giles of Barham Primary School, Wembley aims to harness the
motivation and talents of everyone she meets. A strategist Karen has the
vision and skills to build networks and communicate with diverse
communities. Karen develops a “can do” attitude for her colleagues by
encouraging them to assume leadership in her absence.
Aspirations Week was launched at Lancaster Road Primary School, Morecame by Miss Laura Johnston in an effort to encourage pupils to reach their full potential and fulfil their ambitions. Through the Voltage project pupils develop a business project to raise funds for charity and the What Money Means project using practical ways to teach children about the value of money.
Mrs Jennifer Logan is Enterprise Champion at Herringthorpe Infant School, Rotherham which is the first infant school in the country to achieve the Warwick Platinum Award. Jennifer has mapped activities on to the curriculum to give real meaning to classroom play and activities and has undertaken enterprise research which is used to share ideas with colleagues around Rotherham.
Visit www.teachingawards.com for further information.