The positive influence of enterprise in education on learners’ attainment and wider achievement was evident in the schools and centres inspected for this report, and in the wider range of HMIE inspections. Importantly, that helpful influence extended across personal and social skills and a wide range of aspects of learning, confirming the impact of enterprise across the curriculum and throughout learning 3-18. Enterprise in education encouraged good attendance and behaviour, positive attitudes to learning, increased motivation and high levels of achievement.
Enterprising approaches to learning and teaching were evident in a number of subjects. These included history and religious and moral education, where topics were introduced as open-ended challenges. In addition, approaches drawn from Assessment is for Learning were extending across the school, including pupils setting targets for themselves and assessing each other’s work. During 2006/07 the school had 12 pupils involved in Skills for Work at a local college. These pupils had shown improved motivation and behaviour across the school. This could be measured in the level of behaviour referrals and exclusions for this particular group being far lower than expected. Inspectors’ comments on imaginative, enterprising approaches in two secondary schools |
Centres themselves could not consistently offer significant, robust evidence to confirm the impact of enterprising approaches, or the extent to which these approaches were directly stimulated by Determined to Succeed as against other initiatives and developments. There remained scope for further research and development to support centres in their understanding of achievement and attainment relating to enterprise in education. Further staff development was necessary to improve staff’s skills in evaluating the impact of enterprise in education. Nonetheless, it was clear that schools were using enterprise in education as a valuable reference and resource when addressing key issues affecting their performance. Schools and education authorities should continue to explore the role of enterprise in their improvement strategies, as a positive influence on learning and teaching and achievement.
Signpost to improvement |
Enterprising approaches are used as part of centres’ strategies for improving learners’ experience, addressing challenges including:
Schools also demonstrate the benefits of applying enterprising principles in the contexts of leadership, partnership working in vocational programmes with, for example, colleges and community workplaces, and encouraging innovation in improvement planning. |
Enterprise in education provided a stimulus for innovative experiences and approaches which went beyond learning in curriculum areas and subjects. It contributed to pupils developing as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors, and highlighted ideas and approaches which are directly relevant to schools as they implement Curriculum for Excellence. Enterprising approaches and contexts also provided effective strategies for centres’ efforts to deliver inclusive programmes appropriate to the needs of all young learners. Schools will find particular value in considering enterprising approaches and contexts as they tackle issues of underachievement, for example among boys of secondary age.
In interview, the pupil council gave an account of the impressive range of enterprises in which they had been involved. These included curricular examples such as a link between a biology NQ (National Qualification) class and a local garden centre, and group projects including the organisation of the S6 leavers "Prom". Individual entrepreneurship had also been promoted and supported by the school. An S5 pupil had developed software for a room booking system for public buildings such as schools and colleges, and was meeting with some success in selling his product. Inspector’s comment on opportunities for enterprising learning in a secondary school |
Enterprise in education had a positive influence on learners’ wider achievements. This was achieved through the impact of specific activities, and through the benefits of broader, enterprising approaches to learning. Effective contexts included pupils’ collective and individual achievements in pupil councils, in eco committees, and in planning and delivering a range of social, cultural and sporting events. Enterprising approaches in these and other contexts, which promoted open-ended challenges and competitive teamwork, highlighted a number of possible strategies for schools in their efforts to broaden and deepen learning outcomes for higher-achieving pupils. Inspectors identified an emerging relationship between the concept of "the enterprising school" and the idea of excellence more generally, as defined in Journey to Excellence12. There was a correlation between enterprise in education and "dimensions" of excellence (see appendix 2) of high-quality learning experiences, partnership working, reflecting on achievements and thriving on challenge, and valuing and empowering learners. The dimension of developing a culture of ambition and achievement was particularly relevant to enterprise in education.
The school provided children in the nursery and pupils in the primary stages with a high-quality experience of enterprise. Key features included the successful way in which all members of the school community, including support staff and parents, were encouraged to play a part, and the way in which the school used the annual P7 residential stay as a focus for fund raising to subsidise the pupils’ travel by aircraft. Inspector’s comment on positive experiences in the early years and primary stages in a primary school |
The schools included some with high rates of academic success, and in which pupils’ experience of enterprise in education was also very positive. The additional breadth and depth of learning associated with enterprising approaches had exerted a positive influence on the wider achievement of pupils. This presents a key message for other schools which are seeking to build on academic success, providing broader and deeper experience for pupils whilst seeking to maintain and improve attainment. Learners performed well in a range of enterprise contexts. At times, they showed skills in communication, working in teams, and problem solving, beyond those expected for their age and sometimes better than they demonstrated in other contexts. It will be important that this enabling effect of enterprising contexts and approaches on learners’ performance is recognised as part of implementing Curriculum for Excellence. It also reflects recommendations from the OECD, promoting broad-based vocational experience which adds relevance and motivation for learning for all pupils.
In the context of a high-attaining school, much work was going on to promote successfully pupils’ wider achievements through enterprise, with a clear focus on employability in high-skills vocations and careers. The school was producing confident, articulate learners, and giving them valued experiences of meeting a wide range of people from outwith the school environment including those from industry. Inspector’s comment on attainment and wider achievement in a secondary school |
Activities in enterprise contexts had a positive influence on developing skills and knowledge across the range of subjects and areas of the curriculum, where pupils were able to see the relevance of their studies to the world of work and life beyond school. These achievements are important in the context of finding ways of increasing motivation for pupils whose needs are sometimes difficult to meet. A focus on work-related themes and vocational programmes was effective in engaging such pupils and encouraging them to achieve well. Direct involvement in enterprise activities provided specific benefits for pupils with additional support needs, developing their self esteem and giving them confidence to play an active part in the workplace. Opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills were popular and effective for pupils across a wide range of abilities, helping address the important objective of encouraging more young people to form a positive view of business entrepreneurship. There remained scope for many schools and centres to do much more to promote entrepreneurship, for example through highlighting local, national and international examples of individuals’ successes in business, and for agencies to provide effective resources to support this important work. Staff contributing to enterprise activities found direct gains from related continuing professional development, giving them experience of business approaches to innovation and problem solving.
Signpost to improvement |
Enterprising and entrepreneurial approaches and contexts are used to build positive attitudes, and promote innovation and improvements in attainment and wider achievement:
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Learners’ achievements in contexts relating specifically to enterprise in education were accredited in a number of different ways. These included awards of National Qualification (NQ) Units by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in, for example, Work Experience. Some centres used Scottish Vocational Qualifications. Centres’ attempts to source learning experiences and forms of accreditation had led them to seek a wide variety of provision. This range included the following, in many of which community learning and development settings provided the context.
The success of centres in improving learners’ experiences and outcomes was also recognised through local and national awards, including schemes run by local authorities, and as specific categories in the annual Scottish Education Awards.