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Enterprise

At the Academy, we employ an Enterprise Specialist who has both the time and experience to develop enterprise skills throughout the school – in different subject areas, during tutor time and on specific days of the year when the whole timetable is given over to Enterprise Education and learning. In developing Enterprise Education we are mindful of the following Chinese proverb:


I hear and l forget,
I see and l remember,
I do and l understand

Enterprise is a relatively new term in schools - it is not just about business education but is about building a set of skills in all of our students that is relevant and useful for working in the 21st century, whether as an employee or self-employed. It could be said that enterprise education is all about preparation for the working world. Enterprise skills are transferable skills that businesses rate very highly - such as working in teams, leadership skills, communication skills, evaluating, taking measured risk, doing (as opposed to just learning about doing), creativity, trying new things, taking initiative etc. You will find a more detailed list below

Developing Enterprise Skills

The following list is not exhaustive, but gives a flavour of what we are aiming to achieve:

Behaviour

  • Taking initiative
  • Solving problems creatively
  • Managing independently
  • Taking responsibility and ownership
  • Seeing through things to the end
  • Putting things together creatively
  • Using judgement to take calculated risks

    Attributes

  • Ability to set targets
  • Goals orientation and focus
  • Perseverance
  • Action orientation
  • Preference for active learning
  • Determination
  • Creativity

    Skills

  • Creative problem solving
  • Persuading
  • Negotiating
  • Selling
  • Strategic thinking
  • Decision making

    The styles of teaching will engender

  • Problem solving skills
  • Perseverance
  • Initiative taking
  • Flexible approaches to the curriculum
  • Group work
  • Self assurance
  • The use of ICT as a prime tool for learning and communication

    Business Partners

    We work with a range of different businesses and organisations as partners in our shared goals of raising aspirations, building confidence in our students, developing enterprise skills and exposing students to the world of work. Our partners are growing all the time but include National Grid, Shoosmiths Solicitors, Anglia Water, Cooperative Organisation, Tate Modern, Chamber of Commerce, Northampton University, The British Forces (Army, Navy, RAF), Outward Bound etc


    Business Partner Initiatives – here is a selection of the initiatives we have run with our Business partners over the last 2 years:

    Royal Navy residential on a Frigate –

    36 Year 11 students went on a 2 day residential visit to the Royal Navy training base at Portsmouth. This involved overnight accommodation on a naval vessel, team challenges, Navy swimming test, tours of various naval vessels and Q&A with the ships captain

    National Grid – induction and team challenge -

    1-day induction, 60 students, 4 challenges to come up with new ideas for improving National Grid – Website, Environment, Education and Public Image.

    Coop – Make a lasting impression - Interview techniques –

    1on1 professional 30 minute interview with feedback for 6th formers.

    Business Mentors – Shoosmiths, National Grid, Anglia Water –

    Target group of 25 underachieving Year 11 students to work one2one with business mentors for 30mins every week - aim: Improve motivation, better focus, set goals, achieve 5 A*-C grades

    DHL – Outward Bound and upwardly mobile initiative (new – Oct 2008) –

    k30 Year 10 students will travel to Aberdovey in Wales for a 5day outdoor personal development programme

    Work Experience

    We can see the value in learning through experience and as such we offer students a 2- week work placement – this is usually for Year 10 students just before the Easter Holidays. Students are given training on skills for the working world in the run up to their time in work experience – these include telephone skills, punctuality, attitude to work etc. Each student is visited by a member of staff during the 2 week experience and they are also given a work experience diary for them to complete whilst working.

    Northampton Academy Enterprise

    There are a number of enterprise initiatives in school throughout the school year. We invite authors into school on a regular basis to work with small groups of students to improve their reading and writing skills.

  • We have every tutor group work as a team to create a fundraising idea for our partner schools in Kenya.
  • We created and hosted Academies Fashion Challenge2007, with 10 schools from all over the country sent a team of students to design and make fashion clothing in a day
  • We recently hosted a groundbreaking esteem building workshop for Y8 students from challenging social backgrounds – drawn from schools all over Northampton. This was instigated by one of our students who took the initiative by writing to the local authority
  • We have enterprise days in each department of school where students work in teams, problem solving, creating new ways of doing things, learning about the world of work from business visitors and generally stretching themselves mentally, socially and emotionally.

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