Determined to Succeed Most Enterprising School (3 Awards) - Primary, Secondary and Special
This category recognises the central importance of enterprise education and the vital involvement of employers (private, public and voluntary sector) in preparing young people for their contribution to a wealthier and smarter Scotland. Enterprise education develops in young people the necessary skills and attitudes required for work and life, contextualises the learning and makes it more relevant to life beyond school, and achieves a positive impact on the culture of the whole school.
Nominations should first describe why you feel your school, or a school that you know, is the most enterprising school, and what makes it exceptional. You should then answer all of these questions:
- Enterprising approaches to teaching and learning encourage young people, at all stages, to become more involved and take responsibility for their learning. How does your school, or a school that you know, develop the enterprising attitudes and skills of all young people through learning and teaching across the curriculum? What impact has this had on their development, behaviour and achievements?
- (For secondary or relevant special schools only) What impact has there been on the young people (aged 14 and above), in your school, or a school that you know, as a consequence of them experiencing and developing an understanding of the world of work and self-employment through vocational learning? How have you communicated the importance of vocational learning to the young people and their parents and explained its value as part of a wider qualification package?
- Career planning and an understanding the range of jobs and careers that exist are crucial in preparing young people for work and life. How does your school, or a school that you know, ensure young people understand the importance of career planning, the range of jobs and career options available to them, including self-employment, and have the opportunity to experience the world of work, to enable them to make informed career decisions and positive transitions on leaving school?
- The involvement of employers is a central aspect of enterprise education. Of the employers involved in your school, or a school that you know, which provides the most valuable contribution to helping young people develop the necessary skills and attitudes required for work and life. How has this partnership made an impact on the young people, staff (school and employer staff) and the community as a whole?
Being enterprising means possessing the values, attitudes and abilities to develop and use personal resources creatively and constructively in innovative ways in a range of contexts. It means understanding business and commerce and the importance of wealth creation; and being aware of the range of careers options available. It means having a ‘can do, will do’ attitude. Carefully planned enterprising environments for learning, and the ways in which those learning experiences are organised and assessed, will contribute to the development of these values, attitudes and abilities and provide the necessary knowledge. These essential attributes will equip young people to contribute meaningfully to the Scottish economy and society and will prepare them for the role of global citizens of the 21st century.
Nominations for the 2008 Education Awards are now closed. Finalists will be contacted in March/April.
The Scottish Education Awards are sponsored by
