Year 10 students have once again been participating in enterprise activities this week, with two major all-day events.
On Wednesday 1st July the students worked in groups, each experiencing six different activities designed to link closely with the school’s specialism in Mathematics and Computing and the GCSE curriculum. The activities included professional web page design, a radio station taster session computerised robotics, designing and racing model vehicles, maths challenges and puzzles and a financial literacy workshop which focused on giving young people advice about looking after their money.
The students gained new ICT skills as well as developing initiative, working as team members, communication skills, dealing with uncertainty, creativity and planning – in short, all the essential ingredients for a better understanding of enterprise, and plenty of fun at the same time.
Tony Parsons, Assistant Headteacher and event organiser, said “Although it takes a great deal of time and energy to organise an event like this, anyone who witnessed the enormous benefit to the students would understand that it is all worthwhile. Every student will have gained new skills which they will be able to apply in the future. What impresses me most about the impact of Enterprise Days is their genuinely cross-curricular nature. â€
Tracy Marlow, Operations Manager for First Partnership stated “The Year 10 students are a credit to Harrow Way Community School. Throughout the event all were clearly in tune with the activities and were fully engaged in every session.â€
Our thanks for their valuable input go to all the visiting presenters – Marc McIntyre of I-Candy Design (www.icandydesign.com), Baz Reilly of Castledown Radio (www.castledownradio.info), Jayne Stigger, Duncan Morgan-Edwards and their team from Andover College (www.andover.ac.uk), Steve Allen of Lewis Group (www.lewisgroup.co.uk), Dan Gardner of Harrow Way (www.harrowway.hants.sch.uk), Rob Humphrey and Tracy Marlow of First Partnership (www.firstpartnership.com) who organised and helped to deliver the event in conjunction with the school.
This event was followed on 3rd July by another day in the company of visitors from SHP Enterprise (www.shpforenterprise.com). The day centred on the enterprise skills needed to recycle electrical equipment. Students worked with four representatives from SHP Enterprise led by Steve to create their own electronic recycling companies.
Each “company†was given a set brief to follow, including decision making, marketing strategy, finance and finally presenting their efforts to the whole year group and the judges. The SHP team worked closely with each group to lead them through each stage of the operation, helping them develop adverts to promote the sale of their recycled products.
Steve Gill, Lead Presenter from SHP Enterprise, emphasised that the day allowed students to develop key enterprise skills including communication, problem solving and team work. He also said that it allowed students to think about and to understand the importance of recycling electronic goods and to build their confidence in presenting themselves effectively. Commenting on the students’ response he said “they all seem very enthusiastic and well behaved. Their work is very impressive. They have really taken on board the whole concept and will take a lot from the day.â€
The groups then had to attempt to present their electronic recycling companies to “clients†by giving a short pitch to the facilitators, from which a winning team (Team “React”, pictured right) was eventually selected. Congratulations go to Jack Phipps, Sean Dickins, Davis Willis, Kathryn Moore, Jodie Blacklock, Cameron Brown, Grace Howells and Louise Allen.
The SHP enterprise day was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone involved.
Our thanks also go to Tracy Marlow, Operations Manager from First Partnership, our local Education Business Partnership, for her help in organising the event and her unstinting support throughout the event.