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LEADING LOCALLY: LOCAL AUTHORITIES
It is the sustained efforts of local authorities that are central to realising the potential of Determined to Succeed.
Planning
Working closely with the Executive, all local authorities have completed and progressed their respective three year Action Plan, setting out their approach to implement Determined to Succeed.
We have supported local authorities in monitoring delivery of these Action Plans through regular meetings and annual reports. Delivery over the initial three years remained on track. In June 2006, the end of the first phase of Determined to Succeed, we asked local authorities to let us have more detailed material on progress and evidence of their delivery. It is this evidence that forms the basis of this section of the report.
Determined to Succeed has been incorporated into all 32 local authority Education Improvement Plans, in which is defined the vision, values and improvement objectives for all those working within the local authority Education Service. Enterprise is most commonly reflected under National Priority 5; Learning for Life.
Falkirk Council has integrated its enterprise in education provision into a key Council strategy; 'Learning to Achieve', setting out pupil entitlement to a range of opportunities and experiences designed to maximise individual potential including: residential and outdoor learning; participation in experiential entrepreneurial activities; organised enterprise activities; creative thinking and skills; work experience; and transition support and guidance.
The overwhelming majority of schools have now made the strategy a component in their School Development Plan. The successful implementation of these plans is ensuring that experiences of enterprise in education are more widespread than ever before, and that the profile of enterprise in education has been significantly raised amongst teachers and wider school staff, and within the Scottish curriculum. Where the strategy doesn't appear currently, it will either feature in 2006/07 plans or is so firmly embedded in the life of the school that its inclusion is considered unnecessary. This is a really significant development that demonstrates the progress made in embedding a culture of enterprise in our schools.
The drive from the Headteacher in Swinton Primary in Glasgow City Council is evident and enthuses staff and pupils alike. The School Development Plan has focused on the involvement of parents and the contacts they have with businesses, in an effort to create a career-related learning environment. Pupils are highly motivated by this and the approach to learning is able to translate to the home environment in many instances, due to the parental involvement. Each year group undertakes enterprising activities which build on year upon year to consistently stretch, challenge and motivate pupils in their learning. This is timetabled to ensure each activity is able to be maximised.
Caddonfoot Primary in Scottish Borders Council has an Enterprise and Careers Development Plan. The school has fully integrated their enterprising teaching and learning approaches as part of their overall curriculum. The impact on pupils is particularly impressive as they not only engage in their learning but can analyse and describe the skills, knowledge and understanding they are acquiring. The Development Plan has clearly been thought through with key actions and expected outcomes. Considerable communication within the school has taken place to ensure a whole school approach.
Infrastructure
All local authorities have created an infrastructure to support the development and implementation plan for enterprise in education, at school cluster level. A dedicated network of some 67 full time equivalent ( FTE) Enterprise Development Officers ( EDOs), support schools and co-ordinate Determined to Succeed activity at local authority level.
Every local authority has at least one EDO in their area. Many authorities focus EDO support on developing key sectors, e.g. North Lanarkshire Council and East Renfrewshire Council have EDOs with specific responsibility for primary, secondary or special needs schools; other authorities focus EDO support on specific partnerships, e.g. City of Edinburgh Council EDOs work with 6 secondary, 25 primary and 4 SEN schools each. These EDOs also have functional responsibility for driving aspects of the enterprise in education agenda, and integrate their work with Assessment Co-ordinators, Cultural Co-ordinators and other officers across education, to ensure a consistent approach.
In addition to the 4 FTEEDOs currently in post, Glasgow City Council has appointed 29 FTE Employability and Enterprise Co-ordinators, made possible through additional funding from the Council. This has resulted in an unprecedented move to raise the importance of the enterprise in education agenda even higher. Each Co-ordinator will support one of the 29 New Learning Communities across the City and drive forward the opportunity for step change through their new capacity.
East Dunbartonshire Council has created a unique EDO structure within its authority. An enterprise resource centre was developed in a number of disused classrooms in a local primary school and two members of staff appointed to run enterprising teaching and learning courses, in a number of subject areas. Two further EDOs delivered experiential entrepreneurial activities across all age ranges and a further Officer concentrated on developing business partnerships. These people were supported by a vocational and work experience co-ordinator. They work closely together and support each other's delivery areas. Quality Improvement Officers further support the work of the EDOs in specific areas, e.g. Eco schools, technology and ICT.
All school clusters across the 32 authorities have identified at least one Enterprise in Education Co-ordinator further to support implementation, culture change, embedding enterprise in education within the curriculum, and overall sustainability, at school level. These Enterprise in Education Co-ordinators generally operate as a 0.2 - 0.4 FTE and include Headteachers, Depute Headteachers, Principal Teachers and Classroom Teachers.
To aid the professional development and networking of local authority EDOs, teachers and other support staff, the annual Enterprising Careers National Conference, focuses on enterprise in education and plays an important role in the promotion and sharing of good practice. Local authority education managers and EDOs, attend regional and national networking events, hosted by Determined to Succeed Division, and have established smaller, more informal, networks.
Opportunities have been provided for local authority education managers, Enterprise Development Officers ( EDOs) and Headteachers to focus on leadership development and culture change in education.
In addition, local authorities and teachers have access to an online toolkit offering a range of valuable management and leadership resources. The local authority toolkit also gives valuable information on engaging with teachers, pupils, parents and employers.
The Determined to Succeed5 and Learning and Teaching Scotland 6 websites make available a range of case studies, curricular guidance, lesson plans and worksheets for teaching staff. The good practice area of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education website 7 provides a range of similar resources. As a result of Determined to Succeed, opportunities to participate in training and development in enterprise in education have significantly increased and directly contribute to teachers' continuing professional development ( CPD). Some 22,000 teachers have so far received such development experiences. Local authorities run a variety of CPD opportunities, varying from experiential entrepreneurial programmes, to courses on leadership, subject-specific enterprising teaching and learning, and the use of ICT to support delivery.
South Lanarkshire Council has been progressing work to embed enterprise into the curriculum. All subject areas have established Subject Champions, who have prepared enterprising approaches to teaching the curriculum. This has enabled teachers to be trained in new ways to deliver the existing curriculum and fostered innovative thinking and action to the teaching of all subjects. It has clearly been evidenced through the production of new lesson plans, DVDs and other resources.
CPD opportunities also include the placements on offer through the EEBL (Excellence in Education through Business Links) programme: here, teachers have experienced different working environments, enabling the knowledge and experience gained to influence subject delivery in their respective classrooms. Over 600 teachers, representing every local authority, participated in 2005/06, an increase of 20% on the previous year.
And formal recognition of a teacher's efforts can now be offered following the introduction of the Certificate of Professional Recognition in the development of Enterprising Education, awarded by the General Teaching Council of Scotland.
Enterprise and entrepreneurial learning
Enterprise in education is happening in all of our schools and local authorities have committed to providing annual enterprise activities to every pupil from P1 to S6 in their area. These activities encompass a mix of project-based and integrated curriculum work and at this relatively early stage; there are positive signs that enterprise is becoming embedded into teaching and learning.
Primary schools
Many integrated projects are currently focused around Personal and Social Education, e.g. anti-racism education related to World War 2 history topics, social enterprise activities and school newspapers. Other activities include mini auctions in maths, collaborative maths, career talks, various world of work topics and business and wealth creation topics.
Primary 6 pupils at Brisbane Primary in North Ayrshire produced a tourist leaflet which was professionally printed and is now available for all tourists visiting the area. The pupils conducted market research with locals to establish the best places to eat and to identify different activities that would appeal to different age groups. They photographed local attractions and researched the information before writing and designing the leaflet. The pupils also contacted local businesses who agreed that discount vouchers could be included in the leaflet.
Cluny Primary in Morayshire is an excellent example of a school that is embedding enterprise into the curriculum. The school has two teachers with responsibility for enterprise at each stage of the school - infant, middle and junior. These teachers meet on a termly basis to develop plans and review progress. The school development plan was crucial in bringing teachers on board; now, a more enthusiastic and committed team with more ownership, are putting fun back into the curriculum. This has been helped by a wide range of CPD events to help teachers understand and define enterprise and develop innovative ways of delivery. The school also runs a number of projects and integrated activities for all year groups, many of which involve parents - healthy eating evenings, quiz nights, a school newspaper, regular careers talks, and a Roman toga party and banquet, which was arranged by P4 pupils as part of their history studies to help experience life in Roman times.
Meanwhile, pupils in West Dunbartonshire have taken part in a Careers Scotland workshop which encouraged them to be stakeholders in the redevelopment of their area. 'Lifting the Rock' was aimed at developing pupils' awareness and understanding of the interconnections between stakeholders in the community by making them aware of the roles they will have as employers, employees, users of public services and consumers.
Secondary schools
More generally secondary schools are involved in a wider and more varied range of activities such as Stock Market Challenges, Young Engineers Clubs, career-related events, interview skills and industry awareness days, leadership training and designing a primary enterprise activity day. Many secondary schools also undertake activities provided by organisations such as, the Tree of Knowledge and Business Dynamics. Integrated projects at secondary level include a theme park project linked to geography, enterprising finance linked to maths and practical building skills through technology.
Dalkeith High School in Midlothian has illustrated teamwork and leadership through its S6 Enterprise Challenge. Each year the school sets a challenge to new S6 pupils at the end of a three-day induction programme. In 2006, pupils received a brief stating that 70 old aged pensioners would be arriving the following morning to attend a two hour event which included Celtic themed entertainment and refreshments. Pupils were given £60 as a budget for the challenge. Teachers were not involved in helping the pupils complete the task, except to give advice, if requested. The results achieved were amazing. New relationships between young and old were formed and pupils were given the opportunity to put their team working and leadership skills into practice. The challenge has become an established part of the school year in S6 and forms part of the curriculum.
During Modern Studies classes in S2, pupils at Girvan Academy in South Ayrshire Council are given different political parties to research. They are given a controversial topic to consider and guests from business, as well as MSPs, MPs and Euro MPs, are invited to the school for a political debate. On the day, the pupils are divided into groups (political parties) and then sub-groups to design and produce badges; leaflets and posters; a display; and to write the speech for the debate, led by a politician. Pupils gain practical insight into the world of politics and politicians have the opportunity to get to know the voters of the future.
Special schools
The majority of teachers in special schools, dealing with pupils with additional support needs, adapt mainstream programmes for use by their pupils. Research highlights that Determined to Succeed fits well with their existing ethos and provides a level of endorsement, which is proving to be motivating for the whole school environment. 8 Integrated projects included using the school garden for growing vegetables and understanding the growing process; recycling; work experience and work investigation; Welcome Host training; and activities supported by a variety of providers.
Kingspark School in Dundee City Council has produced an animation where pupils were involved in the filming, creation of characters, choice of supporting music and all other props in their craft class, resulting in a very successful film production.
Progression
A number of schools have implemented innovative ideas to ensure pupils build on the enterprise skills developed as they progress through the year groups. For example, Park Primary School in Clackmannanshire Council has developed an Enterprise Programme of Study, providing examples of the type of work that could be undertaken in each year group, from P1 to P7, supporting the targets for each stage. The programme outlines curricular links and offers teachers a wide range of ideas for both project based and integrated curriculum activity.
Entrepreneurial learning
More young people than ever before are getting a chance to participate in experiential entrepreneurial learning. In 2005/06, over 137,000 primary pupils and 93,000 secondary pupils took part in entrepreneurial activities supported by over 3,000 businesses. Over 1,100 pupils with additional support needs also benefited. 9 Young people are getting the chance to establish and run their own company, developing numerous business and personal skills and getting a real taste of entrepreneurship.
Pupils from Kersland School in Renfrewshire raised £1,000 for Con Amore SEN School in South Africa, with the help of the local community. Working alongside staff from Braehead Shopping Centre, pupils organised a fashion show for 40 of their classmates. A variety of retailers, including Marks and Spencer, Monsoon and Next, provided the latest fashions to wear. Lecturers and students at nearby Reid Kerr College provided make-up and hairstyling, and London-based XS Productions helped to choreograph the children's display. The show was compered by Radio Clyde DJ George Bowie.
The event was a huge success and involved the entire community. The school has developed further business links. And the experience has developed pupils' self-confidence and self-belief.
There is a wide variety of activities taking place across Scotland. Some of these are delivered by teachers within the curriculum, some by the local authority, while others take place as stand-alone activities delivered by private providers such as Young Enterprise Scotland and entrepreneur.me.
One of the most popular and established programmes in secondary schools is Young Enterprise's "Company Programme", which has been running in Scotland since 1977. It offers students between the ages of 15 and 17 the chance to establish and run their own company, developing business and personal skills and giving them a first hand taste of entrepreneurship. Advisers from the local business community are on hand to provide advice, guidance and support. When Determined to Succeed was launched in 2003, Young Enterprise Scotland's programmes reached 4,000 students. In 2005, over 41,000 students took part, the clearest of signals of the increased importance of enterprise education in today's school environment.
Students from Lenzie Academy in East Dunbartonshire Council formed a company, Exigo Designs, to produce unique timepieces complying with strict ethical guidelines. Their company's mission statement pledged to 'adhere to environmental awareness in the production of their 'high class, elegant timepieces'. As such, Scottish elm and oak wood, from renewable sources, and recycled metals, were used in manufacturing the hand-made clocks. A paper recycling initiative and use of ICT reduced paper wastage.
Start up capital was initially raised from selling shares and boosted by a successful talent contest that raised £800.
The 22 students carried out thorough market research into the type of product, pricing and packaging. They promoted their product through press releases, leaflets and posters and created a website to advertise the clocks to a wider market. The white birchwood stand they designed and built for the Young Enterprise Scotland Christmas Trade Fair won 'Best Trade Stand' at the event.
From initial product design, a prototype was developed. But the company soon realised that the unique nature of each piece of wood meant that every clock would be different. However, this would add to the appeal of the individual timepieces. Rather than set up a production line to manufacture the clocks, Exigo Designs opted for a 'job production' method so that each student could develop a variety of skills and enjoy the satisfaction of creating the timepiece from start to finish.
These unique timepieces, moved Exigo Designs into a 21st century approach to business. As a result, they became the overall winner of the Royal Bank of Scotland Young Enterprise Scotland Awards 2006. The company also won the award for Best Presentation and the ICSA - Best Structured Report Award and was runner-up in the Best Report/Interview Award.
Challenge days are also popular, with a number of local authority Determined to Succeed teams organising their own events for both primary and secondary pupils. These are often focused on developing the pupils' innovative and creative skills through, for example, challenging pupils to develop or invent a new product and giving them the opportunity to research the market, develop a business plan and present their ideas to an audience. These events develop the skills of communication, teamwork, decision making and general confidence building. And they help pupils understand the process behind business development.
There are clear signs within schools of new and increased activity, which has a strong enterprise orientation. This includes increased pupil involvement in tasks and events relating to school 'management', concerts and fund-raising activities. Pupil Councils and planning committees are more evident and teachers are adopting more reflective approaches to teaching and learning. 10
"I feel that I am a better citizen and have become more enterprising as a result of numerous group activities and ventures carried out by our group. This is certainly an experience that will help me later in life." 11
Pupil, Notre Dame High School, Club 360
Case studies
All pupils in S5 and S6 have access to entrepreneurial case studies based on local or Scottish businesses. These case studies, and their accompanying teaching worksheets and lesson plans, are available to teachers and young people via the Determined to Succeed and Learning and Teaching Scotland websites.
A number of authorities have produced case studies of local businesses for use by their schools. Moray Council has focused on studies that relate to skills shortages in their area, and Orkney Islands Council teamed up with the local press to develop business case studies featuring, amongst others, creameries, accountants and general stores. Inverclyde Council's, "Pack to the Future" includes, details of the roles and responsibilities of specific employees of a local business, highlighting the qualities needed to fulfil the role, the career routes taken by the particular employees featured and general career advice.
Financial education
We recognise the importance in ensuring that our young people have all of the skills necessary to perform effectively within the world of work. The ability to understand and manage finances, both personal and commercial, is an important element of this. Our colleagues in the Education Department, with assistance from Determined to Succeed Division, are supporting the work of the Scottish Centre for Financial Education ( SCFE) across a number of local authorities. In particular, their work in Glasgow City Council has enabled 29 Enterprise and Employability Officers, mainly principal teachers of Enterprise in schools, to develop their knowledge of financial education and improve their skills in delivering financial education to young people. This work has proven successful and is being rolled out across a number of authorities.
Vocational learning
Vocational experiences develop employability and personal skills in all young people. They offer them the chance to develop the sort of practical experience that equips them for a wide range of careers. They compare favourably with "academic" studies in their impact on young people. And they offer attractions and advantages for all ambitious young people, wherever their ultimate career route may lead. Vocational learning is about expanding choice, so that young people undertake learning and development best suited to their needs.
In our response to the Review Group, we acknowledged that the scale of providing all pupils over the age of 14 with an opportunity for work-based vocational learning may take some time to achieve. Encouragingly though, 26 local authorities are now offering such opportunities to their students.
Authorities work with colleges and other partners to provide a wide variety of vocational subjects and qualifications, offering specialised skills in (for example) nautical sound and engineering, roof slating and tiling, hairdressing, construction and customer services.
The qualifications provided are primarily Scottish Qualification Authority ( SQA) Access, Intermediate 1 and 2 courses, Scottish Vocational Qualifications ( SVQ) units and in some cases Scottish Progression Awards ( SPAs).
Some authorities face a major challenge in their rurality with many students simply too far from colleges to be able to attend on a regular basis. Dumfries and Galloway Council has made considerable progress in providing industry-relevant vocational learning opportunities ranging from the fishing industry and game-keeping to catering opportunities. Parents and carers are encouraged to ensure there is a clear understanding at home of the differences in terms of achievements arising from their child's curriculum choices. This has been achieved despite the significant distances young people may need to travel to access their vocational opportunities.
In the Western Isles, new courses have been introduced in traditional boat building. The local authority was keen to look at ways of encouraging young people to stay on the islands and earn a living, whilst maintaining the island's traditional boat building skills.
No accredited courses existed, prompting the authority to form a partnership with the Grimsay Boatshed Trust to produce the course ensuring that it met all the necessary requirements for validation by the SQA. The course began in Autumn 2005 with 6 pupils attending the Boatshed twice a week to study for a Standard Grade qualification. The success of the course has led to the authority developing a number of other courses designed to meet the needs of young people in their own communities such as crofting, roof slating and tiling, and construction.
Buckie High School in Moray Council developed an enterprising approach to dealing with a skills shortage in partnership with a local building company, Springfield Properties. It involved 23 S4 pupils on an alternative curriculum programme and gave them the chance to experience different aspects of the building industry at first hand. A team from the company came and helped the pupils construct two new classrooms. The foundations, floor and electrics were completed by Springfield Properties' builders with the pupils, under supervision, completing all other aspects of the construction. The pupils were highly motivated throughout and keen to complete the project for the official opening in June to the point of coming in during study leave!
Skills for Work
A number of authorities are piloting the new Skills for Work courses in Construction Crafts, Sport and Recreation, Early Education and Childcare, Financial Services, Practical Experience: Construction and Engineering, Hairdressing and Rural Skills. Written specifically (but not exclusively) for 14-16 year olds, these courses are vocational in nature and practical in application. The qualifications provided are primarily Scottish Qualification Authority ( SQA) Access, Intermediate 1 and 2 courses, Scottish Vocational Qualifications ( SVQ) units and in some cases Scottish Progression Awards ( SPAs).
The SQA's review of the first year of the pilot 12 was very positive with the candidates surveyed confirming that the Skills for Work courses had provided them with meaningful, and enjoyable, practical experiences. Many candidates commented on a growth in personal confidence and an understanding of the relevance of the integrated employability skills in the courses. These findings clearly reflect the aims of Determined to Succeed. In 2007/08 thirteen Skills for Work courses will be available nationally.
HMIE will publish a report on the delivery of courses in the Skills for Work pilot in Autumn 2007.
Alternative curriculum courses
Several authorities offer alternative curriculum courses such as; Skill Force, xlerate with xl and Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network ( ASDAN) programmes and/or qualifications, to students at risk of disengaging from education.
The ACES programme in Shetland is an innovative idea developed by the Enterprise Development Officer in the Council to help address issues around young people at risk of disengaging from formal education and offered a variety of classes, delivered in less formal settings, by non-school staff over a 10 week period in 2004/05 and 2005/06.
Courses included outdoor education, acting, cooking, driving, babysitting and starting your own business. Evaluation from pupils was very positive, reporting enthusiastically on the practical aspects of the courses and keen to take part regularly.
There has been considerable progress with the special schools in Glasgow City Council to take forward the employability of young people through enterprising activities and teaching and learning opportunities. The partnership with the hospitality industry through Langs Hotel and Glasgow Metropolitan College, through which pupils with moderate learning difficulties are able to learn within the College and Hotel with a view to getting and sustaining jobs within the hotel industry in Glasgow is a terrific example of joint working.
Work experience
Work experience remains a critical element of vocational provision and the majority of local authorities have been running programmes for all S4 pupils for some time. Scottish Borders Works is a flexible work experience programme featuring collaboration between Jobcentre Plus, Careers Scotland, Scottish Borders Local Enterprise Company, the Chamber of Commerce and the local authority. It has produced an on-line database of work experience, training and job opportunities, and the programme brings together businesses and young people in a flexible way, with opportunities tailor-made to meet the needs of both the employer and the pupil.
We will be reviewing current work experience provision with the aim of ensuring its fit with A Curriculum for Excellence.
Supplementary funding
All of this activity has ensured that recognition of the value and importance of vocational learning has increased. And the introduction of Skills for Work courses 13 has undoubtedly brought the importance of vocational learning into a clearer focus. A further Determined to Succeed contribution to this story came in November 2006, with the announcement of £2 million to improve the scope and scale of vocational opportunities available to young people. Details of the programmes being supported are at Annex 3.
Career education
Appropriately focused career education is a key strand of Determined to Succeed and has an important part to play in raising aspiration, challenging stereotypical beliefs and in broadening the experience of young people. Careers Scotland plays a crucial role in delivering it. Working in partnership with business, Careers Scotland supports the development of more employable and enterprising workers by equipping them with the skills to make well-informed career decisions throughout their working lives.
A key priority for Careers Scotland is investing in the workforce of the future and a range of appropriate resources have been developed to that end. Career Box is a flexible teaching and learning resource delivered by both teachers and Careers Scotland advisers. It is the first national resource offering a suite of lessons and activities to ensure a consistent, coherent approach to career education for young people. It was developed to deliver the four learning outcomes of Career Education in Scotland: A National Framework 14 and supports the stages of the Career Planning Journey (below).
The Career Planning Journey
Used in context alongside Career Box, the Career Planning Journey encourages the development of skills in personal planning and learning by engaging young people in their own learning and self-evaluation.
Career Box helps teachers fulfil the requirements of A Curriculum for Excellence in developing the four capacities within our young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society within the contemporary world. It provides 'real-life, relevant contexts' and scenarios for learning and helps to link core skills with their use in the world of work. Over 6,300 teachers have been trained and in 2006, Careers Scotland staff lessons reached over 256,000 pupils. Career Box is increasingly attracting considerable international interest.
Parental engagement
All children have different strengths, skills and interests. No matter what these are, a child's attitude, confidence in their own talents and motivation to achieve can be shaped by supportive parents, carers and family members. The Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 provides a new framework to involve parents in all apsects of their child's education at home and at school.
As children learn in new and creative ways and develop new skills that will help them later in life, the role of parents has never been more important. Parents need to understand the aim of, and be enthused by, enterprise in education and how it can benefit their child during and after school. Working in partnership with schools, parents can actively support their child's learning and development and help them to become enterprising and successful adults.
Enterprise can be fostered by school-led initiatives and by parents actively encouraging children to try new things, work with new ideas and to be ambitious. Success is more than just passing exams. It includes achievements, in fields such as sport, music and art, community engagement, getting training and getting a first job or running a business.
Local authorities have designed and implemented communications strategies to raise the awareness and commitment of parents and carers to enterprise in education. They have implemented approaches to articulate and share with them what enterprise in education means for their child, in the context of Determined to Succeed and A Curriculum for Excellence, such as; newsletters, DVDs, websites, leaflets, presentations to school boards, road shows, award evenings and advertisements in local papers.
City of Edinburgh Council has developed a comprehensive website 15 specifically focusing on Determined to Succeed. It enables parents to look at every primary, secondary and special school within the area to see what activities are taking place. It also clearly highlights what Determined to Succeed is all about and what part parents can play in helping to develop the necessary skills for life in their children. The website has been live for approximately a year and the authority is finding it an excellent vehicle for communicating with all key stakeholders, not just parents. It has become a 'one stop shop' for all information on Determined to Succeed.
Many schools produce their own leaflets or have been sending out the ParentZone leaflet on enterprise in education 16. Success is celebrated through awards evenings to which parents are invited, and a number of schools have secured coverage of their efforts through local newspapers, radio and event TV.
Employer engagement
In our response to the Review Group, we agreed the need for a significant increase in the involvement of the business community in our schools. At that time, an ambitious target of 2,000 partnership agreements was set. All local authorities have told us their school clusters have a minimum of 5 business partnerships. And there are now over 7,000 partnership agreements between schools and employers.
SP Technology has been raising awareness of engineering as a career by sponsoring two school teams in the Jaguar F1 Challenge to design a model Formula 1 racing car.
The company provided financial sponsorship and gave advice on engineering, manufacturing and design to pupils from Blairgowrie High School in Perth and Kinross and Carnoustie High School in Angus. Both teams won through to the UK finals. Blairgowrie High School will represent Scotland at the international finals in Australia in June 2007.
The company felt the project had benefited them directly as it developed the skills of their own employees, who supported the pupils, as well as raising their company profile. The students benefited from experiencing real life engineering and gained a clearer idea of career choices within this specialised field.
We recognise the considerable amount of work that has been undertaken by local authorities to increase the number of employers, and other organisations, who are now actively supporting enterprise in education in our schools. We will continue to help local authorities to develop and sustain quality partnerships and to create new ones. But quality, rather than quantity, is the yardstick now.
We also recognise the considerable commitment employers are making. There is a wide range of employers involved in supporting enterprise in education in Scotland's schools, across all sectors, and there is little doubt that the current position represents a major advance since 2003. We are extremely grateful.
BEC Plastics, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, a leading UK provider of plastics and engineering sealing products, has, for the last two years, been closely involved with Whitelees Primary School, helping them to deliver their work in enterprise.
The Managing Director of BEC Plastics feels that there are real measurable benefits to developing education business links, particularly in preparing young people for the world of work. He has been talking to each class about setting up a business and offering advice and support on the different functions of each team, e.g. production, finance, etc. He has also organised for pupils to visit his company and experience the world of work, at first hand.
Pupils have been enthused by the talks and visits to BEC and it has helped them to deal with the problems they have encountered in running their own business. The teaching staff have also found it very helpful, as they have limited experience in business practice and very much welcomed the advice of a business partner.
Other partnerships
As demanded by the Review Group, all local authorities are working in partnership with Careers Scotland and several authorities have seconded Careers Scotland staff to develop employer links.
East Dunbartonshire Council's Careers Scotland secondee negotiated free membership to the local Chamber of Commerce for every secondary school in the area and gave a presentation on Determined to Succeed at a business breakfast hosted by the Chamber. A business dinner, promoting Determined to Succeed to over 50 prospective businesses and thanking existing supporters, was also held. An official signing ceremony took place on the night and was featured in the local press further promoting Determined to Succeed to the business community.
A number of local authorities described partnerships with other organisations to assist in the local development and direction of Determined to Succeed.
Western Islands Council works with a variety of organisations including the Crofters Commission, CNES Sustainable Communities, Lighthouse Board, Scottish and Southern Electricity, Scottish Natural Heritage and Western Isles Enterprise. They also have a partnership agreement with Fusion, a network of local entrepreneurs who have supported a number of school activities, which have included three enterprise gateway events run for 240 S3 pupils involving 9 entrepreneurs, 10 members working in schools throughout the area to support enterprising teaching and learning activities, and 1 member acting in a leadership/motivational role for S5 inductees at the Nicolson Institute.
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