| Year 6
Business Enterprise is so important in schools because it is focused on individuals and teams, and their potential to achieve. It helps provide a bridge between the world of work and the school environment, allowing personal finance and entrepreneurial skills to develop. In addition, it reinforces basic skills in literacy, maths and ICT, linking these skills to real applications.
During Business Enterprise sessions over a two week period, the children in Year 6 learnt about market research, packaging and the power of persuasion in advertising. Each team had to brainstorm, research and then pitch their ideas for an enterprising ‘business’ to the Year 6 ‘Dragons’ in order to win their investment, to a maximum of £5 per child.
The children then worked within this strict budget to buy their raw materials and pay for the ‘hire’ of necessary services, including acknowledging and negotiating the ‘hidden costs’ of production, such as petrol money for their shopping trip and hire of machinery and furniture to use. They used various mathematical skills in calculating individual item costs, suitable selling prices and potential profit to be made and demonstrated use of all four of the Sherborne House Learning Powers during their discussions as they worked collaboratively towards a shared goal.
After organising their stalls and selling their goods to their parents and pupils in Year 5, the total profit was calculated across the year group, as well as worked out per team and pro rata per team member.
Next term, the children will work together to plan to use the profit made on something for the whole year group to enjoy together during their last few weeks at Sherborne House.
They have evaluated their experiences and shared them with pupils in Year 5 who are currently involved in their own Business Enterprise project. All of the skills that they have employed over the Business Enterprise sessions have helped them to develop a better economic understanding, a range of creative approaches to problem-solving and an appreciation of consumer power, which are all important life skills that can be employed in a range of different subjects and activities in the future.
You can see our huge photo gallery from the Enterprise Event, which shows photos before and during the event.