FEATURED SCHOOL: BROCKWORTH ENTERPRISE SCHOOL

A group of 6th form students was identified who had decided that they did not want to go on to university but to seek
full time jobs with local employers, after completion of their A Levels. Following discussion with Stuart Langworthy
and Richard Giddy, it was decided that BWJ would run a course on 10 successive Wednesday afternoons designed
to achieve the following:

• Give the students insights into running/managing a business, that would be based on real issues suggested
      by local businesses.
• Offer employers an opportunity to run sessions with BWJ, giving them an opportunity to network with prospective employees and enhance links between B.E.S. and local employers.
• Achieve local media publicity for the school and participating firms.
• Invite students to attend a business networking breakfast at Gloucester Rugby Club.
• Develop team working and presentation skills of the students.

The course would end with an award ceremony and presentation by the students to an invited audience of business leaders, parents and teachers.

Businesses who put forward projects included Gloucestershire First, A.V.M. Transport, Clydesdale Bank, Endsleigh Insurance, Leeds Building Society and a major supermarket.

The course focused on the following issues: marketing, contact with media,  appreciating the human and financial
cost of fraud, working as a team, the value of personal integrity, managing money responsibly, cash flow, profit and
loss, customer relationships. We also looked at conflict avoidance, and communication skills; and  we looked at
legal issues, stock control and how to balance staff disciplinary matters with duty of care. 

An invitation was extended to 6th formers from Churchdown School to attend the course.

The project has been funded from Aim Higher.

Former B.E.S. student, Jodie Danks, says that regular contact with business people builds enormous belief and self confidence  in how to interact with them. Stuart Langworthy believes passionately that schools should see themselves as far more than exam factories.