Schools to deliver enterprise lessons

Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke has launched guidance that will help schools to teach young people the vital skills of innovation, creativity, risk management and business understanding.

Mr. Clarke told business leaders, teachers and young people at the London Stock Exchange that enterprise education was critical in securing our future economic success and to equip young people with vital life skills. He said that he was committed to letting all young people have the opportunity to develop their enterprise capability.

The guidance has been informed by the experience of over 700 schools that have taken part in pathfinder projects and will be invaluable as all schools prepare to deliver enterprise education. It forms part of a wider Enterprise Education strategy, which includes:

• £60m funding from September 2005 that will support new focus on enterprise education, announced as part of the 2002 Spending Review;
• as set out in last year's 14-19 reforms, an Enterprise Education entitlement from September 2005 that will provide all Key Stage 4 pupils with the equivalent of five days' activity which develops enterprise capability;
• Enterprise Advisors, funded by the Learning and Skills Council, who are already working alongside head teachers in nearly 1,000 secondary schools in the most disadvantaged areas, to encourage enterprise among teachers and pupils

Mr Clarke has described enterprise education as being vital to our future economic success. It equips young people with vital skills that businesses have told us that they want to see more of. This isn't just about growing the next generation of entrepreneurs; enterprise skills will be valuable to all young people. A can-do, enterprising mindset offers powerful benefits for individuals, such as more personal control, self-expression and recognition in their lives.

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