Developing entrepreneurialism in our pupils
As part of our commitment to nurturing our pupils’ entrepreneurial spirit, we have added Business Studies to our GCSE options because of the interest in this subject from our pupils and parents. Our aim at both GCSE, A Level and BTEC is to spark our pupils’ imagination and creativity, teaching them to think commercially, identify business opportunities, put a business plan into practice, and grow that business through savvy marketing strategies.
We often find that young people are in a hurry. They know where they are going and how to get there. They are not waiting a decade to set out on their own in the world of business. Our school already has many young entrepreneurs: our Titanic Investment team recently came third in the country at the national Student Investor Challenge, and one of our Year 13 pupils has developed an app for his father’s restaurant business. Similarly, another Year 13 pupil has used her product design and computer science skills to launch a fashion business in lockdown, designing her garments to empower women. She has designed and created her own web platform from which to sell them.
We believe it is vital to recognise and nuture this entrepreneurial spirit by giving pupils the tools to fulfil their business ambitions independently. Through our commitment to enterprise we are able to prepare each pupil to thrive in their changing adult world.
You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Dr Jane Goodall
Environmentalism
We believe that we have a responsibility to educate the young people of today to understand the intricacies and implications of climate change and to equip and empower them to lead a concerted bid to save our planet; to create change-makers willing to take up the challenge of convincing others, both at our own school and beyond, to adopt more sustainable lifestyles.
We commissioned a comprehensive carbon footprint analysis by a qualified carbon auditor, considering all aspects and functions of the College. This has helped us better understand our impact on the planet, while enabling us to set suitable strategies and targets to reduce and/or offset this. Some larger scale, long term decisions regarding fuel, energy, and offsetting, will inevitably be led by senior leaders. However, our pupils are at the heart of the action. The Responsible Schools Project (RSP) Student Committees promote energy saving practices and improvements across the College, while investigating renewables and raising general awareness of the urgent need for change through assemblies, lecture programmes, film presentations, posters amongst other things.
Building on existing community partnerships with Greener Fram and the local primary and senior schools, our pupils work on the Community Garden sending the produce to the College kitchens and local Alms Houses. We have longstanding commitments like recycling and litter picking around the town and Framlingham Castle (with English Heritage), as well as mere conservation (Suffolk Wildlife Trust). Rewilding & Tree Planting on both sites of the College estate is done in partnership with the Woodland Trust.
The value and educational potential of this project is immense – senior pupils providing guidance and support for younger years, while in combination, collaborating with local interest groups. In addition however, our pupils are becoming compelling advocates for sustainable change at the College, championing investment in alternative energy sources e.g. solar panelling, wind turbines, water recycling and electric vehicles – the first of which has arrived – in local schools and government, and in the wider world.
