Forty-four local businesses attended the launch which took place on Friday 17 September 2004 in the Ballroom Suite at the Peebles Hotel Hydro.

Delegates were presented firstly with an introductory speech from our Rector, Mr John Brown. He outlined the aims and benefits of the partnership and then handed over to Fiona White, the Scottish Executive’s Enterprise in Education Development Officer. She described how the Executive is now promoting the integration of Enterprise in Education into Scottish schools as set out in the document Determined to Succeed 2002.

Delegates then watched three presentations given by S2 and S3 pupils, along with their associated business partners, about the 3 projects already completed. See the details below and pictures at the end.

The standard of presentation was excellent and many businesses commented on how impressed they had been by our pupils.

Each delegate was issued with a short questionnaire asking them how much commitment they would be prepared to make if they wanted to join the partnership.

Thirty-one firms have responded positively with commitments ranging from 2 hours a year to more than 4 hours per term. This is a really encouraging sign.

Our next step is to meet with those companies who are willing to make a commitment and devise more enterprise projects with them so we can give all pupils at Peebles High School a quality enterprise experience which will help them develop their skills of numeracy, communication, problem solving, IT and working with other people.

Aims of the Business Partnership

1 To expand the involvement of business in school so that students will be more prepared for the work place when they leave school.

2 To embark on a new educational venture in partnership with a range of business, voluntary and charitable organisations which will enhance the learning and teaching experience of all those involved.

Background information

Over the past years many employers have complained about the low level of students’ core skills in Numeracy, Communication, Problem Solving, IT, and Working with Others. The Scottish Executive has made a commitment to promoting the development of core skills in schools and has made £40 million available nationally over the next 3 years. The business and education communities will be able to ensure that enterprising values and excellent core skills are encouraged in our school children. Four recommendations are made directed at the business community.

• To expand the involvement of business in school. This involves meeting a target that each school cluster will have no less than 5 businesses in partnership by the year 2006

• To sponsor an annual National Award in Enterprise in Education.

• To identify champions for enterprise to work with the Ministerial Strategic Forum which would meet twice a year.

• To work together with the SQA and Learning and Teaching Scotland to provide Enterprise in Education qualifications which are relevant to pupils and the business community.

To join us please complete the yellow Partnership Card in your welcome pack and put it in the box on the table by the door on your way out.

The 3 projects which were undertaken in the summer term 2004.

Project 1 – All S2 pupils were set the challenge of designing the logo of a local Peebles company to go onto a carrier bag which would be made to coincide with the Peebles’ Beltane Festival in June 2004.

Project 2 – A group of twenty S3 pupils were set the challenge by a local building firm to design a house which would then be valued and sold on the open market.

Project 3 – A group of six S3 pupils were set the challenge of learning how to use a new locally produced internet software package. Then they would use their new IT skills to further develop the school’s website.

Each of these projects is based around a model as set out below:-

Stage 1

An employer comes to the school and presents to a group of about 10 students a problem or challenge in the company which needs to be solved. Information will need to be disseminated to the students in terms of the constraints, resources etc available to them.

Stage 2

In school the pupils will get organised to work as a group to solve the challenge set by the company.

Stage 3

Work on the problem is completed. This could be a day (time) spent by the group at the company, using the resources available.

Stage 4

The group will present their findings to the company either on the day or at a later date at a suitable venue.

For further information on the Business Partnership, contact Brian Mahler at the school on 01721 720291 or by e-mail on bmahler@peebles.scotborders.sch.uk