Vision
Business & Enterprise Colleges will use their specialist status to raise standards of achievement and the quality of learning for all their students. Business & Enterprise related subjects will contribute to whole school improvement by developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Business & Enterprise Colleges will enrich and extend learning by encouraging economic and business understanding, enterprise activities and opportunities for pupils to follow a wide range of work related learning pathways.
Business & Enterprise Colleges will raise the post-16 participation rate in the specialist subject areas, and provide young people with the skills needed to progress into employment, self- employment, further training and higher education according to their individual abilities, aptitudes and ambitions.
Business & Enterprise Colleges will be active partners in a learning society with their local families of schools and their communities, sharing resources and developing and sharing good practice. They will work in partnership with the wider community, including business and industry, to enhance opportunities for lifelong learning in the context of business and enterprise.
Ethos and key characteristics
Business & Enterprise Colleges will deliver an explicit ‘Business and Enterprise’ character which inspires and motivates students. In addition to developing business skills, Business & Enterprise Colleges will demonstrate commitments to achieving an enterprise-based environment and developing an enterprising approach to teaching and learning. In particular they will:
- Develop strong curriculum business links and teaching strengths in business education, financial capability, work-related learning and enterprise-related vocational programmes.
- Enhance economic and business understanding and a business and enterprise culture including an understanding of the ethical dimension of business, throughout the curriculum, e.g. through outcome based enrichment activities and involvement with national initiatives and competitions and involvement in local Education Business Link consortia.
- Invest and support the development of leadership skills of all their staff, including through innovative ways of deploying staff.
- Cultivate a positive attitude toward risk taking and entrepreneurial attitudes.
Business & Enterprise Colleges will be expected to be involved in national strategies - such as Enterprise Pathfinder projects - and proposals to expand enterprise education.
Specialist subjects
Business & Enterprise Colleges will focus on a business & enterprise-related subject, mathematics and ICT. Examples of business and enterprise-related subjects include: business studies, economics, accounting, business and communication, business languages, leisure and recreation and leisure and tourism.
Further information
217 schools in England have been designated as specialist Business & Enterprise Colleges. In addition, a further 14 schools have been designated in combined specialisms which include business and enterprise and 4 schools have business and enterprise as a second specialism.
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Click here for a list of all Business and Enterprise Colleges (Excel - 69 KB)
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