School is named as Scotland’s best for enterprise
Breadalbane Academy has been awarded the title of Scotland’s Most Enterprising School 2020, netting £500 prize money to take forward new enterprise initiatives.
Looking at Scottish schools and searching for signs of passion in the teaching of enterprise education, judges worked with Scotland’s Enterprising Schools and picked the Aberfeldy facility for the title.
It means Breadalbane will be entered for a wider competition to find Europe’s most enterprising school.
Pupils at Breadalbane begin their enterprise education in primary, with projects such as the Birks Bag Company.
The initiative was to design and sell reusable jute bags in time for Christmas and pupils successfully set up a business team, taking on various roles such as advertising and sales to design and sell the bags in the local community.
Scottish education secretary and local MSP John Swinney was lucky enough to be presented with a Birks Bag when he paid the school a visit.
In S1-S2, pupils continue to build entrepreneurial skills during weekly enterprise classes and an Enterprise Day in S3. These are supported regularly by local businesses like Glen Lyon Coffee, Beyond Adventure, Scottish Crannog Centre and Errichel.
Growbiz and Business Gateway are involved in the design and delivery of the programme to ensure pupils are aware of support for self-employment when they leave school and understand that starting their own business could be a viable future pathway for them.
One of the judges commented: “This school’s approach has been built entirely around the needs of its local community, looking to solve local issues and support its community to thrive.
“It has also made ‘enterprise’ one of its key values - and that comes through. They make the most of what they have and do it with an entrepreneurial spirit. This is an entry that has a clear vision and passion for enterprise learning.”
Breadalbane’s wider school community consistently demonstrates an admirable enterprising spirit through projects such as #FeldyRoo, The Workshop and Visit Aberfeldy.
Project officer at Breadalbane Academy Monica Young said the school’s location out in the country gave enterprise a special place: “Our catchment area is also home to twice as many self-employed people as the centre of Perth. The school has worked hard to reflect this within the curriculum and equip our pupils with the skills to thrive in the area in which they live.”
Next to look forward to is the possibility that the Perthshire school could gain wider recognition.
Monica explained: “We will find out soon whether we have been lucky enough to make the shortlist for Europe’s Most Enterprising School, but in the meantime, we are delighted to receive national recognition for our efforts.”