Young entrepreneurs have gone to the top of the class at
Medlock Valley High School
in Ancoats, Manchester. They have raised more than £200 from selling pot
plants and jewellery as part of an initiative that encourages the development
of enterprise skills.
The students, who all have moderate learning difficulties,
run their sales through a company called Plant Potters, which they set up themselves.
They started off by growing small houseplants, which were put into pots bought
cheaply at car boot sales and then sold to staff, parents and the local community
as Christmas presents. This venture was so successful that the students, who
are all in Year 11, branched out into jewellery, buying items through eBay,
the online market-place, and selling them as Valentine’s Day gifts. They
are now planning to run a market stall during the summer term, selling jewellery
and other items.
Inclusion manager Jenni Elliott, who co-ordinates Plant Potters,
said: “The benefits for the students have been tremendous. The project
has seen them grow in confidence and develop a greater sense of self-worth,
and we have also seen an improvement in behaviour”.
The school works in partnership with the Centre for Enterprise
(CEE) at Manchester Metropolitan University, which aims to bring about an expansion
in enterprise skills. The CEE trains teachers to deliver enterprise education
effectively and provides realistic entrepreneurial experiences that can be integrated
into a range of curriculum areas. It is funded by the North West Development
Agency and works in partnership with schools and colleges to create an appetite
for enterprise education. Nearly 200 schools in the North West will become involved
over the next three years.
Lynne Hayward on behalf of the Centre for Enterprise Education.
If you need more information about the project call:
Lynne Hayward on 01952 461 212
Dr Terry Warburton, director of the CEE, on 0161 247 2343
Jenni Elliott, Medlock Valley High School, on 0161 274 4667.
