Empowering pupils for the future

At Reed’s School, we’re fully aware that the world is changing at an ever-increasing rate, so it’s vital that we continue to reflect on what we do, how we do it, and that we anticipate the skills and attributes our pupils will need in the future.

One of the main objectives of our Five-Year Strategy is to prepare pupils for the future. We want pupils who leave Reed’s to have a growth mind-set, so that they view new challenges as opportunities, not obstacles. This will require self-confidence, selfbelief and a strong emphasis on personal attributes and values. The advent of Artificial Intelligence and exponential changes in computing power means that our pupils will need to possess excellent interpersonal skills as well as being adaptable, confident and competent with new and emerging technologies. Developing pupils’ entrepreneurial, leadership and digital competency skills are key to achieving this objective. The curiosity of our pupils and their capacity to reflect not just on what they were learning, but how they were learning, was remarked upon by ISI in its inspection of Reed’s last year. There have been many exciting developments in our provision for educating our pupils in the principles of entrepreneurship and enterprise, as well as other areas beyond the curriculum to prepare them for the future.

Under the leadership of Ed

Marsh, Head of Economics and Business, pupils throughout the School are learning the principles of enterprise and financial competency. The A Level subjects of Economics and Business have enjoyed an increase in pupil uptake, with a considerable number going on to businessrelated Higher Education courses. These traditional pathways are complemented by the School’s first BTEC course in Enterprise which was launched last September. Much of the work for this is practical, involving research and building relationships with local businesses in the area, which allows for a thorough understanding of the issues involved in starting a business and fostering innovation in a corporate setting.

Sixth Form participation in the Young Enterprise charity has also been invigorated in the past couple of years, with pupil-led companies launching products ranging from studyskills resources to dog treats! Meanwhile, Third Form (Year 9) entrepreneurs created their own products for the School’s Christmas Fair last year. These boys learnt about the importance of market positioning and how to pitch a brand, having completed vital research on their target market and potential competitors. At the Christmas Fair, they had a successful afternoon with each team making around £100 selling House beanies, Christmas baubles, AirPod cases and self-styled chilli sauce. During the Spring Term, boys in The Close (Years 7 & 8) spent an afternoon competing to make innovative and sustainable products in an Enterprise Festival Challenge which was led by Sixth Form entrepreneurs.

We are also working in partnership with the local branch of investment company, Killik & Co, to develop resources and opportunities introducing education in personal finance to different year groups, promoting financial literacy, planning as a family and responsible investing.

Many of these initiatives are part of our extensive Sixth Form Elective Programme that allows pupils to gain breadth beyond their A Levels. Along with the BTEC in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, there are also options to study for the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which teaches high-level skills such as planning, critical analysis, independent research and presentation; Language for Business, which focuses on specific language skills such as how to communicate within a business environment and the vocabulary needed to participate in the world of finance; Politics AS Level to ensure our young people have the opportunity to grasp how our political constitution works in the UK, and Coding, which is a very useful skill for those wishing to study maths or a science-related subject at university.

Pupils also enjoy many other extra-curricular opportunities which broaden their education. Leadership is learnt through formal leadership training sessions, as well as partaking in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Combined Cadet Force (CCF). Toastmasters Club, the Debating Society and Model United Nations teach public speaking skills and how to communicate well.

A regular series of thoughtprovoking lectures are given by speakers from commerce and industry for all pupils. For example, recently, pupils heard from an Alumni and serial entrepreneur, whose recent business sold for over £150 million, on what it takes to launch a successful start-up. These are complemented by FutureCareers Seminars with a wealth of speakers from our community of parents and former pupils who provide insights into various fields of work to aid careermaking decisions.

JON ROSS Deputy Head of Curriculum www.reeds. surrey.sch.uk