Along with ‘Faith’ and ‘Boys’, ‘Enterprise’ is one of our three core pillars that underpin all that we are at FBS. As a school we aim to develop ‘the whole child’ and we see becoming more enterprising as an excellent way of joining up all areas of learning while also developing key employability skills.
Personal Enterprise
Personal enterprise is all about self-improvement – becoming more enterprising ‘within yourself’. Teachers plan lessons that develop these skills. In designated enterprise sessions with their tutors boys work on setting themselves personal enterprise targets using our bespoke FBS enterprise levels. At the end of each year is ‘Enterprise Week’, where boys spend five days developing themselves and working in and with the local community.
Social Enterprise
FBS seeks to inspire boys to be community-minded and to strive to improve their world. In lessons boys benefit from their school being part of the Global Learning Programme, meaning that lessons have an element that educates boys about the world around them. Through co-curricular sessions boys seek to create projects and initiatives to address issues both local and global. In order to fulfil the requirements of their FBS Enterprise Award (see below) boys organise small tasks and larger projects. Students are involved in smaller events like the Macmillan cake sale or more long-term endeavours such as City Pitch – where boys compete with other teams across London to win funding for a community initiative.We have a committed team of prefects and lower school students who organise weekly fundraising events to support our school charity – Dad’s house.
Business Enterprise
Part of our responsibility to our students is to ensure that they are prepared for life after education. We want to produce 21st century citizens who are secure socially but also financially. A key part of this provision comes through the ‘Business Enterprise’ aspect of the Enterprise Award. Through our co-curricular programme students have the opportunity to set up small businesses. We also work with RedSTART and MyBNK to give pupils an insight into personal and business finance. From this they begin to learn about teamwork, managing expectations and improving their business acumen. Throughout the year students learn from a range of career opportunities involving people from a variety of backgrounds. Students attend careers speed-networking events and work closely with a huge range of partners such as Chelsea F.C. to develop business enterprise skills and knowledge of a range of possible careers and industries.
The Enterprise Pit
We encourage our Fulham Boys to; be Inquisitive, Have a Go, be Problem Solving, be Game Changers, use Teamwork, and Push Boundaries.
The Enterprise Award
Once students have logged evidence of meeting our 6 enterprise skills within their work (personal) and have evidenced examples social and business enterprise through co-curricular and external activities, they are entitled to apply for the FBS Enterprise award. The process consists of a presentation of their enterprise log and a viva with the Enterprise team. As well as a very sharp-looking tie pin (bronze, silver, gold) the award can be included in their CV and personal statements for university. Furthermore, successful candidates will be eligible for the Enterprise grant (up to £150 for gold award) to use as seed money for their small business/ social enterprise venture. All students will be expected to present their award once a year during Personal Enterprise day. An example of the award can be found below.
Throughout KS5 (Y12-13) boys are thinking about the next step in their journey and are interested in maximising their chances of future success. Boys in Y12 undertake 5 days of work experience in an industry where they have specific interest. FBS also offers the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) which is valued by universities and employers, as well as the well-recognised Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Enterprise Week
At the end of the summer term the school runs an Enterprise Week. In place of the normal school time- table, a range of activities gets boys venturing across London, participating in adventure training, immersed in business challenges and inspired by famous names.
With UCAS reporting that two thirds of employers look for candidates with work experience because they are simply more prepared for work, our Enterprise Week is more than a nice-to-have at the end of term, it is building our boys’ future. However, despite our best efforts, each year some boys are unable to join in activities such as work experience simply because their families do not have the same opportunities or connections as others.
Here’s a flavour of our 2022 Enterprise Week activities
Year 7 – Teamwork – Students put their entrepreneurial skills to the test by ‘launching’ their own business. They learnt how to become financially literate with MyBank and they helped design their own HS2 railway.
Year 8 – Game changers – Students put their entrepreneurial skills to the test by ‘launching’ their own business. They went into our London parks to discover sustainable solutions for our climate problems and they formed a PR and media agency to help launch local bands and designed the perfect day out on a budget in “London as our classroom”.
Year 9 – Problem solvers – Careers fairs & workshops, Escape Room, taskmaster, puzzle post, the tube challenge and a student-run alternative sports day.
Year 10 – Inquisitive – Students were encouraged to secure their own work experience for this week. We also held in-person/virtual blended work experience opportunities in sport & construction as well as mini work experience projects with dozens of companies.
Year 12 – Boundary Pushing – University tours in Brighton and London, Brighton activity, UCAS and apprenticeship workshops and an opportunity to draft personal statements with University admissions officers.
