|
Enterprising Learning and Teaching
This year, Oban High School Enterprise Department have been focussing on developing enterprising approaches to Learning and Teaching, and enterprising approaches to using the Curriculum for Excellence outcomes in the classroom.
Some approaches which have been shared with staff include
- Developing innovative uses for ICT in the classroom, sharing good practice and demonstrating use of websites such as “Wordle”.
- Sharing the HGIOS Evaluation CD rom tool which provides departments with an opportunity to evaluate themselves against the HGIOS criteria, and also utilise a powerpoint custom version which may be used in many classroom settings.
- Developing practical, hands on uses for the outcomes, and producing displays for use in classrooms.
Skills for Work
Skills for Work courses continue to be run in S3 and S4 and for the first time, have been introduced into S5 course choices.
Pupils who have been undertaking these courses have been highly commended by the college, particularly pupils on the Childcare course.
Next session, S5 pupils will be working towards National Progression Awards in school as well as undertaking their chosen choice in college. This means that the pupils will have the opportunity to gain a broad range of experiences in this course and receive certification which is nationally recognised.
Representation at National Events
The Enterprise department was invited to attend a national conference for Enterprise in Education in Glasgow, as one of only two representatives from Argyll. This conference provided many contacts and opportunities for Oban High Enterprise to be recognised at a national level.
|
|
In addition to this, pupils from the S4 Skills for Work course, who had previously won the EthCo challenge – “Make a difference” were invited to perform at the national conference of EthCo, again in Glasgow. The five girls were the only pupils at the event, and performed their song, which addressed the major issues which face the developing world – no small feat, but done with gusto.
|
 |
|
Work Experience
This year was another successful year for work experience in Oban High school.
In total there were 110 pupils who were placed in over 130 businesses in and around Oban. The fact that so many employers are keen to take OHS student is testament to the positive behaviour of the pupils.
|
|
Cross Curricular Events
The Enterprise department participated in the “Loch Fyne Smokehouse Challenge”, mentoring a group and giving advice on marketing and sales to pupils.
|
 |
 |
Fundraising
The excellent relationships with the department has with local businesses has been integral to raising funds for various causes throughout the year, for subjects as diverse as the school newsletter to helping victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
|
|
The Future?
Enterprise Education in Oban High School should continue to flourish. There are many resources which can add to the already good practise in the school, and some potential ideas follow.
|
 |
|
This combination of Governmental and School vision can be met by
- Developing financial capability
- Developing social enterprise
- Building on international links
Enterprise Planning
Raise the profile of Oban the Enterprising School
By working with pupils to focus on the following core values.
This could be done through PSED. Or alternatively could become a tenet of the S5 SFW programme towards the pupil’s National Progression Award.
- Establishing financial capability
i. Forming a credit union through SFW in S5
ii. Interdisciplinary
iii. Preparing for work
i. Developing entrepreneurship
ii. Challenging pupils opinion of aid and action
iii. Recycling money
i. Mobile phones – debt
ii. Cost of living –– Importance of prioritizing needs and wants
iii. Keeping accounts – Banking
iv. Buy a bike/ ipod - Budgeting
- Work into enterprise
This would be an opportunity to build on and capitalise the already good relationship between employers and the school.
- Day’s event with entrepreneurial speakers and activities
- Organised by pupils on the S5 course and this could be something which they can use towards their NPA accreditation
- Whole school embedding
While as a school we are already using enterprising approaches to our learning and teaching, the Enterprise Department could really take ownership of this and publicise the work which is going on across the departments. By establishing a Glow group, good practise could be shared in an unobtrusive way (or in a more ostentatious way if necessary!).
- Exemplars of good practice focus on depts.
- Utilizing strengths in school
- Glow
|
Case Study- The Smokehouse Challenge
This was a project where second year pupils created a brand, marketed a product and presented it as a competition. This involved the Home Economics Department, Drama, Art and Technical departments, and was supported by Inverawe Smokehouse, who provided products, expertise and advice for the pupils.
Case Study - Gaelic
S3 Gaelic Learners class have spent some time making their own Gaelic sports magazine. It has worked well for them as they've been able to put their language learning into a more relevant context. Hopefully, this will be marketed in the near future.
Case Study - Art
The Art Department’s most enterprising success was their participation in the Argyll Rhapsody Homecoming Show.
The Fashion Show element of this Argyll project formed the basis of our new S3‘s introductory Design folio. A very challenging design brief had been set and our new specialists grew in confidence and ability as they discussed, developed and presented their ideas. We were also pleased to welcome back former pupil, Joan Beaton, recent costume design graduate, who was an inspiration to our designers.
Photographers had also been selected from our current 4th year students and their exceptional images formed a fitting backdrop to the whole show. Much of the photography had been done independently by these students and they should be complimented on their creativity and commitment.
Our Advanced Higher (A Team) were on hand to act as mentors, models and general assistants and the whole project culminated in the marvellous performance before appreciative audiences in Oban and Helensburgh. If you missed this event, you can enjoy it on the website www.rhapsody09.com
Case Study - OBAN SYHA
Third year artists continued their enterprising ethos by creating art works for the Oban Youth Hostel who are developing gallery space in their new public café . Our congratulations go to winners Zoe Thomson, Bettine Carey and Alison Mailey.