SPIRIT
As a Business & Enterprise Specialist School the development of enterprise skills, also known as personal, learning, thinking skills (PLTS) is extremely important. We have identified six skills that we believe are important for students to possess as they progress through their educational careers and will be necessary for life after school. These have been put under the acronym SPIRIT and we endeavour at all times to assist the students ‘To Learn The Enterprise SPIRIT’.
S – self manager
P - presenter
I – independent enquirer
R – reflective learner
I – innovative thinker
T – teamworker
Enterprise skills and SPIRIT permeate the entire curriculum as all subjects desire to have students with SPIRIT capabilities. In year 7 additional time is spent developing SPIRIT skills through Open Minds. On occasions the curriculum is collapsed for year groups to have focus days. These days obviously have important subject material that is covered but the assessment of these days focuses not upon the subject material learnt but how significantly the students have improved one of their SPIRIT capabilities.
We are grateful to The Co-operative who have sponsored the school on this matter. They provided the funds for the school to develop it’s own software for students to record their development of SPIRIT skills.
The ultimate aim is for us to produce well rounded individuals who can manage time and resources, articulate their ideas, are independent, reflect upon their work, are innovative and creative and can operate as part of a team. Students who possess these skills will easily find their way in society both in school and in life post 18.