Philips High School, Whitefield

ENTERPRISE and education go hand in hand at Whitefield’s Philips High School as pupils prepare for the world of work.

Originally founded as Stand School in 1688, Philips has enterprise education firmly embedded in the curriculum.

This is a mixture of business-related activities and the development of the skills needed by employers. All pupils are encouraged to be team workers and are given the opportunity not to show leadership but, equally important, how to be creative and independent learners.

All Year 10 pupils take part in two enterprise days, one involving NatWest and Bartle Hall Hotel and Conference Centre, and the other supported by the University of Bolton’s Accomplice programme.

Last year, the Higher Lane school emerged co-winner of a schools competition partly organised by Bolton Bury Business Education Business Partnership.

In maths, pupils take part in an online Stock Market Challenge, are made aware of the importance of budgeting and have to justify the financial implications of their decisions.

Every Year 10 pupil has two weeks of work experience. A total of 23 per cent of the youngsters find their own placement against the Bury average of 18 per cent. Additionally, pupils are encouraged to use enterprise skills while curriculum enrichment forms a large part of Philips High School’s work.

Annually, the school produces its own newspaper, Serviam, to a very high standard with the pupils producing and distributing the publication.

Other activities include taking part in a variety of physical and mental challenges, a scheme to encourage research students to come into school to work with pupils and entering Young Enterprise with their own product, a Rubik’s Cube-type device used for advertising and promotion.

Radcliffe-based James Halstead has already ordered 100.