Background
Determined to Succeed is the Scottish Government’s strategy for delivering enterprise in education. It goes to the heart of the vision for a smart, successful Scotland. It is a long-term drive to build an enterprise culture in Scotland that will give young people a better chance of realising their full potential and will give the economy of Scotland the skills, new ventures and entrepreneurs it needs for growth.
Across Scotland, Determined to Succeed is generating energy, enthusiasm and creativity in teachers and young people. It also involves parents, businesses, local authorities and the Scottish Government. Ministers in the Scottish Government have made personal commitments to delivering the strategy. It has won support from business people and council leaders across the country. It has attracted investment totalling £88 million up to 2008 to help in creating a dynamic, prosperous Scotland.
The birth of Determined to Succeed
Determined to Succeed was born from the findings of a Review of Education for Work and Enterprise in 2001-2. The Review Group comprised representatives from education, business and government and was chaired by Nicol Stephen, then Deputy Minister for Education and Young People. Its remit was:
to assess the effectiveness of Education for Work and Enterprise in schools, in preparing young people for the world of work and encouraging an enterprising culture in later life; and to examine the scope to improve Education for Work and Enterprise in fully supporting Scotland's priorities for education, and its economic success.
The Review Group considered carefully the views expressed in a widespread public consultation, listened to representatives of the business and education communities, and gave young people and parents the opportunity to contribute their views on the value and limitations of current provision and how it might be improved. The Review Group published a report of the good practice it witnessed.
The recommendations
The Review Group’s report, Determined to Succeed, was presented for consideration by Scottish Ministers. The report made 20 recommendations, all of which were accepted by the government in the Scottish Executive Response. In addition, the term ‘education for work and enterprise’ was replaced by ‘enterprise in education’.
The main issues
Since its publication, Determined to Succeed has led to an increased emphasis on the importance of enterprise in education. It is underpinned by two main concerns:
Young people need to be prepared for a world which is changing rapidly. Many of the jobs they will do when they leave school do not yet exist and they will probably have several jobs during their lifetime. They need to have the skills and attitudes to cope with an unpredictable future, to be able to deal with setbacks and disappointments in a positive way, and to continue to learn for the rest of their lives.
To prosper, Scotland needs people who are enterprising as employees, employers and entrepreneurs. Young people need to be able to make the most of their abilities to contribute to the world of work and the wider community. From the earliest age, children have a natural ability to be enterprising and it is important for that ability to be nurtured throughout education.
The strategy
Determined to Succeed is a major priority for the Scottish Government. Local authorities lead on delivery, working in partnership with key players including the business community, HM Inspectorate of Education, Learning and Teaching Scotland, Careers Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. All 32 local authorities have action plans setting out their approach to implementing Determined to Succeed in a local context, and all have staff with responsibility for delivering enterprise in education. An annual reporting process ensures examples of good practice can be shared and support can be channelled appropriately. All local authorities have communications strategies which keep parents informed of how they can support their child’s learning.
In addition, the Scottish Government is:
- changing how teachers are trained
- changing how education is delivered, through enterprising teaching and learning, working with organisations worldwide that have delivered real change in their own countries
- tackling structural barriers that have inhibited change
- winning hearts and minds by demonstrating that enterprise in education can make a real difference.
Regular reports, the most recent being Determined to Succeed: Three Years On, have demonstrated the progress made nationally in relation to the 20 recommendations.
Related information
Curriculum for Excellence
Find out more about using enterprise in education on the Curriculum for Excellence website.