Shared Sharing Practice

Glenburn School - Preparing for life

A photo of people planting a garden

Developing enterprise and citizenship skills is preparing pupils with additional support needs for life.

Glenburn School, which shares a campus with Greenock High School, is catering for pupils aged 5-18 years from the Inverclyde area. It celebrates and encourages success, and seeks to enable young people to set goals and plan for their future.

Fiona Edgar, Depute Headteacher / Joint Enterprise Co-ordinator, says: 'Our pupils have a wide range of additional support needs. They also display many strengths, interests and personal qualities that help to support their learning and overall development. All staff are committed to developing enterprise and citizenship skills in a realistic setting.'

Teaching enterprise and citizenship together is 'preparing pupils for life'. All pupils have opportunities to develop these skills through their school career by:

  • taking part in an enterprise or citizenship activity as an individual or a member of a group

  • co-operating with others and being part of a team

  • communicating their own opinions effectively

  • negotiating with others

  • contributing to the organisation of events or activities

  • presenting themselves appropriately in different situations

  • reflecting on their own performances and actions.

Opportunities are created to allow pupils to develop:

  • self-respect, confidence and respect for others

  • willingness to negotiate compromise or accept consensus

  • creativity and enterprising attitudes

  • willingness to take appropriate risks

  • leadership skills

  • willingness to take on responsibility.

Fiona Edgar says: 'Glenburn embeds enterprise and citizenship in school life in ways that show linkage across the curriculum and involve the wider community, including business, parents and carers.

'We create real and relevant contexts for citizenship and enterprise experiences that provide continuity in the transition to work or college, and allow pupils to develop greater understanding of the world of work.'


Healthy activities

Enterprise activities involve primary pupils in growing plants, community singing and a fresh fruit project. Secondary pupils produce the ‘Glenburn Telegraph News’ newsletter, run a healthy eating tuck shop, and host community events such as a Halloween party and Valentine’s Day project. On Friday mornings the Palm Court Cafe is run by S4 Social and Vocational Skills pupils.

Older pupils also benefit from taking part in mini enterprises, work experience, attending James Watt College and residential experience in the UK and France. They also take part in fundraising for charities such as PDSA, Childline, SCIAF and Christian Aid.