1. CENTRES
CENTRES (Creative Entrepreneurship in Schools) project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which
may be made of the information contained therein.
www.centres-eu.org
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
A New Direction: guidelines for relationships between schools and
businesses
These guidelines are intended for anyone setting up a partnership between schools and
businesses.
Context
Entrepreneurship education is becoming increasingly important in the UK: there is a growing
awareness that many young people leave education without vital skills sought by employers,
and the employment landscape for young people is dramatically different now to how it is
perceived to have been even just a few years ago.
The opportunities for young entrepreneurs in the creative industries are significant, but, in
general, schools do not currently equip their students with the skills they need to be
entrepreneurial. There is no entrepreneurship curriculum and no obligation for schools to
teach entrepreneurship at the moment. Links between schools and creative industries would
allow schools to develop these areas drawing on professional expertise.
Approach
A New Direction used the Social Enterprise Qualification to structure pilot activity with
schools. This included an opportunity for students to engage with entrepreneurs from the
creative industries. Full details of outcomes are included in the final evaluation report. The
guidelines below are based on the experiences of the schools involved in this programme.
Recommendations
 Start with the needs of learners – what are the aims for their learning, achievements
and development?
 Give the participants ownership of their experience – give them time and space to
articulate their interests and goals, and support them to develop their skills
independently.
 Consider the needs of the school – what can teachers and other staff gain from this
experience? How can change and learning be ongoing and sustainable?
 Consider the needs and aims of the business – how can this partnership help them to
learn and change?
 Consider what is feasible and realistic – aim high but be aware of potential limitations
and set realistic success criteria.

2. CENTRES (Creative Entrepreneurship in Schools) project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which
may be made of the information contained therein.
www.centres-eu.org
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
 Allow sufficient time for planning and lead in at the start, and for evaluation at the end
(and use evaluation to inform future work).
 Build strong relationships with partners in advance – this will enable the school and
business to support learners effectively.
 Communicate needs clearly and agree shared aims and objectives.
 Be available – good communication is essential to a strong partnership.
 Remember that businesses may not have a detailed understanding of the education
sector (or vice versa). Share as much as possible.
 Continually monitor activity and communicate any need for changes.
 Accredit activity where possible (through the SEQ or Arts Award), to give students
additional recognition.
 Articulate success!