eTime Enterprising Schools project

This year, West Eyreton School was selected as one of five Canterbury Schools to participate in the 'eTime Enterprising Schools' project. This two year project is funded by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Cookie Munchers Charitable Trust. The aims of this project are:

• To transform the learning cultures of a group of Canterbury primary schools to enable them to become exemplary models of enterprising schools in line with the Ministry of Education's strategic direction for "Education for Enterprise";

• To develop strategies and resources to use in a sustainable way with other schools nationally beyond the term of this project;

• To share the outcomes of the project widely as a means of motivating other schools to establish an enterprising culture within their own school communities.

"Education for Enterprise" means "a teaching and learning process directed towards developing in young people those skills, competencies, understandings, and attributes which equip them to be innovative, and to identify, create, initiate, and successfully manage personal, community, business, and work opportunities, including working for themselves."

In practice for our school, this means we are aiming to develop the following enterprising attributes amongst our children to prepare them for life in the 21st Century. These are the ability to: identify and assess opportunities and risks; plan, organise and manage time and resources efficiently; collect, organise, analyse and evaluate information; generate and use creative ideas in innovative ways; solve and prevent problems; work co-operatively and collaboratively with others; be flexible and deal with change; use initiative and drive; communicate effectively; be fair and responsible.

The above attributes also align very closely with the "key competencies" described in the revised New Zealand Curriculum and reflect the increased importance being placed on attributes such as creativity, innovation, resiliency and entrepreneurship.

An important aspect of an enterprising school culture is how the school develops and maintains its links with the community for mutual benefit, so that the staff and children develop positive attitudes towards businesses and other community organisations, and vice versa.

How is West Eyreton School developing an "Enterprising School" culture?

School Vision
We have included Enterprise as one of the five special qualities of the West Eyreton Learner (the 5 Es) - Excellence, Example, Empathy, Effort and Enterprise. We have defined 'enterprise' as "demonstrating a willingness to explore new ideas". Throughout the year, in every classroom, teachers have created opportunities for children to becoming enterprising.

Inquiry approach to learning
Hand in hand with the development of "enterprise" has been the implementation of our new approach to teaching and learning, the 'West Eyreton inquiry model', which takes students through a process that assists them to identify an authentic learning issue/problem/scenario, develop a knowledge background, use a questioning approach to gather relevant information, then analyse, synthesis and evaluate the information so that they gain a more in-depth understanding, as well as building new knowledge. Children look creatively at what they have learned and how they can use this to make a difference in the wider world. This is a collaborative process in which they are encouraged to work with members from the community.

An enterprising inquiry example - "Caring for our Environment"
As a result of an inquiry approach, the children wanted to improve the school environment and put into place some sustainable practices. With the support of teachers, parents and the wider community the children have:
* set up worm farms;
* created composting bins at school;
* introduced "No rubbish bins" at school. Children and staff are recycling all rubbish - food waste goes into a separate bucket for wormeries and composting, and children and staff take all their lunch paper rubbish home;
* formed a Recycling Crew - monitors at the school;
* developed a class contract as a "promise" to recycle toys, in the junior class;
* presented information about experiments and the benefits of modern landfill.

Students leading their learning
A group of students, representing their classes, became 'Team Enterprise' members and took a leading role in developing an approach to unite our community. A plan was developed through a consultative approach. Two 'Team Enterprise' members, and a lead teacher, attended a Board of Trustees meeting to inform them about the planned Community Unite Day.

One of the Board's strategic goals for 2007 is to involve our community in our school and this clearly demonstrated to them how this goal was being achieved.

'Team Enterprise' children visited each classroom to explain what the Community Unite Day was about and discussed how they could be involved on the day.

Community partnerships
To develop an enterprising culture across our school, we understand the vital role community groups and businesses play. As part of the approach to unite our community, a community survey was written by the 'Team Enterprise' children. There was a huge response from the community, such as donations of free plants, mulch, irrigation pipe, machinery, expertise with planting and landscape design, fencing and gates to enhance the 'mound' in our school. Community members were invited to our "Community Unite Day" on 23 November. A wide range of activities took place, involving the whole school, which demonstrated the attributes of enterprise described above.

For example:
The Year 6/7 class identified that the cycle track to the school needs to be extended along the main road to the school. They consulted with a community member who is an elected member of the Oxford - Eyre Advisory Board & chairperson of the Future West Eyreton group who liaises with the Waimakariri council to find a way to have the cycle track extended. They designed a petition to get a community response to support their project. The petition was launched at the Community Unite day with parents, the local community and visitors. They will then present it to this Oxford-Eyre advisory board member to take to an advisory board meeting.
The Year 7/8 classes identified aspects in the broader community needing development or change. They are investigating ways to put forward ideas to the local Future West Eyreton community action group. They have studied the role of the FWE group, the Waimakariri Council and the part they play in local government. The classes have forwarded possible ideas for the FWE group to take to the Waimakariri District Council and/or local government. These children will become the youth voice of the community.

All businesses that donated to the project were promoted on the day using large posters, and on a laminated handout given to all participants, as well as being thanked in the community news magazine which is delivered to 500 West Eyreton households and on the school website www.westeyreton.school.nz

Redesign of the School Curriculum
To further develop an enterprising school culture, we have taken an innovative approach to the redesign of our school curriculum during this year. All staff have been involved in its development.

The five Es form the basis of a cross-curricula thematic approach to learning. This approach engages the children and integrates learning across the key competencies and the eight learning areas. It often involves the children using the West Eyreton inquiry model.

Strategic planning
The Board of Trustees has embraced the enterprising approach, and have created four Strategic E goals in their strategic plan for 2007 - 2012, to link the governance of the school to the five special qualities of the West Eyreton Learner. The four strategic E goals are:
* Education - Teaching & Learning
* Ethos - school culture
* Environment - resourcing (finance & property)
* Exceptional Staff - personnel

The strategic plan received a very positive acknowledgement from the Ministry of Education when reviewing our charter this year.

Future Developments
The Board of Trustees is aware of how successful our Team Enterprise students have been in approaching local businesses and community members to work in mutually beneficial ways.

As a consequence, the Board has formed a finance focus group, which will involve parents and students to identify ways to fundraise for the school in order to provide increased learning opportunities for students in 2008 and beyond.

The children's 'voice' will be kept to the fore, e.g. they will write, email, phone or fax, outlining the purpose of new projects, why they need assistance and how the school will provide benefit to the business or community group in return. The school will offer free advertising on our school website and in our community news magazine and maybe even signage to be displayed at the school.

The 'eTime Enterprising Schools' project has initiated a major shift in the way all levels of the school management approach new projects and developments for the school. It is extremely exciting to see the different groups within our school community, and also the local West Eyreton and Rangiora community, being embraced and coming together to form a common partnership, resulting in outcomes that are benefiting our West Eyreton pupils.

Most importantly, new parents coming into our school, are now commenting on the special atmosphere and character within our school. They are impressed with the values and skills that we are developing in our students.

Jillian Gallagher
Principal
West Eyreton School

West Eyreton School
Community Unite Day

Team Enterprise and their teachers are to be thoroughly congratulated on their organisation of this event - the aim of which is to bring the school & community together and to beautify the school environment.

This goal has come directly from the school's newly developed strategic plan.

Alongside the Team Enterprise are all our teachers and pupils who this term have been working on a Inquiry Learning project called "What Unites a Community?" - all classes have been researching what make West Eyreton community special, who are the people who have roles and responsibilities in our community, what needs does our community have?

Today you will see class displays dotted around the netball court and this area outlining their learning - also a big part of today is for the children to visit the guests to learn more about their work for our community.

The main outcomes of today are:

1)      to plant out the mound with native grasses and shrubs

2)      to involve the community in our school and with our pupils

3)      to initiate what we hope will be an ongoing and long lasting relationship between our pupils and their community which is full of rich expertise, support and knowledge which is hugely valuable to our pupils in their learning.

4)      To further promote and inform the community about our school culture - our 5 special qualities Effort, Empathy, Enterprise, Excellence and Example - you will see that the mound will highlight the school's culture and particularly the 5 E's. The mound will be divided into 5 parts - one for each E - a pathway of stones individually painted by all our pupils will weave over and through the mound and 5 signs will name each area after one of the E's.

Thank you to the huge support and donations received from our community members and parents.

Who will be attending our Community Unite Day?

*  Parents; all pupils; all staff

*  Cust Fire Brigade

*  Young Guns Dog Handlers (pupils aged 8 - 13 yrs)

*  Oxford Police

*  Waimakariri District Council - Dan Gordon, Kevin Felstead, Barry Meiring

*  Local MP's

*   Les Pester with the civil defence trailer and team

*  Local businesses & community members

*   eTime staff - Danielle Palmer Enterprise facilitator

Parents, caregivers, families, friends and community members have been invited to come along during the afternoon, and to play a special part in planting out the mound. There has been tremendous support from local businesses in the community and all we need now is "many hands make light work" to plant the plants.

As a result of the Community Unite Day, the school will have a lasting Example of a great community occasion involving team work and community participation - this is what the children are aiming to achieve - to see their community united and working together to achieve a common project that will benefit us all.

What will each class be DISPLAYING at this day?   Displays will be all around the netball court area.

All classes have developed their own Enterprising projects as a result
of the learning they’ve gained from their class Inquiry units-

1. New Entrant class - is promoting the school and our West Eyreton Learner.

2. Year 1 / 2 class - will have 2 static displays on show on the day about their trip to the local fire station and the museum; is also underway setting up 'Play Time Clubs' at school for 2008.

3. Year 2/3 class: is promoting the Waimakariri Dog Training Club - the class wanted people to be more aware of this organisation and to teach people the benefits of being a positive dog trainer; the class has organised for the Young Gun Kids, aged 8 - 13 yrs, (from the dog training club) to be present at our Community Unite day and to demonstrate training with their dogs.

4. Year 3 / 4 class - they have identified two needs within our local community

a)      the community aren't aware of what we do with our Mac laptops and ICT so the class wanted to invite parents in once per term to view the class's work - they have set up a Parent Community Club.

b)      to promote and encourage more Cub leaders - the local Cubs needs more leaders and the class has researched this problem and they also see the need for girls to be included and involved in the Cubs group

5. Year 5/6 class - this class has identified that they'd like the opportunity to belong to Guides or Scouts. The class is displaying information about being a Cub leader promoting Cubs - and being a leader at Scouts and Guides.

6. Year 6 /7 - has identified that the cycle track to the school needs to be extended along the main road to the school - they have consulted with Mark Brown who is an elected member of the Oxford - Eyre Advisory Board & chairperson of the Future West Eyreton group who liaises with the Waimakariri council to find a way to have the cycle track extended. They have designed a petition to get a community response to support their project. The petition will be launched at the Community Unite day with parents, the local community and visitors. Finally they will present the petition to Mark Brown to take to the Advisory Board meeting.

7. Year 7 / 8 class - has identified aspects in the broader community needing development or change - they are investigating ways to put forward ideas to the local Future West Eyreton community action group. They have studied the role of the F.W.E group, the Waimakariri Council and the part they play in local government. The class will forward possible ideas to the F.W.E group to take to the Waimakariri District Council and / or local government. These pupils will become the youth voice of the community.

Thank you to the following local community and Rangiora businesses who have supported our Community Unite Project.