Good leaders have the ability to motivate and influence,
they get things done - by their own hard work and
their ability to engage others. Leadership is a quality
that seems to include many of the other enterprise
capabilities. Good leadership requires communication,
a positive attitude, initiative, creativity and the
ability and confidence to negotiate and influence.
In adult life good leadership can be the difference
between failure and success, satisfaction and frustration
and profit and loss. Providing leadership opportunities
for pupils is essential – so they have a taste
of what it is like to take responsibility, make decisions,
manage peers and problems and deliver a final product
or activity successfully.
Download
a copy of this page
Download
the 13 Enterprise Definitions
Download
the full document [all definitions and
case studies]
After attending Rotherham Ready’s
Inspire training event Tessa Clark decided to take
an entirely new approach to the school’s Christmas
Play – and let the children take the lead.
Following a brain storming session with her class
there was a whole raft of new ideas on how to take
the play forward – including holding auditions
for the first time, and creating roles for the children
to undertake the work of set design, costumes and
directing the production. Children had to ‘apply’ for
these roles, giving reasons why they would be suitable.
In the mean time auditions for the play were held
by the school council, turning up talent from surprising
quarters. Tessa said: “The auditions felt unfamiliar
at first, and a little uncomfortable, but the children
were in charge and they felt strongly that this was
a fairer way to do things. We were really reassured
by their comments – the children were very
perceptive and discerning, and they picked out the
best performers. It was a bit of a revelation for
all of us.”
Once the cast was chosen and scripts went out the
children instituted lunch time and after school clubs
to get the work done. Groups researched, planned
and made the set and designed costumes. There were
rehearsals too, and now children were also in the
roles of ‘Director’, ‘Music Director’ and ‘Prompter.’ Tessa
said: “Once the project was underway it was
less work for us, because we were in a more supervisory
role than anything – the children really took
ownership. They seemed to have this sense of ‘we
are in charge, and it’s going to be good.”
In the meantime other children who weren’t
part of the play were commissioned into marketing
and promoting the play. Other classes brainstormed
ideas for a marketing plan and distributed tasks
between themselves. They decided to make posters,
leaflets, produce novelty tickets and write letters
home to parents. Refreshments were also put on, as
well as a raffle. They also arranged that they would
take video footage of the performances and sell the
DVD to parents afterwards.
By the time the performances came round there was
a genuine sense of anticipation at the school. During
the performances the children were in charge – lead
by the Director and Music Director, with the ‘Prompter’ sat
reassuringly at the front – though everyone
was word perfect. Tessa said: “We just stood
at the back; the children were in the driving seat
the whole time. It was brilliant, and everyone was
bowled over by the whole thing – the children’s
attitude, the standard of the performances and the
professionalism of the back stage crew. Every performance
was packed out and there were many repeat visits.
We all said afterward that we should have charged
or maybe put on an evening performance – it
was more like amateur dramatics than a school play.”
