Enterprise Education: The Role of Head Teachers

In the UK there have been recent policy developments in enterprise education, following the Davies Report (2002). In Scotland there has been the launch of a comprehensive enterprise education programme, the Determined to Succeed Strategy (Scottish Executive, 2003) for all schools in Scotland. This Strategy represented the Executive’s response to a working party review of education and enterprise. The review, Determined to Succeed, 2002 represented a comprehensive overview of requirements in order to provide enterprise education in all schools in Scotland. The aim stated is to “take an innovative and experimental approach in developing key themes in the initiative around the professional development of teachers, the engagement of disengaged school students and the promotion of a focused and resource-intensive approach to Enterprise in Education” (Scottish Executive, 2004). This paper reviews developments in enterprise education and the role of Head Teachers and Deputy Head Teachers (school principals and vice-principals). It reports the findings from research conducted with a Leadership Academy, delivered by the Columba 1400 organisation, with Head and Deputy Head Teachers for the Scottish Executive and assesses their critical role in enterprise education.