Specialist schools are raising standards in education and providing greater opportunities for young people.

In addition to the hard work and commitment of teachers and school leaders, and students themselves, increased collaboration between schools and business has been a factor in this success.

As important as the sponsorship of schools is the time, energy, enthusiasm and experience that business contributes to the education sector.  Collaboration between education and business will continue to ensure that more students are given the chance to reach their full potential and are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.

There are many examples of companies and schools successfully working together and through the specialist schools network of nearly 3,000 schools in England, they are able to share their experiences and knowledge.

For example, a school that wanted to expose its students to a ‘real’ science environment, give them practical problems to solve, and provide them with the opportunity to develop their communication skills did this by contacting two local companies: one a soft drinks manufacturer and the other a manufacturer of orthopaedic replacement joints.

Students taking part in the soft drinks project were visited by the company’s product manager who explained what the company did and described the task – to design a new drink and label.  Left with a basic recipe and the ingredients, the students worked in teams over a three week period and had to overcome some difficult challenges, including the designing of a label for a curved surface and how best to evaluate the quality of their new drink.

The final recipes and designs were given to the company who chose three winning designs and recipes.  The students were then invited to the factory for a tour and to witness their own bottles going down the production line.

The other group visited a manufacturer of orthopaedic replacement joints and were able to witness first hand the design and manufacturing process and talk to engineers and designers.

Back at the school students were divided into groups and given a name of a bone of the human body.  They were assigned an aspect of bio-sciences relating to the human skeleton to research and, using textbooks, the internet, and resources provided by the manufacturer, were tasked with designing a presentation to explain their area of research. The project culminated in a mini symposium where their presentation skills were judged by teachers and the company’s marketing manager.

In both of these examples, students benefited greatly. They welcomed the chance to experience a work environment where science played a major part. It also gave them a better understanding of the two organisations, what employers expect and the career opportunities that are open to them. The manufacturers were given a better understanding of the skills and knowledge young people bring with them as well the satisfaction of contributing to the education of young people.

There are 245 Business and Enterprise colleges committed to encouraging economic and business understanding, developing enterprise activities and opportunities and forging partnerships with the business community.

There are also 107 high performing specialist schools that now have a second, vocational specialism and are working collaboratively with other schools, colleges and employers to develop the skills that business needs. Many of these schools are taking the lead in delivery of the new Diplomas from 2008, designed to increase the number of young people staying on in education post-16 and to build the highly skilled workforce needed for the economic well being of the UK.

All specialist schools must have a clear strategy for undertaking their role in the local  community and links with local business are a key element.  But it is not all one-sided and schools have to demonstrate how their expertise, resources and facilities can benefit local people and business.

School and business collaboration presents many opportunities for both parties, but most importantly for the students.  There are many challenges ahead in education but through the creation of the specialist system, the leadership of headteachers, the networks of schools through which best practice can be shared, and collaboration with business, attainment for all students will continue to rise.

www.ssatrust.org.uk