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Gifted and Talented Workshop Develops Entrepreneurial Talent

Property empires were built and innovative businesses created at this weekend’s workshop for our Gifted and Talented students.

Richard Branson himself would have been given a run for his money by the talented students who showed bucket loads of business acumen at the one day workshop held at CBA on Saturday (April 28th).

The project, which was based around the popular game of Monopoly, tested the students across all areas of business and enterprise, presenting them with a series of problems to solve and manage.

The 65 students who took part were split into teams and each group was tasked with managing a Government service (such as the ministry of defence or community and culture). The efficiency savings corresponded to profit they could use to buy properties on the monopoly board and each team was also challenged to create a business that would generate additional profit.

On top of that they were presented with a series of challenges and dilemmas throughout the day which threatened the security of their business and property empires.

Teacher Simon Smith, who devised the concept for the workshop, said: “I choose the game of monopoly as it is has an economics base and is easy to adapt.

“The project asked the students to take on the skills used in the first two workshops – business and management - and then build on them.

“It was great to see the students move from the initial confusion at the start to understanding what they had to do and then coming up with some great ideas.

“I was really surprised by what the students came up with and how they took the rules of the game and worked within them.

“We had some great business ideas, from dating websites to selling resources and one team even starting lending money to other teams at a interest rate lower than the banker offered – which I thought was very clever.”

Year 9 Andreas Milan took on the role of banker and showed off an incredible maths skills, using quick fire calculations to keep each team on track.

He said: “I have found it quite stressful but also really enjoyable.”

Year 8 student Karla Downs said: “I have really enjoyed it, especially the creative thinking and team work elements. It has taught me a huge amount about working in a team and with people that you don’t know.”

Ivo Silva was one of the sixth form volunteer coordinators who were assigned to each group.

He said: “The students have shown that they have great business acumen and it has been amazing to see some of them in action.”

This was the final of three workshops that have been run throughout the year. They are intended to develop the skills of the highest achieving students.

Senior Vice Principal Kirsty Farrar, who has been leading the Gifted and Talented Programme, said: “They have been a huge success and the feedback we have had from the students has been fantastic.

“I also want to thanks teachers Sam Fynan and Simon Smith who have devised concepts that have been challenging and rewarding for the students.”

The Pink team (led by Year 9 student Kit Panther) were crowned the winners after making the biggest percentage increase – doubling the amount of money they started with.

A gallery of pictures from the day can be viewed here.