Through the JEP programme pupils get a clear picture of what creating a business is all about. Every step mirrors strands in the primary school curriculum.

The learning that takes place during JEP gives children a greater understanding of many things that happen in the real world. They get to understand how the value of goods and services are created and how skill, talent and creativity can create an entrepreneurial enterprise. Whether they ever become an entrepreneur or not is irrelevant. They have a better understanding of what happens and will have their first opportunity to think as an entrepreneur.

The programme works closely with the local community – involving local entrepreneurs who share their story and that of their business with the pupils. This puts entrepreneurship in a local and meaningful context. Every pupil gets a chance to uncover their own strengths and play a key role in one of five distinct teams – Finance, Marketing, Design & Production, Sales and Storytelling.

Pupils are given the chance to invest a token amount of money in the business – with a view to getting it back with profit, to understand the real impact of risk and reward. When they’re investing their own hard earned money, they want to make sure they get it back – hopefully with profit.

The programme culminates in showcase day, when the learning, hard work and team spirit come together. That’s when family, the rest of the school and community get a chance to see the results of all the hard work done during the programme.

Children use their creativity to come up with individual business ideas, they come together as a class to choose one idea and then work to turn this idea into reality over a 12-16 week period. They’ve got to do the hard work – researching what customers really want, working out their costs and how much to charge for it. They figure out what they’re good at and try to use those skills to play their part in a team. All along the way, they’ve got the support of their classmates, teachers and family.