Climbing Worx Ltd, Eeezy Squeeze, Resistant Technologies Ltd, Scapegoats and the Underdogs were just some of the more unusual company names dreamt up on the residential Business Enterprise and Awareness Training (BEAT) course held at Patterdale Hall.  All Year 12 boys thought up a new business idea and presented their plans to a panel of judges, who asked some very probing questions.  Business ideas ranged from personalised climbing walls and self administering tooth brushes to paint balling whilst driving a go kart.

In the Bolton School version of Dragon's Den the pupils were put under considerable pressure in defending the virtues and merits of their marketing strategies and cash-flow forecasts.  Not that business is a future career for all of our pupils, but they enjoyed practising and honing the interpersonal and work-related skills necessary to succeed in many careers.

Seminars delivered by volunteer speakers from a range of commercial organisations ensured that the course had up-to-date business input and expertise.  Boys' Division staff worked late into the evening delivering a skills workshop on Interview Techniques, Application Forms and Group Discussions.  As ever, the boys threw themselves into the programme and came away tired, but with a greater appreciation for the national competition for jobs and need for above-average personal skills.

Five teams with the most viable business propositions compete in the Boys’ Division final at the beginning of February.  From which two teams are chosen to compete with two teams from the Girls’ Division for the Langtree Homes  Enterprise Trophy. 

We are very grateful to Langtree Homes Ltd for sponsoring the Enterprise Trophy

We would also like to thank BEAT, Barclays Bank, BT, Milliken Industrials, PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM who support our events by supplying delegates, mentors and judges.