Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

Through the Thrive program, students in Years 5 to 7 develop both financial and vocational capabilities through hands on, practical learning.

In financial capabilities, Year 5 students learn to budget, manage accounts and earn wages. In Year 6, students design, test and sell smoothies, gaining firsthand experience in product development and customer engagement. In Year 7, students deepen their financial understanding by exploring budgeting, taxation, superannuation and investing.

In vocational capabilities, Year 5 students work in teams to design a product for a major retailer, developing ideas for young consumers and showcasing their work at a campus Trade Show. Year 6 students create arcade games and present them at Showcase events, while Year 7 students complete an upcycling project that challenges them to rethink waste and redesign with purpose.

The $20 Boss program is part of Curious Minds and gives students the opportunity to turn an idea into a real business. Each group receives $20 in seed funding to launch their concept and is guided by a teacher throughout the process.

As an opt in co-curricular program, $20 Boss allows students to experience entrepreneurship in an authentic and engaging way. Students develop ideas, manage costs, create products and bring them to market. The program regularly features a wide range of ventures, from arts and crafts to food stalls, reflecting the creativity and initiative of our students.

The program also runs through Pangea, where it has already inspired lasting student led innovation. One example is the creation of the Pangean Magazine, which began as a $20 Boss idea and has since become an ongoing initiative within the Pangea campus community.

Startup is a compulsory subject for all Year 8 students and provides a strong foundation in entrepreneurship. Students explore the fundamentals of starting a venture, including design thinking, problem identification, idea generation and product development.

The course begins with students redesigning a backpack, giving them a practical introduction to user centred thinking and innovation. As they build their understanding of entrepreneurship, students move on to designing products and services for Junior School students, which they then sell at a lunchtime Makers Market.

Later in the year, students work on developing a startup of their own. The program culminates in an end of year pitch event, where the strongest ideas compete for $1000 in seed funding.

Throughout the subject, students engage with frameworks such as the Business Model Canvas, learn the art of pitching and come to understand that failure is not something to avoid, but an important and necessary part of growth and innovation. The program is further enriched through an industry mentor program, connecting students with entrepreneurs and startup professionals.

Social Impact Ventures is a semester based elective that invites students to apply entrepreneurial thinking to real world issues. Rather than focusing solely on commercial outcomes, students explore how ventures can create positive social change.

Working in teams, students investigate causes such as education, health, climate change and poverty, then design campaigns, initiatives or ventures in response. The subject encourages empathy, critical thinking and purposeful action.

One recent example involved students focusing on homelessness in the local community. They created rough sleeper packs containing essential items such as soap, toothbrushes, snacks and water bottles, which were then donated to The Salvation Army in Dingley Village. Experiences like this help students see how enterprise can be a powerful tool for service, leadership and impact.

In Senior School, enterprise and entrepreneurship continue through a range of clubs and societies that allow students to pursue their interests in a practical, self directed way.

Clubs may be student led or teacher led. For example, our student led Finance Club meets weekly at lunchtime and is driven by students who also organise guest speakers, play their Australian Share Market Sharemarket Game and discuss different investment opportunities.

Examples of enterprise related societies include Everyday Chef, Bar and Barista, Space Society and Law Society. Through these experiences, students gain valuable exposure to industry relevant skills while continuing to strengthen the communication, leadership and problem solving capabilities that will support them well beyond school.