A new project to help schools teach enterprise skills to 5 and 6 year old pupils has launched.
The Bumbles of Honeywood is a set of books, online resources and educational materials designed to nurture enterprise skills from a young age - as well as teaching children about the plight of the endangered honey bee.
The project was created by Sue Poole, CEO / Director of the Swansea-based Centre for Entrepreneurial Education and Enterprise Manager at Gower College Swansea.
Sue came up with the idea for The Bumbles of Honeywood two years ago, while her husband was undergoing medical treatment. It fell on her to walk the couple’s new puppy every morning and during this time the idea for The Bumbles was born.
“I was thinking about how we could engage youngsters as soon as they entered full time school to develop those all-important entrepreneurial skills and how I could excite and immerse them in a fun, interesting but educational programme,” said Sue. “Through the six book series, we introduce children to enterprise skills while exploring the environmental plight of the honey bee. We follow the community of Honeywood through their adventures, in which they overcome problems and think up innovative and creative solutions to daily problems.”
Schools that invest in the project receive the set of books plus access to a set of accompanying resources including mini pots of honey, finger puppets, plant pots and seeds, school wall charts and much more. Pilots of the programme have been very well received.
“The feedback has been amazing,” said Sue. “Everyone we have engaged with has loved the stories and the characters. The books, which have been illustrated by Waters Creative, are exactly as I would have wanted - they have done an amazing job.”
The launch event at Swansea’s Dylan Thomas Centre included readings from local radio and pantomime star Kev Johns, dressed as ‘Grandma Bumble’.
ENDS
Notes:
As part of the changes to the curriculum in 2018 enterprise and creativity are key pillars for schools and the Bumbles of Honeywood will fulfil this aspect for schools.
Parents can also work with the children as they can purchase the books and associated activities to work on at home, helping them achieve successful futures.
The Bumbles of Honeywood were created by Sue Poole, CEO and director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Education (C4EE), and are distributed by the C4EE. For more information visit www.c4ee.co.uk
The Bumbles of Honeywood were created by Sue Poole
For more information visit www.c4ee.co.uk