A LACK of training and experience outside the classroom is making it difficult for teachers to educate high school students in entrepreneurialism, new research has revealed.

A study by The Aldridge Foundation has found that only two out of three teachers in the north know how to teach the subject despite eight out 10 of them believing entrepreneurialism is an important part of children’s learning.

But bosses at the pioneering Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, DACA, are leading the way by incorporating entrepreneurship in the curriculum from year seven upwards.

Youngsters are taught key skills such as risk taking, creativity and problem solving by running mock businesses, taking part in work experience placements and partnering with local community projects.

In line with this, the school has inbuilt entrepenurial hubs where students can set up and run their own businesses, create partnerships with businesses to give support and advice, and look to develop diplomas in business administration and finance, ict, retail, hospitality and sport and leisure.

And on the back of the research and the work carried out at DACA, The Aldridge Foundation is recommending that enterprise should be included in teacher training as well as the national curriculum.

It is also recommending that schools work with employers to shape a policy on entrepreneurialism.

Rod Aldridgem, founder of the Foundation, said: “These findings show a clear gap between northern teachers’ wish to encourage entrepreneurialism and a lack of practical training to deliver it.

“If we are going to wage war on the enemies of enterprise, then we need to start with helping northern teachers equip tomorrow’s entrepreneurs with the skills to take advantage of the new opportunities.”

DACA principal, Brendan Loughran, said: “Since becoming an academy we have become one of the UK’s most improved schools.

“This is largely down to our approach to teaching, whereby pupils have the opportunity to work with local start-ups and social enterprise projects.

“This has the positive impact of broadening their horizons.”