Under the Specialist Schools Trust, Copthall School was designated as a Business & Enterprise College in September 2002. Having been designated in the first bidding round for Business & Enterprise subject specialism, the school has enjoyed building on the success of existing activities.

The school’s Business & Enterprise status is supported by the sponsorship and curriculum enrichment of The Royal Bank of Scotland under the NatWest brand.

Copthall School’s mission as a Specialist College is to create a rich learning environment that promotes a Business & Enterprise culture for students, teachers and members of our local community. At the heart of our Specialist College is our aim to encourage our girls and young women to develop as consumers, producers, entrepreneurs and citizens. The ethos of our Business & Enterprise college acknowledges that skills such as creative thinking, personal initiative, presentational skills, emotional intelligence and self-confidence are important for both business success and for understanding business concepts. We “celebrate excellence” within the mainstream school and within the community. The Business & Enterprise status allows us the opportunity to fully realise this commitment

As a Business & Enterprise College, we are involved in a variety of activities:

• The Young Enterprise scheme has been run successfully for the last decade.
• Students develop their entrepreneurial skills through fund raising activities, i.e. sales, sponsored events, fashion shows, talent shows, quizzes etc.
• A successful bid to Barclays’ New future scheme has funded a student managed fruit tuck shop and a Youth-to-Youth health mentoring scheme.
• Local business links have created a Key Skills 6th Form Competition for prizes totalling £2,000.
• The PSHE co-ordinator has piloted and developed Personal Finance schemes, active citizenship (through drugs peer education) and business ethics activities.
• Business leaders and high profile role models regularly talk with students (Ben Harding, Chief Executive, Heathrow Express and H.E. Cheryl Carolus, South African High Commissioner) for example.
• Trips abroad that support an understanding of the global economy are well established (China, Paris etc.).
• The school has very active links with Barnet Education Business Partnership and is involved with several projects (Girls go Global, Interview Skills, Education to Work, Barnet Business Challenge).
• The Aim Higher roadshow (sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest) visits the school.
• The community programme includes the “Home Alone” scheme for single and solo business people.
• European work experience is at the pilot stage with the support of RBS.
• The Summer School for Gifted and Talented includes a Business & Enterprise activity.
• The Money and Morals Roadshow visits the school each year.