The programme began in the Year 8 German class, where students are learning how to speak German and how to run their own business at the same time. For the last year, the class have been setting up a company that sells German toys. In November last year they made £250 selling the toys at Middlesbrough trade fair. Twelve-year-old Eden said: “Before, we didn’t think much about German, but now we do because you can use it as a life skill.”

Business is booming in other classes, too. English students at the school are planning to sell some of their creative writing as eBooks and a Year 9 design group are setting up a mail-order plastic crockery business. Two 15-year-olds at the school have even started up their own business, after developing an iPhone app that helps students manage their homework.

The school hopes that learning about business early will give the students a better chance of getting a good job, especially as the Northeast has the highest unemployment rate in the country. One of the goals of the school is to teach that: “With the right skills and qualifications, you can work for yourself and employ other people.”

Would you like to learn about business as part of your classes at school? Tell us in a comment below…