Enterprise Days

Overview

As part of the Enterprising Futures Academy, funded by Newcastle University Alumni Rob Wood, these events are designed to equip young people with the skills, mindset, and confidence to see entrepreneurship as an exciting and achievable career path through school, university and beyond!

Alongside exploring our historic campus, your students will take part in multiple enterprise themed activities. The learning outcomes of these sessions have been designed in line with the aims of schools and colleges.

Supporting your curriculum

The events are also underpinned by the Entrecomp Framework, an initiative that outlines the key competences needed to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Activities ensure that students build a broad range of transferable skills including creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and initiative.

This structured approach supports progression in enterprise education and complements your delivery of careers and personal development learning, while aligning with national priorities such as the Gatsby Benchmarks and broader careers education frameworks.

Choose your own Enterprise Day

Teachers can use the following options to build an event that works for your school group. All activities are adapted to suit the audience, from year 9 to year 11.

What a typical day for your students may look like

Starter activities

Opportunity Knocks

This starter activity allows students to move around the room and introduces entrepreneurs from a range of backgrounds to raise the aspirations of students.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
2, 3, 7	2.2

This 'n' That

This starter activity allows students to begin thinking like an entrepreneur! They will work in groups to merge existing items together to create something new.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
7	1.1, 1.2, 1.4

Desert Island Deliberation

This starter activity requires students to think creatively in a fictional scenario where they have been shipwrecked. Members must agree which items are most important for their survival as they need to prioritise. 

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
7	1.1, 1.2, 1.4

Introduction to Enterprise activities

Pilot your Purpose

This guided exercise aims to help students to discover what they are passionate about and how developing entrepreneurial skills can turn that passion into purpose.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
3, 4, 7	1.1, 1.5, 2.1

Business Plan Your Life

Business Plan your life’ is an opportunity for students to learn about and create their own business plans whilst reflecting on their skills and goals.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
3, 7	1.1, 1.5, 2.1

Business Bonanza

Students are given a product to produce, sell and market. They will make decisions in their group and aim to successfully launch their product whilst staying on the correct side of the law.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
2, 7	1.4, 1.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5

Elevator Pitch

This interactive session allows students to develop and deliver a business pitch. This activity is designed to help students understand the importance of being concise, confident and persuasive in the world of business!

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
7	1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.4

Interactive activities

Marshmallow Madness

This session allows students to compete for the tallest marshmallow tower! This exercise illustrates how entrepreneurs use experimental learning to navigate uncertainty.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
7	1.3, 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Egg-cecutive

In this activity, students will work in teams to effectively protect their egg from cracking when dropped from a height!

They will develop important entrepreneurial skills like teamwork and creative problem-solving.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
7	1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Pencil Pay-Day

Students will compete in teams to earn the most money “selling” origami pencils!

They will face a series of realistic business experiences and must use their entrepreneurial skills to succeed!

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
2, 7	2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Reflective activities (optional)

Universitree

Rooted by GCSEs and branching out into degree courses, students will explore more about graduate careers as they discover and explore links between careers and subject choices.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
2, 4, 7	n/a

From Here to There

In this workshop, students are encouraged to reflect on their employability skills then set achievable goals.

Gatsby Benchmarks	Entrecomp Framework
4, 7	n/a

What dates are available?

Our Enterprise Days are available to book on any day during the following weeks:

Monday 13th October 2025 – Friday 17th October 2025
Monday 1st December 2025 – Friday 5th December 2025

I enjoyed the day and would like to come back soon or even come to this Uni when I am able to.

On-campus visit attendee, 2023

How to book

Bookings are now open for the 2025/26 academic year!

Use the booking form below to contact our team and we will be in touch to confirm if we can host your students on campus for your desired date.

These events are available for teachers to book for their school group. Teachers from state schools can also get support with travel costs via our Visit Bursary.

If you have questions about your booking or these events, please contact us at enterprising.futures@newcastle.ac.uk.

Visit bursary

Once you've booked your on-campus visit, don't forget to claim your travel costs via the visit bursary.

Book your school group

Teachers can click here to book their school group onto one of our Enterprise Days.

Book your Enterprise Day

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