New Enterprise Centre at Fir Vale School

Pupils at Fir Vale School now have their own Enterprise Centre complete with a reception, offices, conference space and a cyber-café.

 

The Fir Vale Enterprise Centre will be used by the local community and feeder schools in addition to the staff and students of the school itself. 

 

The £650,000 building, adjoining the main school hall, is self-contained and comprises of a 30 workstation Cyber Café, a flexible ‘Conference/Enterprise Space’ which accommodates up to 100 people and associated storage and cloakroom facilities. 

 

It been built as part of the school's specialist college provision and was made possible by grants from BiG – Make it your business, Sheffield’s Local Enterprise Growth Initiative and Burngreave New Deal for Communities.

 

BiG is a set of business support activities to help grow and develop entrepreneurs in Sheffield delivered in partnership with a number of specialist support agencies.

 

There were also financial contributions from the Technology Colleges Trust, local people who responded to the school's request for sponsors and the school's own budget.

 

Sir Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive Sheffield City Council, who officially opened the centre, said: “The opening of this facility is fantastic news.  For Sheffield’s renaissance to continue it is vital that we encourage more entrepreneurs and new business start-ups.  Young People at Fir Vale and the surrounding community who can access this Enterprise Centre will be able to boost their business and enterprise skills, and will become the entrepreneurs of the future.”

 

Lesley Bowes, Headteacher at Fir Vale School, said: “This development will realise the vision of Fir Vale’s Business and Enterprise specialist status and enhance learning opportunities, specifically in ‘enterprise learning’ for its students and the local community.  Activity within the centre will also contribute to help secure ongoing school improvement.”