During our enterprise week, our classrooms at Leigh Academy Dartford transformed into high-energy hubs of green innovation as we came up with solutions for UN sustainable goals and actioned these ideas in our lessons. Here is a summary of how each year group got involved with our week.
Nursery
Nursery got involved in some baking to see the process of putting ingredients together to make a product. They then sold their baked goods at their very own fair!
Reception
Our Reception entrepreneurs have been exploring the vital role of nutrition through the lens of SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing.
To begin their startup journey, the children conducted market research by sampling a variety of supermarket smoothies, identifying successful flavor combinations and textures. Drawing on these insights, they acted as young product developers—selecting their own fresh ingredients, practicing safe food preparation to chop their fruit, and blending their unique recipes.
The project concluded with a formal product evaluation, where the children taste-tested their creations and reflected on their success.
Year 1
Our Year 1 designers championed SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production by exploring the creative potential of upcycling.
The children demonstrated that reuse is an essential strategy for reducing waste and supporting the Earth. By repurposing reclaimed fabric scraps to engineer bespoke picture frames, they successfully transformed discarded materials into a consumer product.
Year 2
Our Year 2 visionaries tackled SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure by reimagining the future of inclusive technology.
The children identified a significant “digital divide” and set out to bridge the gap between generations through purposeful design. They made gadgets to make a difference by creating a piece of technology that is easier to use and helps all generations understand and be able to use technology. The children created a range of gadgets such as tablets, VR headsets and laptops and pitched their idea to the class using their communication skills.
Year 3
Our Year 3 humanitarian engineers addressed SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation by investigating the critical link between hygiene and global health.
After identifying that many communities worldwide lack reliable access to running water, the children researched sustainable infrastructure solutions. They applied their design and technology skills to engineer innovative rainwater harvesting prototypes. Through this project, the children developed a deep understanding of global resource inequality and the power of sustainable innovation.
Year 4
Our Year 4 renewable energy consultants championed SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 13: Climate Action by engineering functional prototypes powered by natural resources.
By investigating the mechanics of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, the children tackled sustainable engineering. Operating within a fixed “credit” budget, students practiced financial management, they had to think like business owners – choosing the best materials while making sure they didn’t spend too much.
This approach allowed them to apply arithmetic to real-world business scenarios, calculating unit costs and forecasting scalable profits for 10, 100, and 1,000 units. The project culminated in a display of collaborative innovation, where small-group work and creative problem-solving resulted in high-quality prototypes that the children were immensely proud to present.
Year 5
Our Year 5 inventors took on the challenge of global water scarcity, focusing on SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.
The children were tasked with creating products to help solve the world’s water crisis, and they showed amazing creativity. Some groups designed educational board games to teach families how to save water and make better choices for the planet.
Other teams invented home irrigation systems designed to reuse water and stop it from being wasted in the garden. It was inspiring to see the children working together as responsible global citizens. They used their teamwork and knowledge to find real-world solutions to a very important problem.
Year 6
For Enterprise Week, our Year 6 inventors and designers took on the challenge of creating eco-friendly products to support SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption.
The children used their big ideas to build amazing prototypes powered by renewable energy. Some of their inventions included solar-powered candy floss machines, vending machines, and drinks dispensers. These projects showed how everyday items can be reimagined to help the planet. Each prototype reflected creativity, teamwork and real-world thinking.
Enterprise Fair
Our week culminated with our Enterprise Fair. In addition to their learning above, the children were hard at work creating items to sell at the fair. With their fantastic work and your amazing involvement in our fair we managed to raise £356.12. Thank you to everyone who came and brought something. All the money is going to LendWithCare.org a charity who supports global entrepreneurs from low-income countries working their way out of poverty.
Kind regards,
Mr James
EYFS Lead Practitioner.
