Enterprise Funding
It was announced in the Budget that the current funding, which goes directly to schools to fund Enterprise activities and was scheduled to end in March 2008, has been extended for the life of the latest Comprehensive Spending Review. This is really good news for schools and means that the current high levels of Enterprise-related activities should continue and become embedded.

Online Work Experience Database
Walsall EBP is currently developing an online database to improve the support with work experience that is offered to both schools and companies. When it is fully operational, later in the Summer, it is intended that access, scope and capacity will all have been improved.

New Diplomas Announced
The DfES announced plans last year to launch new Vocational Diploma qualifications in 14 different subject areas. Bids were recently accepted from around the country to pilot the first five Diplomas (Creative and Media, Engineering, Construction, Health, Society and Development and IT) from September 2008. Walsall College working with Blue Coat and Pool Hayes Creative Arts Colleges were one of the successful bidders and will be offering the Creative and Media Diploma courses from September 2008. A further bid from Willenhall School and other partners to offer the Engineering Diploma has been deferred until September 2009 so that further development work can take place.

Specialist Schools
With the recent news that Frank F Harrison School had become a Specialist Engineering College and Pool Hayes School had achieved Creative Arts status all of the Walsall secondary schools now have at least one recognized specialism under the current DfES initiative.

Castle School recently became the first Specialist Special School in the borough with recognition for Business and Enterprise. The two selective schools have achieved second specialisms alongside their current Languages status, Maths and Computing at Queen Mary's High School and Business and Enterprise at Queen Mary's Grammar School.