The National Enterprise Challenge

Engaging & Inspiring

The National Enterprise Challenge is the UK’s largest enterprise competition and provides students aged 11–15 with a real-life business challenge set by some of Britain’s best-known brands.

We offer two unique challenges every year, one for KS3 (Years 7&8) and one for KS4 (Years 9&10).

Each challenge takes place over the course of a full school day and can be delivered to up to 250 students dependent on the space available in school. Students compete in teams, with one winning team selected to represent their school at the National Grand Final held in July each year.

We are proud to be working with sports nutrition brand Grenade and global plc, AirProducts as our Challenge sponsors for 2019/20.

Challenge Ambassadors

The challenge has been supported by several high-profile ambassadors inlcuding Lord Sugar, moonpig.com founder Nick Jenkins, and a long-standing partnership with Theo Paphitis, entrepreneur, retail magnate and Chairman of Ryman. Well known for his appearances on nine seasons of Dragon’s Den, Theo said “…some of the best pitches I’ve seen on The National Enterprise Challenge over the years have been even better than the ones I saw in ‘the den’! It’s a great way for kids to learn vital business skills”.

See what our ambassadors have to say

Educational & Inclusive

As well as promoting the spirit of entrepreneurialism and providing an opportunity to develop key transferable skills, taking part in The National Enterprise Challenge can enable schools to achieve some of the Gatsby benchmarks. Our days offer students meaningful encounters with employers and FE/HE providers, enhance school careers programmes and give students an experience of setting up and running their own businesses to develop the key skills they need to be successful in later life.

Click here to view our Mapping Guide which aligns our challenges to the Gatsby Benchmarks and Ofsted EIF

The National Enterprise Challenge

As the UK’s largest school’s enterprise and employability competition we have helped to inspire more than 250,000 students since launching in 2013!

High Profile Support

The National Enterprise Challenge is part of the Inspirational Learning Group, whose aim is to provide innovative and enterprising off-timetable events for schools, colleges and universities; engaging, inspiring and motivating students to be the best they can be.

Our challenges have received high-profile support from Theo Paphitis and Lord Sugar, alongside major national businesses including Air Products, Grenade, , University Campus of Football Business (UCFB), Screwfix, NatWest Bank, Staffordshire University, Alton Towers, OCR, Gandys and TG Escapes.

We continue to be recognised by and carry out some great work with Government initiatives alongside The Careers & Enterprise Company and National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP).

First Class Facilitation

The full day challenge is scheduled on a date to suit each school and delivered by our engaging and inspirational expert team of first-class facilitators. All resources and requirements are provided, enabling schools to simply enjoy the challenge!

Delivered through video messaging, students are set real-life business challenges from our supporting businesses. Guided by our expert team, students then work on the challenge throughout the day, before pitching their ideas for a chance to represent their school at the National Finals event. The winning team from every school is guaranteed entry to the National Finals.

Winning Teams

An exceptional event and true celebration of enterprise, our national Grand Finals offer high levels of enrichment for your entrepreneurial students. School teams compete against each other for the opportunity to pitch live on stage to our VIP judges for the chance for their team to be crowned National Champions!

Judge Theo Paphitis remarked:

“Pitching isn’t easy, but it’s a fantastic opportunity…Some of the best pitches I have ever seen on The National Enterprise Challenge…have been even better than the ones I saw in the den!”

One of the highlights of the year...

Over two hundred students remained fully engaged throughout a long and demanding day. The key to it’s success was that it allowed students with a variety of skills to contribute to a project which was exciting and relevant to modern life. The delivery team was outstanding; their energy and application was first-rate. Thank you so much!

Kevin Bird
Titus Salt School

Everyone wins...

“When I briefed the organisers, I told them that I didn’t want 6 winners and 130 losers on the challenge day. Every child had to come out with something. And they did. They had a fair chance to compete; reluctant students were skillfully engaged. They enjoyed the variety of activities and they all achieved something. The uptake of Business GCSE rose by around 20% this year such that now, almost 70% of Year 9 are studying business. We have more A level students than ever for both Business and Economics, and the local business that NEC introduced us to has proven to be a real champion for our school, even to the point of hosting a factory visit for our Year 10s and 11s to complement the curriculum”.