The BP Trading Challenge roadshow is a new resource for 14-19 year-olds which develops pupils’ teamwork, decision-making and communication skills. Iain Wright, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, DCSF and MP for Hartlepool joined students during the interactive, fast-paced session as they traded oil, reacted to market news via films and managed a budget whilst competing in teams. The roadshow has been created in consultation with the London 2012 Organising Committee to give students a taste of the competitive world of business whilst also considering some of the Olympic and Paralympic Values which include determination, respect and excellence. BP has pledged to take the BP Trading Challenge Roadshow to every local authority across the UK by the time of the London 2012 Games.

Iain Wright MP said: ‘As we move closer to 2012 it is important that teachers in our schools are able to make the most of the Olympics using them as a hook for learning across the curriculum. The Get Set programme brings the Olympics to life for children and young people.’

Ian Duffy, Manager of UK Education Programmes at BP, said: ‘We are delighted to have worked so closely with the London 2012 team to create this free schools’ roadshow. Using the real-world context of business and enterprise, it makes learning fun and helps students to enjoy vitally important subjects such as mathematics. We look forward to inspiring many more young people with the BP Trading Challenge over the next few years.’

Teachers at Dyke House School were briefed about ‘Have You Got What It Takes?’ a free resource developed by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG.) Teams of students aged 11-14 are challenged to prepare and deliver a pitch to become an approved pre Games training camp, where athletes can prepare for the London 2012 Games The initiative aims to develop pupils’ enterprise skills including creative thinking, team work, problem solving and financial management; it also provides an opportunity to practice presentation skills.

The London 2012 education programme is reaching more than 11,000 schools and colleges already – any school wishing to access the new free resources needs to register with Get Set (www.london2012.com/getset)

Nick Fuller, head of education at LOCOG, said: ‘London 2012 is helping to spark young people’s imagination and enthusiasm for learning in many ways, right across the UK. Get Set is about more than just sport and PE: the enterprise resources engage students through real-life situations, helping them to develop skills that are relevant not only now but also for their futures.’

Enterprise is one of the eight strands that make up LOCOG’s Get Set programme. The other seven are citizenship; culture and creativity; healthy and active lifestyles; internationalism; PE and sport; practical learning; and, sustainability and regeneration.

Bill Jordon CBE, Head teacher at Dyke House Sport & Technology College said ‘We are thrilled to be hosting a town wide Enterprise event which reflects our dual specialism of Sport & Technology. It is an important part of our ethos as a Sport and Technology College to promote the values of good sportsmanship and enterprise across the whole curriculum, not just the sport and technology subjects. This event does exactly that, encouraging young people to develop respect, courage, determination and inspiration as they work together in teams to achieve a common aim.’

Stacy Hall, Director of Communications and Tourism at One North East, said: ‘Have You Got What It Takes?’ is a great addition to the Get Set programme - teaching the value of enterprise whilst capturing the aspirations of young athletes through the use of Pre-Games Training Camps. Paul Deighton, chief executive of LOCOG, will see some of our 20 North East England training camp facilities for himself as part of a trip to the region on Monday.”

– Ends –

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog or follow us on Twitter

Notes to editors:

1. For photographs from the event at Dyke House School please contact the LOCOG press office.

2. BP is the official oil and gas partner and a sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, one of seven domestic Tier One Partners.

3. Schools can learn more about the London 2012 enterprise resources at www.london2012.com/getenterprising. This site will be available from the 26th of October

4. Schools can register with Get Set at www.london2012.com/getset

Highlights of the website include:



As it heads towards its £2bn budget for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LOCOG has six domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are now five domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte and UPS. There are eleven domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, Crystal CG, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Holiday Inn, McCann Worldgroup, The Nielsen Company, Populous, Ticketmaster and Trident.

The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for London 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.

• A range of free, flexible resources with the Paralympic and Olympic Values at their heart. Resources available on the site are for 3-19 year olds and include inspirational films, interactive games, fact sheets, news articles and more, along with an Educators section for practitioners and senior management.
• The opportunity to ‘Go Further’ and get involved in initiatives supported by London 2012 partners in eight key themes - internationalism; communication, collaboration and citizenship; practical learning; PE and sport; enterprise; sustainability and regeneration; culture and creativity, and healthy, active lifestyles.