Configur Academy - Summer Term, Week 4

Dear Parents,

This is Orgesa from Configur Academy. A quick update from this week across both programmes, a small ask for those in Rise to Lead, and something to look forward to from Young Founders House.

We had a change of room this week. The Patch moved us into their large boardroom, and when I told the children where we were going, one of them immediately asked whether we were going there to get bored. 😂 I told them that was reserved for grown-ups and their meetings, and hopefully everyone left feeling happy and energised. 😀

We started by using the big screen in the room to show the children what a real children's market looks like. I put up pictures and videos of different stalls, what a good setup looks like, why a display matters, and why a handwritten banner and clear pricing make a difference to whether people stop or keep walking. They had a lot of questions, which is always a sign that something has landed.

From there, we moved into the main work of the session. Each child sat down with a cost sheet and thought through what it would actually take to make their products, what they need to buy, how much each thing costs, how many items they can realistically make before 7th June, and what the total comes to. That final number is the one that matters most, because it is the number I will be building their loan agreement around.

I have kept every completed sheet, and I am working through them at home this weekend. I want to read what each child is thinking in terms of quantities, materials and costs before I put anything in writing, and I will be sending a short individual note to each of you by email in the coming days with some thoughts on where your child is at and anything I think might be worth revisiting before we get to the loan stage.

Next week, each child will receive a loan agreement to bring home, their name on it, the amount they are borrowing, and a line for them to sign alongside the person lending them the money. More details on that in next week's newsletter, but it is worth knowing it is coming.

We closed the session with Money Questions, which the children genuinely enjoy, impromptu questions on business and money, no preparation, just thinking on their feet. They never need much encouragement to volunteer for that one. 😀

No session this Monday, the bank holiday meant we had the week off, so I hope your children made the most of it.

I do want to use this newsletter to nudge those who have not yet settled on a topic for their end-of-term presentation. If your child has one, wonderful. If they are still turning it over, this weekend would be a good time to sit with it properly, because on Monday, I am planning to start working with them on the structure of their talk, and that process is considerably easier when they already know what they want to say.

If your child is stuck, I am very happy to help. Please feel free to send me a text or an email, and I will chat it through with them, or with you, and help them find something that fits. I can also stay after Monday's session if anyone would like a quick conversation in person.

If the question sheet has gone missing, just message me, and I will send another one straight away. 😀

Looking forward to seeing them all on Monday.

Young Founders Market - Sunday 7 June, 12:00–2:00 pm, The Patch, 42 York Street, Twickenham. Children arrive at 11:30 am.

That is everything from this week. As always, if you have a question about either programme or if there is anything you would like to talk through, you can reply to this email or message me directly on 07414 962803.

If you have missed any of our previous newsletters, you can catch up on them all here:
https://newsletter.configuracademy.com/

Have a lovely weekend.

Orgesa
Founder, Rise to Lead
Configur Academy
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