Textile Archive Stirs Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Imaginary companies envisaged by several Essex students brought about some real-life benefits for the Warner Textile Archive, located at Warners Mill in Braintree. The Archive is part of Braintree District Museum Trust.

As part of the Mantle of the Expert, students from Howbridge Junior School set up companies to work on imaginary creative briefs. Having set up their companies, named them, assigned roles and designed their company logo, the students visited Warner Textile Archive and worked with archive staff and a textile artist to produce designs to be worked up into their product for their clients. The company invented by one class produced a PowerPoint demonstration and display boards that were incorporated into the archive’s official opening in July 2005.

The project encouraged detailed observation and questioning and ensured that students worked in teams, improving their communication and decision-making skills. Their ICT abilities also improved and they gained confidence from acting as experts in front of a variety of audiences.

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