BUDDING young entrepreneurs from a Fermanagh primary school have produced an innovative CD that helps children to learn their times tables with the help of the latest chart hits!

The pupils from Tattygar Primary School, Lisbellaw have put together the ‘Times Tables CD’ as part of their participation in the Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP).

The ‘Times Tables CD’ is made up of ‘table songs’ the P5, 6 and 7 children sing daily with their teacher, Cassie Cadden. The songs are the traditional times tables to the tune of chart hits like ‘Riptide’, ‘Wagon Wheel’ and ‘All About That Bass’. 

The JEP began by introducing the children to the term ‘entrepreneurship’. They had to research entrepreneurs on a local, national and international level and identify the characteristics and attitudes that it would take to manage and run your own business. 

From this, the children had to brainstorm a number of business ideas, considering their target market and the overall demand for their product.

Once the group idea was decided, the children pitched their idea to a group of ‘dragons’, including school principal John Prunty and Barry Mullen, a parent and local businessman.

They had to answer questions, take criticism and reflect on their business idea, all of which are essential skills for later life.

It was decided by the ‘dragons’ that the ‘Times Tables CD’ would work best, considering the timescale and opportunity for profit. 

The children were then given the opportunity to visit Modern Tyres and see how a successful, working business is run. During this visit, the children sat in during a management meeting, toured the Modern Tyres building and had plenty of questions for Jimmy, Conor and Phillip to answer!

Following the Modern Tyres Service visit, the children conducted market research to test if the ‘Times Tables CD’ idea would work. They created a questionnaire for primary school children, interviewed music specialists and completed focus groups with parents.

By collecting the data, they were able to draw a number of graphs and charts which revealed to them that there was a gap in the market and demand for this particular product. 

The children were subdivided into five teams by Miss Cadden based on their strengths and talents - marketing, production, sales, finance and storytelling. Once the children understood their roles within each group, they began ‘making it all happen’.

Mr. Prunty said: “This couldn’t have been done without the professional help of Stephen Kettyles, who helped bring the idea to a reality for the children.”

The children advertised their CD in local shops and to the neighbouring  Lisbellaw Primary School. 

They celebrated the conclusion of their project in a showcase assembly where pupils, parents and wider family circle attended the school to watch a presentation of the children’s Junior Entrepreneur journey and ask the children questions about the programme.

Copies of the ‘Times Tables CD’ are still available to purchase from the Tattygar Primary School office.