In January 2017, all 23,500 primary schools in the UK received copies of the Clever Tykes series and access to our free enterprise resources online. This means that around 4 million children gained access to a copy of the series inspiring resourceful, innovative, and positive behaviour.
What happened
23,500 sets of Clever Tykes books were delivered to every primary school across the UK, including England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Each set contained a letter from the co-creators and founders Ben and Jodie Cook.
School head teachers and enterprise and PSHE leads were also emailed about the project with a link to the digital enterprise portal. Schools were given this access completely free of charge and can enjoy 18 lesson plans and chapter walkthroughs of all the books.
Of course, the project attracted a lot of press attention both locally and nationally, here are some of the highlights.
Press coverage:
Forbes
Independent Birmingham
Mail/Post
Coding ones…
We also gained some awesome recognition over social media
What Lloyds Banking Group says:
It was incredibly important to us that our delivery partner, Lloyds Banking Group, were pleased we were making an impact on children’s lives.
Lloyds Banking Group is delighted to have been given the opportunity to bring such innovative and valuable resources to every school in the United Kingdom. We are committed to supporting the next generation develop the skills and attitudes required to succeed, in whatever they choose to do.
Martin Dodd
The most important people in all this are the schools, teachers, and children using the stories.
Within just a few days, hundreds of children had read and reviewed the Clever Tykes books with one child even suggesting a title for the fourth book! Here are some of the great feedback we received from teachers over the first few weeks.
We would like to thank you for the delivery of books we received last week, we are truly thrilled with them.
Sarah Hardcastle, Howden Infants School
We received the 3 books you sent us for the kids to read and want to send you feedback. The books are fabulous. A child in year 5 wrote the following: He loved the colour as he felt it was inviting. The story he felt was excellent, especially helping people to eat healthy. He thinks the next book should be green and should be called “Write it Woody”. He really feels all these books stand out from others.
Katie Presser, Rosh Pinah Primary School
Many thanks for your lovely books. Our children have written quizzes for them and they are now in our “Accelerated Reader” library.
Garry McIlwaine, Appertain Primary School
I am a huge advocate of the entrepreneurial messages and characteristics that you are driving. I think it is a fantastic idea to instil the idea of entrepreneurship into children from a young age. This is a great way to open children up to the idea of not always following conventional paths and giving them the belief and confidence to pursue their own creative business ideas.
The Clever Tykes series are such a wonderful way to introduce ‘enterprise’ to children from a young age – I can’t recommend them highly enough, and strongly urge parents to read along with their child as there is no doubt the stories will stimulate lots of questions and interest!
I found Walk-it Willow easy to read and full of lovely messages that children can take from it. It touched on taking responsibility, problem solving, admitting mistakes and also the work it takes to run a small business. Willow is entertaining but very human. A lovely story.
