Resource created by M&S Archive. 

Simon Marks took the helm at M&S aged just 19 years old. He was innovative in his leadership of the Company, introducing new ideas and making changes to existing practices, and ultimately made M&S the high street staple that it is today.

This resource is part of the M&S 'Making a Mark' suite, about individuals or initiatives that have made a significant impact within M&S in some way. The aim is to show how the actions of one person or group of people can cause changes that affect the lives of ordinary people. It can be used for teaching the subjects and topics shown in the Curriculum Links listed below.  

Curriculum Links

• KS3/4 Citizenship
• KS3/4 PSHE 
• KS4 Business 

Learning Objectives

• Knowledge of the ways in which Simon Marks led M&S to success

• Understanding  of how the innovation and entrepreneurial skills of one person can drive a successful business

• Improved research skills , investigating primary sources  (photographs and newspaper articles)

Discussion Ideas

KS3/4 Citizenship:

• Simon Marks was passionate about his work, and always tried to make a difference doing the things he believed in and cared about. What matters most to you and how do you communicate this to your friends, family, teachers etc? Do you know what is important to the people you are close to?
• Read  Simon Marks' Christmas message to staff from 1960 (see Resources) - why do you think he wrote what he did, and what do you think the staff members thought when they read it?
• Simon Marks said 'What's the use of being rich, unless you can do something with your money?' If you had lots of money, how would you use it to help other people?

KS4 Business:

• What other companies can you think of that are run, or were set up by, friends/relatives? Do you think it's a good idea for best friends or relatives to work together? What problems can you think of that might arise? What would the benefits be?
• Find out more about the role played by wholesalers in the supply chain to stores. Where do they fit in? Why might they have been reluctant to deal directly with the retailer?
• If you were in charge of a large store like M&S, how would you make sure your decisions were the best ones for the success of the company?
• Do you know of any other successful businessmen or women today who are thought of as philanthropists? How did they make their money and how do they help others with it?

KS3/4 PSHE:

• What are your ambitions?
• What would you like to be doing when you're 19? And what about when you're 28? Think about where you'd like to be and what you might need to do to get there.
• A questionnaire that Simon Marks completed when he was 16 asks about 'favourite painters, pictures, actors, plays and musical compositions' among other things. Are these questions relevant to you today? What could they be replaced with to bring the questionnaire up to date?
• Simon Marks made M&S the famous high street business that it is today. What does M&S represent to you, and how is this different from your opinion of other high street shops?

Activity Ideas