Question or focus area: Children’s understanding of success and aspirations
Scanning
We carried out pupil voice with 15 children to identify a focus area. We noticed that some children in year 5 has greater self-confidence and belief in themselves than others and very few children had any idea of what success is.
Focus
Our focus was on year 5 children and the approach needed for the children to become excellent learners, dedicated to life long learning based on understanding what success is and what is looks like and mean to them.
Hunch
Our hunch involved the culture in the classrooms and children feeling valued, in order to believe in themselves and develop their understanding of what success is and how they know they have been successful in any area of their learning.
Children previously had a negative mindset towards learning, especially writing and were unsure what success looked like other than knowing how well they have done based on their teachers marking and the amount of ticks they had and comments received.
Opportunities to raise pupils’ confidence and aspiration beyond the school and its region.
New professional learning
Conversations with the year 5 teaching team about how to raise aspirations for the children
Focused on the importance of the learning culture and having high aspirations outside of the actual learning but more based on the process of learning linked to growth mindset thinking
All staff were introduced to key questions to ask their children to further improve self assessment based on what children are learning and how to do they know they have been successful in order to deepen their understanding of the learning process and their achievements.
Growth mindset training to ensure challenges for all that will impact on children’s belief that they can achieve anything through effort and dedication.
Taking action
Visits from inspiring visitors to raise aspirations- Medical Mavericks, Rotimi- successful Cambridge applicant from the local area.
Contacted Children’s University to discuss access to their programme to raise aspirations
Developed link with local secondary school to encourage children to develop confidence by taking part in competitions to provide opportunities for children to be successful. A yr 5 child came 2nd in the competition between 3 local schools. Teachers discussed the importance of taking part and success without winning.
Developed link with local grammar school to offer not only academic achievers but a variety of students the opportunity to aim high.
Fortnightly check in with children to monitor how children’s language is changing in regards to them defining success and what that looks like to them.
Structured questions are used to support children to reflect on their progress in learning with a focus on how they know they are learning and how they know what to improve on.
Checking
Qualitative data
Question feedback is captured to compare to monitor improvements -answers from children started to show a change in their attitude and understanding of success and how they know they have been successful.
A positive culture within classroom continues to improve.
A growth in children’s confidence has resulted in children, who previously deemed themselves as not very good at something, has dramatically.
Children are more passionate about their learning and those who previously were unable to articulate their learning can now say with confidence in what they are learning and how they know they have been successful.
Quantitative data
Previous low prior attaining children involved in study have closed gaps and are making more progress.
Reflections/Advice
Involving the year 5 team in the project has had a greater impact and created a clearer focus on the ‘hidden’ curriculum.
Children are starting to think outside of themselves with several girls developing empathy and wishing to deliver a charity event.
Using this approach has improved communication, relationships and friendships. It is encouraging children to show empathy towards others and understand the impact their behaviour has.
Children who previously thought of themselves of low academic achievers have developed their confidence and are now starting to find new areas of interests for themselves and unlocking their talent and potential.
Ensure time is booked out regularly to review and reflect with team and children to embed the project thoroughly and monitor progress.
