We also learnt how to consider how we can make a difference to others throughout our lives, how to have high expectations about ourselves as well as have opportunities to consider future education and career paths.

The week began with the whole school reflecting upon what aspiration and aspiring is (to have a great ambition or ultimate goal; to strive toward an end or condition: aspiring to great knowledge, Archaic (old fashioned) to rise high; move upwards.). 

We all considered the lives of Mahatma Ghandi and his aspiration for his country of India – “be the change you want to see” is attributed to him.  We looked at some leisure aspirations that some people have, like running a marathon as well as looking back at some of the home learning the children had done finding out about people’s careers. 
Nelson Mandela’s aspiration and challenge that, “we change the world and make it a better place.  It is in your hands to make a difference” inspired us in our aspiring and dreaming beyond just our own career and leisure aspirations.  We also reflected upon the great good that Mother Teresa did (“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”) and how all three of these “once in a generation” people aspired to something beyond their own selfish ambitions. 

We were reminded that it took incredible hard work and perseverance, as well as a respect for all, to achieve what they did.  The words of reassurance, “God doesn’t require us to succeed, he only requires that we try,” (Mother Teresa) was the message that we took out into the week as we aspired and dreamed together.

Through the week children had opportunities to reflect on what they are like in terms of the character (and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats this may produce), we set some short term and long term goals as well as think about how they would achieve these and the little steps it would take.  Together, the children also learnt about charities (vision, mission, values) and collaboratively created their own.  There is much more that we did, take a look at the photo gallery to see some more of our outcomes.