As a new pupil premium champion in a school where equity for disadvantaged children is high on the agenda I inherited the notion that we need to ‘raise’ the aspirations of our families. Since I embarked upon #futureleaders with @Ambition_Inst I’ve been considering....

that actually what we need to keep those children on track. @TomRees_77 and @ldsparkes spoke to us about the importance of recognising that 97% mothers actually want their new born babies to go to university one day but some how this idea gets lost along the way and in schools

Do we assume that we need to improve their attitude towards this?. I spoke to other leaders and teachers who disagreed and said look at society - they are so insular they don’t want to have jobs or exist on anything other than benefits. This disappointed me. So who was right?

This week I have been privileged to take part in parents’ evenings with a new format and had opportunity to listen to some of the most dedicated and inspiring families who want nothing but the highest aspirations for their children... they recognise their own past has not been

everything they might have wanted it to be but know that in their children they have the hope for better things. We have heard how they are enjoying learning from their children about the wonder of education and what couid be achieved if we all continue to work together...

I have been moved with how honestly parents have shared with us the difficulties they have in supporting their children because they are learning far more advanced literacy and numeracy skills than they have accomplished (We have plans to support this) but not one

parent said they didn’t want their child to stop learning. They urged their children to make the most of every single day and minute in order for them to be in the best place with the best attitude so they have the best skills to get the best job as they move through life.

I have been inspired by them and am pleased to have backed up those statistics with first hand evidence that we need to invest every single penny and every ounce of energy into keeping those children on track with their aspirations. Providing a curriculum that promotes

a culture in which every child leaves school with the dignity of being literate and numerate as @marcrowland73 writes. This is at the core of our pupil premium action plan. As well as the core value of determination to #keepgettingbetter #togetherwearestronger #togetherweachieve