Endeavour Raising Aspirations Project

A new project aimed at raising the aspirations of pupils at a Bristol primary school gets under way at the end of the month.

Endeavour: the Raising Aspirations Project, named after the fifth and final  space shuttle to be built, will expose pupils to extraordinary experiences that they have never had and give them the chance to question and learn from people that do great things over the course of the year-long scheme. 

This will help to raise their aspiration levels, increase their self-confidence and make them realise that they can do whatever they put their mind to.

The project is a joint initiative between Filwood, Knowle and Windmill Hill Neighbourhood Partnership, Bristol City Council and the education charity Ablaze which will be working with Christ the King Primary School, Filwood.

Councillor Guy Poultney, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “This is a fantastic initiative which I hope will encourage all those involved to explore the possibilities on offer, and go on to improve their skills. It's vital that we use the city's legacy of ambitious engineering projects and exciting high-tech innovation to inspire as many young people as we can."

The Raising Aspirations Project will bring a range of interesting and exciting influences and experiences into the Christ the King classrooms, take pupils out of the classroom to see and learn about how Bristol and how the country works and to provide inspirational support for teachers in the school.

The year will see the schools pupils paired with reading and number buddies, and mentors. It will include visits from the Red Cross, Meet a Medic, Airbus, Rolls Royce, Bristol Old Vic and will also involve trips to Cabot Circus, Temple Meads, the Council House, and the Bristol Port.

The project will also include a year-long focus on introducing the concept of the state, democracy, democratic institutions and the organs of the state to school pupils in years 3, 4, 5 and 6.

This will include classroom visits from the Lord Mayor, councillors, MPs, Police Inspectors and more, as well as trips to the Mansion House and the Houses of Parliament.

Part of project will follow the election for the new Mayor of Bristol.

It is hoped that this will encourage the children, with their families to take part in the voting process.

Anne Peachey, headteacher at Christ the King Primary School, said: “We are excited about working on the new project Endeavour.

“The project is designed to develop children's aspirational thinking and encourage them to think about the possibilities for their future lives.

“As one child said recently, ‘Having Simon [local Police Community support Officer] visit the school and talk to us has made me realise what the police do in the community.  I think I would like to join the police force’.

"Another child said ‘The visit to the Natural History Museum made me want to become an archaeologist and study dinosaurs’.”