“Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” [email protected]

“Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood”

[email protected] - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www.lkmco.org.uk

The poverty of aspiration myth

Dr Sam BaarsResearch Associate, [email protected]@sambaars

Eleanor BernardesAssociate, [email protected]@Nor_edu

mailto:[email protected]





Prompts• Aspirations in the context of the community of

your school• Whose aspirations are important?• Who plays a role in enabling young people to

fulfill their aspirations?• What methods have you heard of/do you use to

raise aspirations and do they work?





1. Aspiration myths

2. The rural context

3. How should schools respond?



Aspirations: myths dispelled and truths clarified

1. Aspirations are not the same as expectations2. There are no ‘high’ and ‘low’ aspirations3. Aspirations are not stable over time4. Different aspirations are revealed in different contexts5. Aspirations don’t just relate to jobs and education6. The link between aspirations and attainment flows both ways7. Aspirations are not ‘lower’ in deprived areas or workless households8. Geographical differences go beyond deprivation



1. Aspirations are not the same as expectations



2. There are no ‘high’ and ‘low’ aspirations

“Yeh, I like, I enjoy doing stuff like that… It's not just about the money is it? You want to do something you enjoy. Don't

want to go to a job that you don't enjoy, do you? Cos if you're stuck with a job you don't enjoy for the rest of your life you're

going to be miserable aren't you?”

“My mum struggles to even survive. And I don't want that life for my kids.”



3. Aspirations are not stable over time



4. Different aspirations are revealed in different contexts

• Different aspirations are ‘revealed’ and ‘concealed’ in different contexts• To teachers• To parents• To friends

• Aspirations are ‘performative’– Adapted for different

audiences



5. Aspirations don’t just relate to jobs and education

Educational aspirations• Get good grades• Go to university

Occupational aspirations• Get a well-paid job• Work in a certain sector

Broader life aspirations• Have a satisfying career• Have a ‘good life’

Achievement of educational aspirations not sufficient for achieving broader life aspirations



6. The link between aspirations and attainment flows both ways

Aspirations help motivate young people to do well at

school

Success at school can

help to nurture

aspirations



7. Aspirations are not ‘lower’ in deprived areas…



…or workless households



8. Geographical differences go beyond deprivation

Taunton London



The rural context







Three layers to addressing the aspiration myths:

1. A school’s curriculum offer needs to provide all learners with the potential to achieve their aspirations (academic/vocational/enrichment/etc)

2. High quality academic learning and intervention to provide all learners with the potential to achieve the necessary attainment

3. High quality and impartial careers education information, advice and guidance (CEIAG)



Whose aspirations?

Objectively:• Why is the teacher so worried?• Why hasn’t the student applied to university?

Subjectively:• What would you have done in the student’s

position?• What would you have done in the teacher’s

position?



Three main groups of decision making theories:

• Trait and factor

• Relational

• Post-rational (planned happenstance)



Via Janet Colledge - @CareersDefender



Via Janet Colledge - @CareersDefender



Dr Sam BaarsResearch Associate, [email protected]@sambaars

Eleanor BernardesAssociate, [email protected]@Nor_edu




Documents

“Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” [email protected]