The Aspirations Academies Trust in England is a charitable organisation operating in association with the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations (QISA). It is a nonprofit, financially independent organisation. The U.S. based QISA do not directly fund Aspirations Academies Trust in England. Instead, they offer significant support by providing aspirations research, materials, surveys, and consultation support.
Visit our website for more details: www.aspirationsacademies.org
Contact Aspirations Academies Trust:
World Business Centre 3,
Newall Road,
Heathrow Airport,
TW6 2TA
T: 0207 360 4400
info@aspirationsacademies.org
The Aspirations Framework:
As educators and policy makers strive for all students to reach their academic promise, they must ask: How can students meet high academic standards if they don’t believe in their ability to do so? How can they learn if they aren’t academically engaged? How can they set and reach academic goals if they don’t see the purpose in doing so?
If students are to enjoy academic, social, physical, and personal success, they must believe in themselves, be actively engaged in their learning, and see the connection between what they learn today and who they want to become tomorrow. When these experiences are absent, aspirations flounder and achievement declines.
The Aspirations Academies Trust is committed to helping schools foster student aspirations so that all students reach their fullest potential. The Aspirations Framework provides an outline, based on three Guiding Principles and 8 Conditions that Make a Difference, for fostering students’ aspirations.
The Aspirations Academies Trust believe that for students to have high aspirations, three Guiding Principles must be present: Self-Worth, Engagement, and Purpose. The Guiding Principles, in turn, are lived out through the 8 Conditions that emphasise relationships, active and engaging teaching and learning, and a sense of responsibility over one’s own aims and goals. The 8 Conditions are: Belonging, Heroes, Sense of Accomplishment, Fun & Excitement, Curiosity & Creativity, Spirit of Adventure, Leadership & Responsibility, and Confidence to Take Action. The 8 Conditions make a difference because they help schools put into practice the three principles that guide aspirations work.
The Aspirations Framework provides educators with a practical model that can be used to guide the development of educational experiences, from the individual classroom to the entire school building. If school curriculum, activities, and lessons support each of the Guiding Principles, students will be more likely to achieve academic, personal, physical, and social success.