Aspire Programme

"Alexandra park primary school staff go above and beyond for the pupils and families in the community. I am proud that my children have attended/attend there."

“The scientist from NASA has blown my mind!” parent and governor, following a visit from a scientist speaking to Year 6.

We want our children to be inspired to learn more about both the world around them and about the opportunities open to them so that they can become the scientists, leaders, musicians, sports people and entrepreneurs of the future. All of our children are enrolled on the Aspire Programme when they start at Alexandra Park Primary School. Through The Aspire Programme, children have opportunities to work with businesses on a range of projects, meet members of parliament, scientists, work with artists and musicians and engage in a range of sporting opportunities. Previously, our children have listened to Angela Rayner, Shadow Education Secretary, met Prince Harry and worked on business projects with John Lewis and Sainsburys. They have had the opportunity to play guitars with The Halle Orchestra, cycle at Manchester Velodrome and BMX track and work with local artists. Each class has an Aspire Book that travels with them through school. The Aspire Book gives our children the chance to reflect on the range of opportunities that they have experienced at Alexandra Park Primary School. Our aim is that as a result of these experiences, our children have the curiosity, ambition and confidence to achieve in their futures.

Our ‘Aspire in Science’ programme is a remarkable inspiration to our children. In 1990, Helen Sharman, OBE, replied to a radio advert which said, ‘Astronaut wanted, no experience necessary.’ Her successful application led to her becoming the first Briton in space. We want the children of Alexandra Park to have the knowledge and love of science that means in the future, if there is a similar opportunity, our children will have the skills and knowledge required for the role and the aspirations to seize the opportunity. Yes, we do want our children to go to the moon! We also want them to have the confidence and love of learning that means they can pursue all opportunities and careers that interest them. To achieve this, every child has had the opportunity to either work with a scientist, including a scientist from NASA this year, or has been on a science trip. Children have also demonstrated their science at ‘Science Shares’, region-wide events.

However, our Aspire Programme is about more than one off events. After high school transition day, the main thing the children talk about is what they did in the science lab. We want our children to have this awe and wonder in every science lesson at primary school. To achieve this goal, with help from our local community, we created our own ‘Aspire’ Science Lab where we can ensure high quality resources are available in an environment where the children see themselves as young scientists – they even wear lab coats! We employ two science teachers whose expert knowledge and passion are invaluable in providing our children with what is a world-class scientific learning experience.

Performing Arts

Have a look at the amazing performances from our KS2 children. Our theatre teacher, Anne-Marie, worked with each year group over a half term to put these performances together. 

Millie's Trust First Aid

We recently took part in First Aid training with Millie’s Trust, where we learnt vital, life-saving skills, including how to call for an ambulance, perform CPR and place someone in the recovery position. Throughout the session, everyone showed great determination, staying focused, asking questions and giving every activity their best effort.

This experience brought our school values of Care, Aspire and Achieve to life. We demonstrated Care by learning how to help others in an emergency and understanding the importance of looking after those around us. We showed Aspire by embracing new challenges, developing our confidence and striving to learn skills that could make a real difference. Through our commitment, concentration and willingness to try, we demonstrated Achieve, taking pride in what we learnt and recognising the importance of being prepared to act responsibly.

The training also reflected our commitment to personal development, helping us become more confident, capable and caring members of our community. We left with valuable knowledge, a greater sense of responsibility and the understanding that even as children, we can make a positive difference when someone needs help.

BMX

During assemblies, we will often learn about people who have demonstrated our school values. One such person is Sam Willoughby who aspired to be a BMX racer and eventually become a BMX World Champion. We learnt how it was not easy for him as he had to leave his home in Australia to pursue his dream and move to America. Initially, he did not even have enough money to pay rent so he slept on friend’s settees!

Sam Willoughby also taught us that it is not just enough to aspire - your aspirations need to be supported with hard work and commitment. We also learnt that there may be times in our lives where we face huge challenges. In Sam’s case, he was paralysed after a training accident. His response to this was something we all learnt from as he went on to be a coach and coached his wife, Alise Willoughby, and she too became the World Champion!

Following on from these assemblies, as part of our Aspire Programme, some of our children went to the National BMX track in Manchester so they could experience racing BMXs too. We were very fortunate that the British Olympic team were on the track before us. After seeing how brave our children were we may have some future Olympians at Alexandra Park.

Green Week 

Green Week - What a fantastic week! Across school we have been thinking about global issues such as reducing plastic waste, recycling, fair trade and sustainability. We have also been improving our school environment by planting vegetables and hanging baskets.

Michael Churm - Paralympian

We were delighted to welcome Michael Churm, Paralympic athlete, to Alexandra Park. Michael led us through an exciting fitness circuit, encouraging everyone to challenge themselves, give their best and recognise the importance of perseverance. During a special assembly, he shared his experiences as an athlete, spoke about his disability and explained how he had developed the skills and determination to compete at the highest level. We also learnt about the competitions he had taken part in and his incredible achievement of earning more than 50 medals!

Michael’s visit brought our school values of Care, Aspire and Achieve to life. We demonstrated Care by listening respectfully, supporting one another during the fitness activities and celebrating Michael’s achievements. We showed Aspire by embracing new challenges, pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones and learning that determination can help us overcome obstacles. Through our enthusiasm, effort and willingness to try, we demonstrated Achieve, taking pride in what we accomplished and recognising the value of hard work.

The visit also strengthened our understanding of personal development, inclusion and resilience. Michael’s story reminded us that everyone has their own strengths and challenges, and that success comes in many different forms. We left feeling inspired to believe in ourselves, aim high and approach new opportunities with confidence, determination and a positive attitude.

Author visit - Kate Pankhurst

We were delighted to welcome Kate Pankhurst, best-selling children’s author, to Alexandra Park. Kate shared her fascinating work exploring space science, the lives of inspirational women who have changed the world and her own family connection to Emmeline Pankhurst. We also enjoyed taking part in a draw-along activity, bringing creativity, imagination and storytelling to life.

Kate’s visit brought our school values of Care, Aspire and Achieve to life. We demonstrated Care by listening thoughtfully, showing respect for others’ ideas and appreciating the contributions of inspirational women throughout history. We showed Aspire by exploring new ideas, asking questions and discovering how curiosity, creativity and ambition can open up exciting possibilities. Through our enthusiasm and participation in the draw-along activity, we demonstrated Achieve, taking pride in our creativity and developing confidence in expressing ourselves.

The visit also supported our commitment to personal development by encouraging us to see ourselves as curious, creative and capable learners. Kate’s stories reminded us that people can make a difference in many different ways, whether through science, writing, campaigning or following a passion. We left feeling inspired to explore new interests, celebrate the achievements of others and believe in our own potential to shape the world around us.

Matt Lucas

Our Reading Ambassadors were delighted to visit an exclusive reading with Matt Lucas, celebrating the paperback launch of his book The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas. During the visit, we enjoyed hearing Matt share stories about his life, his favourite hobbies and the inspiration behind his work. We also sang songs together, making it a memorable and engaging experience for everyone.

The visit brought our school values of Care, Aspire and Achieve to life. We demonstrated Care by listening attentively, showing respect and sharing in the enjoyment of stories and songs. We showed Aspire by embracing the opportunity to meet a successful author, discovering new interests and broadening our horizons through reading. Through our role as Reading Ambassadors, we demonstrated Achieve, taking pride in representing Alexandra Park and recognising the importance of sharing our love of books with others.

This experience also supported our personal development by building confidence, communication skills and a sense of responsibility. We were proud to represent our school, celebrate the power of reading and return inspired to encourage others to discover the enjoyment, imagination and opportunities that books can bring.