When I Grow Up – a national campaign to celebrate and showcase what primary school children aspire to
We know that many primary schools ask children about their hopes and aspirations for the future. To coincide with the 10th anniversary of Primary Futures, we celebrated by capturing what children aspire to and show their creativity. In partnership with the NAHT, we invited primary schools across the country to get involved, asking children to draw a picture of what they want to be when they grow up. It’s as simple as that!
The aim was to kickstart conversations with children and help them explore the endless possibilities for future careers. To make it as easy as possible to join in, we created a simple resource pack, containing everything teachers needed – including a drawing template, lesson plan and draft letter for sharing with parents.
It was straightforward to set up, and teachers fed back that it really helped to facilitate conversations with children about the importance of the subjects they are studying and their attitude to learning.
Many used the drawings to make eye catching, colourful displays in school, sharing with parents and in newsletters.
plane
In good company
This followed on from our ‘Drawing the Future’ survey in 2017, when over 20,000 children drew pictures of what they wanted to be. Done in partnership with the NAHT, OECD Education and Skills, TES and UCL Institute of Education, children from over 20 countries have now taken part.
This video reveals some of the children’s drawings from the 2017 Drawing the Future study.
When I Grow Up – prizes
We had over 1,000 entries from primary schools across the length of the country. Some very intricate, others bold and bright – but all full of possibilities.
We had five winning schools, who were super-grateful for their prizes – some boosting their library with their winning prize.
- a bespoke Primary Futures event for your school on a topic of your choosing
- two £250 Amazon vouchers for school supplies
- a selection of fun and inspiring children’s books about jobs and careers for your school
- a visit to an exciting workplace to bring the world of work to life
- a special international Primary Future event for your school with volunteers joining from different countries
When I Grow Up – gallery of drawings
View all the entries by clicking on the image below – prepare to be intrigued and amazed by their creativity and perspective on life. Enjoy!
