A group of pupils from Lea Forest Primary School in Kitts Green visited Christ Church College, one of the University of Oxford's largest and oldest colleges, as part of a confidence-building programme run by the charity Inner Wings. The trip aimed to broaden the students' horizons and challenge the perception that university is not for people from certain backgrounds.
Changing Mindsets Through Exposure
Teacher Claire Hanley, who was the first in her own family to attend university, explained the significance of the visit. "Very few of our pupils go to university so this trip was about opening doors for them so they could see what's available and how 'normal', everyday people go to uni," she said. She noted that many children came from families where no one had pursued higher education.
One Muslim pupil initially expressed doubt, saying "there's no-one here that looks like me" due to the absence of headscarves. However, after meeting students from diverse backgrounds throughout the day, her perspective shifted. By the end, she declared, "I could be the first in my family to do that." Hanley described the transformation as "great to see."
The Power of Experiential Learning
The visit included talks with the vice chancellor and lecturers, a workshop, lunch in the dining hall, and interactions with international students. Hanley emphasized that such experiences are crucial for broadening aspirations. "Lots of them said they'd never seen anything like it before. They were blown away by the building, the history and the setting," she said.
Lea Forest Primary already hosts career days with companies like Network Rail and local tattoo artists, but this trip represented a significant upgrade. Hanley noted that some pupils aspire to become social media influencers, a career path that may be unstable with the rise of AI. "It's good for them to see what other options are out there," she added.
Inner Wings Charity Reaches Milestone
The trip marked a milestone for Inner Wings, the charity that organized the programme. Co-founder Melissa Di Donato announced that the charity has now supported its 50,000th child, working with over 270 UK primary schools. The charity focuses on building confidence, resilience, and self-belief in children to help them navigate a complex digital world.
"So much of the conversation about children online is about legislation: what to ban and what to protect them from," Di Donato said. "That matters, but I think it's only half the picture. The other half is what we're building in them. A confident child can handle comparison, they can tell when something online doesn't feel right, and they know their worth isn't tied to what's on a screen."
Confidence as a Foundation for Learning
Hanley praised the school's holistic approach, which integrates confidence and self-esteem into the curriculum alongside literacy and numeracy. "I've never known a school with such a focus on developing the child so they can be prepared for education, careers and becoming citizens," she said. The school regularly asks pupils about their future aspirations, encouraging them to consider diverse career paths.
Di Donato highlighted the importance of nurturing confidence from an early age. "Children today are growing up in a world that moves faster, feels noisier and places more pressure on them than ever before. We talk a lot about online safety, smartphones and social media, but often far less about confidence - and confidence is the foundation that helps children navigate all of it," she said. "Confidence can be nurtured, and that starts by helping children to believe in themselves and to realise their unique potential."
