This strand of activity aims to encourage learners to raise their aspirations for achievement in school and for their participation in further and higher education and employment. Working on learners’ aspirations is particularly pertinent in the Black Country context as many learners do not progress as well as they might through their school years and the area suffers from relatively low rates of progression into further and higher education. 

In seeking to raise aspirations for all learners, the aim of the Black Country Challenge is to help schools boost the opportunities they provide for all learners to set and pursue challenging educational goals. The targets are:

• to increase the numbers of learners achieving and exceeding the expected levels at age 11, 14 and 16;

• to increase the proportion of learners staying in full-time education up to age 19;

• to increase the proportion of learners going into higher education.

The objectives of the strand are:

(1) to disseminate effective practice by schools and support agencies in raising aspirations;

(2) to provide a toolkit, supported by working groups, to aid schools in auditing, planning and disseminating their practice;

(3) to provide specific activities to help schools transform aspirations such as 100 voices, Transatlantic School Innovation Alliance (TSIA), INSPiRE - Involving school parents in reading and maths, INSPiRE, Business class, Student leadership and the annual Student Awards.