At Aston Lodge, we believe that we should send our students out into the world able and qualified and with basic life skills that will last a lifetime. The Aston Lodge Pledge encourages students to engage and take part in experiences which will help them to understand the world around them and be able to play a positive role in their community and beyond.
The Aston Lodge Pledge is designed to make students more resilient, independent, confident and determined.
It is divided into the following three categories, with examples of some of the tasks you may carry out.
pledge categories
Active Citizenship
- Volunteering and charity
- Appreciating diversity
- Democracy
Life Skills
- Career and aspiration
- Effective communication
- Well-being
Cultural Experiences
- Extra-curricular
- Outside school
- Understanding your roots
about the pledges
The Aston Lodge pledge has a Bronze, Silver and Gold award and these are presented throughout the year at awards ceremonies.
- To participate in a local community event or support a local and national charity through school
- Participate and celebrate a cultural event
- Have opportunities to take part in the school council process
- Work within a group in a local community event or support a local and national charity through school
- To learn a different language and about a different country
- Within a group take part in a democratic process that effects change
- To support a charity or a local community event external to school
- To understand diversity in our society and take part in conversations and discussions about it
- Within a group take part in a democratic process that effects change external to school
- Take part in a discussion and activity about different careers
- Work as part of a team or group
- Take part in a dicussion about my feelings and the feelings of others
- Research different careers of significant people
- Negotiate and present your ideas
- Support someone in a group to feel valued and included
- To take part in an interview process
- Take a leadership role in a presentation or project
- Be a mentor or support and help someone else to feel valued
- Participate in an extra curricular club, event or activity
- Go on a school trip
- Understand local geography, e.g. know about local landmarks etc
- Represent school in an external event or activity
- Visit a museum, theatre or musical event
- Research local role models
- Achieve external recognition in an event
- Go on a residential
- Research key historical events that occurred in Yorkshire
Why are we encouraging students to achieve pledges?
- Pledges encourage students to get involved in a wide range of different activities in school and outside school.
- Students will gain a wide variety of new and exciting experiences which will increase self-esteem, raise confidence, make them feel ‘good’ about themselves
- They inspire students to have drive and tenacity, to stick at a task, to understand how to set, work towards and achieve long term goals.
- Students will gain valuable life experiences and skills to help them progress to further study and an exciting career, putting them on a path to success.
- They help shape students to become more prosperous, well-rounded young adults.
- Above all, pledges help students to have a more valuable and enjoyable experience at school.
Why are Pledges important?
- The Aston Lodge Pledge sets high expectations for our students and demands personal accountability
- Students will be provided with new experiences, learn new skills, develop existing knowledge, gain in confidence and grow as an individual and as a ‘team player.’
- Together the attributes and skills developed throughout the Aston Lodge Pledge aim to develop students' aspirations about their future, their abilities and drive them on to great things.
- The Aston Lodge Pledge embodies the Aston Lodge Way and this is an expectation of our entire school community.