Parents and friends were major factors in determining choices and opportunities around out of school activities. Adults in charge were also very important. Buildings were important to this group, along with culture, activities, workshops and choice.

The two groups differed over toys and equipment, money and transport. Crime and bullying was not seen as particularly important. Safety and activities were also important to one group but not to the other.

Like Cobden, this school also has a predominance of children from a South Asian ancestral background (largely of Gujarati origin). The children’s dreams are of an ideal world where all their wishes are granted and they feel safe. Some of the things they talk about are escape routes from everyday life : ‘never-ending ladder that goes into the sky;’ ‘cartoon land. One girl and one boy live there. People from other countries can go to visit.’ Some of their ideas are quite elaborate: ‘On the ground there are wishing stones. If you pick them up they shine and that’s when you make a wish...’ and it goes on. These children are obviously imaginative.

Many ideas were expressed about wanting to be successful in life, either by making a lot of money or by helping/contributing to society. Only two comments talked explicitly about inner qualities. Many comments were about being creative such as wanting to be an artist/dancer. Learning about one’s own culture/language and access to sports was also important.

The children feel happy when they are with and have close relationships with family/friends, when others are happy, when they have a birthday and when they have lots of things: ‘I am happy when my dad is near me - I am happy when I go to my aunty’s house - I am happy when I have lots of things.’ They also like to have a degree of independence : - ‘I like it when adults are away.’

They feel unhappy when they’re on the receiving end of adults’ and family members’ anger. They don’t like being bothered by other people, name-calling, others making them cry, bullying, and have concerns about getting lost, being alone, not being liked, doors left unlocked. So concerns about safety and belonging are paramount:
‘I am unhappy when my mum hits me’; ‘I am unhappy when my big sister leaves me’; ‘I am unhappy when I get told off’; ‘Sometimes I worry when I get lost, fall over, lose things, get hit (bullying), lose friends, outside at night time, no-one to play with, doors are not locked.’ Children also said that unhappiness equated with adults making lunch, being at home and being left alone (a few children).
If the children had money they would: ‘buy a big hotel’ or ‘buy a motor bike’, but also ideas are expressed on sharing with family. The children enjoy being involved in sports, fighting with brothers, doing activities with family and friends and creative activities. Some enjoy carrying on with interests outside of school e.g. writing and maths. Lots of children really enjoyed their Playstations, arts and drawing activities, football, singing and dancing and being with friends. Others also mentioned school and riding bikes.

Social activities and acceptance by peer groups is very important as are issues of security, feeling at ease in one’s environment and being properly looked after. It’s important for them to have somewhere safe to play, ideally a large outdoor area where parents can also go; a place that caters for all interests.

Leaf Shapes: These leaf shapes reveal what would happen in the children’s ideal village. Their preoccupations concern the environment – a safe place free of crime and the worry of traffic, cleaner streets, places for animals to live and magical structures of various kinds.

‘On the ground there are wishing stones. If you pick them up they shine and that’s when you make a wish. Above it is a star that you can ride on. Next to it is a dog that can talk to people. In the river is a dolphin you can play with. At the other side are some flowers, a duck and a nest with eggs in. There is a tree that stays green forever.’

The idea of more plants, trees and animals was seen as very important as was freedom from fighting and killing. (This may relate specifically to very recent events in Gujarat). After school activities desired included: Karate, Gujarati classes, music, bike riding, helping at home, ice skating, playing in a park, flying kites and having a maze.

The children expressed a lot of things that they like: to be with mums and dads and when adults help them. They also like it when adults make them laugh, give them money, look after them like parents, like them, are quiet and talk, kind, get them home and help with everything. They expressed a lot about friends, sports: football, basketball, swimming, wrestling, computers and art. Playstations were also important for some but not many expressed anything about television.

Their aspirations of being a grown up: footballers, artists, policemen, teachers, nurses, taxi driver, docter, a worker for Toys ‘R’ Us, rich, fighter pilot and karate master. One child wanted to be a ‘patient’.
Their ideal village: all of the children have nowhere to play when they are on the road and get bored. They want to build their town ‘because it is fun for adults and kids’. ‘I think that we should buy it because it is a super place for people who come on holiday. £1 a go for the rollercoaster and there’s a big outdoor swimming pool.’ The town should have shops, leisure centre, a school. All placed in the middle and no cars. An outside car park and bus stop to go to town so it is safe for children. A hospital in a quiet place. A large park for children with a lake for dad’s fishing. A water fun park with a waterfall. There would be good services and the place would be good to play in.

See the school Gallery