Ask the children to think about themselves: what they are good at and have achieved, especially this academic year and to discuss this with a partner.
Allow children to share their achievements with the rest of the class if they wish to do so.
Learning objective
- To create goals to achieve before entering Year 5.
Success criteria
- I can identify my achievements this year.
- I can set myself goals.
- I know who I can talk to if I am worried about anything.
Non-statutory guidance
The National curriculum states, ‘All schools should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE)’ but provides no programme of study for PSHE.
Please see our PSHE/RSE: Progression of knowledge and skills document for more information.
Cross-curricular links
None.
Before the lesson
We are currently working hard on a brand new RSE & PSHE scheme fully aligned to the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory guidance published in July 2025 to be taught from September 2026.
This lesson will therefore be replaced for teaching from September 2026.
Check all images, videos, links and presentation slides are suitable for your class.
- Presentation: What are goals?
- Plain A4 paper (one each).
- Whiteboards and pens (one each).
- Slips of paper or sticky notes (one each – see Wrapping up).
- A place to collect the slips of paper/sticky notes, such as a question box (see Wrapping up).
Prepare this lesson in presentation mode
Choose what to show your class.
Lesson plan
1: Recap and recall
2: Attention grabber
Display the Presentation: What are goals?
Presentation: What are goals?
Ask the children to discuss in pairs:
- What are goals?
- Why do people set goals?
- Have you ever set yourself a goal?
Take feedback and share the definition of goals using slide 2.
3: Main event
Explain that today the children are going to set themselves a goal for something they would like to achieve before they start Year 5.
In pairs, ask the children to discuss what goal or challenge they might want to set themselves (in or outside of school).
Hand out the whiteboard and pens and ask the children to answer the following questions:
- What would you like to achieve (your goal)? (Answers might include: getting better at skateboarding; getting better at playing an instrument; joining a sports team; improving handwriting; learning times tables.)
- What would it look like if you achieved this goal? (Answers might include: I would be able to skateboard down the street; I would be able to play a particular song; I would be practising with the team; I would know my 8 times table.)
- What steps do you need to take to achieve this goal? (Answers might include: I need to practise every day; I need to be brave and try new things; I need to ask other people to help me.)
- What help do you need and from who? (Answers might include: parents; teachers; sports coaches; friends.)
Once the children have their ideas, provide them with a sheet of plain A4 paper and ask them to create a poster of their goal and the steps they need to take to achieve it. They can present this poster in any way they like.
4: Wrapping up
Allow children to share their goals and the steps to achieve them with the class or group.
Explain that as they enter Year 5, they might think of other things they want to achieve and they can use the strategies they have learnt today to help them.
Discuss the move into Year 5 with the children. Allow the children time to write down any questions they have onto slips of paper or sticky notes, which they can put into a question box. Explain that these questions will be read and answered at another time.
Stress that the children can also come and speak to adults in school if they ever feel worried.
Extended-mode explainer videos
How to extend your display to view the lesson page and preseantion mode simultaneously. Choose your operating system below to watch the video
If you need further support with extending your display,
please contact [email protected].
Extended-mode explainer video: For Mac
Extended-mode explainer video: For Windows
Adaptive teaching
Pupils needing extra support:
Could explain what they would like to achieve; could focus on two goals – one for school and one for outside.
Pupils working at greater depth:
Could focus on more goals; could create detailed steps towards the goal; could identify who they might need help from.
Assessing progress and understanding
Pupils with secure understanding indicated by: understanding past achievements and how goals can help us to achieve in the future.
Pupils working at greater depth indicated by: understanding that goals can help us achieve what we want and that thinking about steps towards the goal can be helpful.
Vocabulary definitions
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achievement
Reaching a goal or doing well after working hard.
-
change
Something becomes different.
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goal
Something you want to achieve or get better at.
In this unit
Year 4: Setting goals
Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 24th November, 2025
