Embedded Files
Setting a target and working towards it
Strengths-Based Lens
Students who struggle with goal-setting often live fully in the present moment and may be highly responsive to immediate experiences. They can be adaptable, spontaneous, and excellent at responding to what's happening right now.
What It Can Look Like
Setting vague goals like 'do better' with no clear steps
Giving up when progress isn't immediate
Not connecting daily work to long-term outcomes
Difficulty seeing the point of school tasks
Setting unrealistically high or low goals
Student Voice
"I don't see the point — it's not like this will matter."
"I want to do well but I don't know what that actually looks like."
"I set goals at the start of the year but I've already forgotten them."
Teaching Strategies (Tier 1 — Whole Class)
Universal strategies that benefit all learners.
Teach SMART goal-setting explicitly across all subjects
Use learning intentions and success criteria every lesson
Help students connect classwork to their personal goals
Celebrate progress, not just achievement
Build in regular goal-review moments (fortnightly)
Targeted Supports (Tier 2 — Individual/Small Group)
For students who need additional, more personalised support.
Co-create specific, measurable goals in 1:1 conferencing
Use visual progress trackers the student can update
Break long-term goals into weekly micro-goals
Provide a mentor or tutor who checks in on goal progress
Help link academic goals to personal interests and aspirations
Assessment Impact
May not know what grade they're aiming for
Could struggle to self-assess against criteria
Might not see the connection between practice and performance
Could benefit from exemplars showing what different achievement levels look like
Quick Wins — Try This Tomorrow
Start each week with 'My focus this week is...' (one specific thing)
Use exit tickets: 'Did I meet today's goal? What's my next step?'
Display success criteria visually and refer to them throughout the lesson
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