'We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.'
Martin Luther King Jr
As a school, we are clear that we wish to help our pupils achieve their academic potential. However, we also believe equal time must be spent on developing the character of our pupils.
Our first school is TRANSFORM and we believe that we can help achieve change within our local area through actively trying to create 'Leaders for Lynn' : developing pupils who will be role-models both at NWA and into high school; developing a sense of service through promoting volunteering and pupil action, and developing an understanding that everyone has the ability to change their society, be it school or their local area, as a result.
In this way, we hope that we can ultimately help TRANSFORM Lynn by providing adults with both the intellectual and emotional ability to contribute to positive development of the area, hopefully becoming the teachers, nurses, council workers and volunteers of our future.
What is Personal Development?
OFSTED defines personal development as the development of a pupil's individual skills, attitudes, and understanding. This includes the development of self-awareness, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence, as well as the development of skills related to communication, teamwork, and critical thinking.
Developing:
- Responsible, respectful and active citizens who are able to play their part and become actively involved in public life as adults
- Pupils’ understanding of the fundamental British values of democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law and mutual respect and tolerance
- Pupils’ character, which Ofsted defines as a set of positive personal traits, dispositions and virtues that informs their motivation and guides their conduct so that they reflect wisely, learn eagerly, behave with integrity and cooperate consistently well with others
- Pupils’ confidence, resilience and knowledge so that they can keep themselves mentally healthy
- Pupils’ understanding of how to keep physically healthy, eat healthily and maintain an active lifestyle, including giving ample opportunities for pupils to be active during the school day and through extra-curricular activities
- Pupils’ age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships through appropriate relationships and sex education
Promoting:
- Equality of opportunity so that all pupils can thrive together, understanding that difference is a positive, not a negative, and that individual characteristics make people unique
- An inclusive environment that meets the needs of all pupils, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation
Enabling:
- Pupils to recognise online and offline risks to their wellbeing – for example, risks from criminal and sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, forced marriage, substance misuse, radicalisation and extremism – and making them aware of the support available to them
- Pupils to recognise the dangers of inappropriate use of mobile technology and social media
Supporting:
- Readiness for the next phase of education, training or employment so that pupils are equipped to make the transition successfully
What is our approach?
At North Wootton Curriculum, we have embedded school values throughout our curriculum, both academic and wider, that directly aims to develop the positive character traits seen as key to developing Leader for Lynn: Transform, Empower, Achieve, Motivation, Wonder, Open-mindedness, Respect and Kindness. Whilst each of these have an individual focus within our education, their collective acronym of T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K. is the overarching concept that drives our approach as a whole in the personal development of our pupils.
Intent
We believe strongly that teaching pupils that more can be achieved together, than as individuals is key to their personal development. Belonging to a team develops cohesion, pride, social security and collective responsibility, something that we believe will support pupils through their primary and secondary education and ultimately, help them become an active participant of society. Towards this aim, our intention is to provide all of our children with a wide range of rich activities that enable this including sports, music, drama, dance, pupil action and group-based curricular activities. In addition, the curriculum, both class-based and wider school events, aims to develop an understanding of each of the school values that we feel underpin the concept of TEAMWORK.
Implementation
Our starting point is our planned curriculum, through which we have weaved a comprehensive and progressive range of learning opportunities that directly aim to widen our pupil's social, moral and emotional intelligence. This is predominantly through the PHSE, RHSE and RE curriculum, in which we have moved to a more oral-based approach in order to develop our pupil's ability to debate and discuss their ideas in a respectful manner. This is also extended through additional teaching programmes such as Commando Joe activity mornings and Forest School, which look to develop a sense of empowerment and resilience. In addition to this, a carefully planned calendar of assemblies, trips, workshops, visits and events help develop this further whether this be 'Open-mindedness Day' or asking our pupils to wonder about lives very different to their own using the Lyfta platform. Finally, we have an extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities in sports, the arts and pupil action groups within which the motivation of our pupils is captured and rewarded through Children's University.
Impact
The school will assess the impact of our Personal Development in a variety of ways. In regard to curriculum-based learning, this is assessed in line with all subjects through measures of knowledge retention. However, with regard to the wider opportunities, the impact can be seen through levels of participation, motivation and active engagement. Pupil voice is also key with our Pupil Parliament routinely feedback on aspects of this provision which adds to the more direct weekly surveys that we complete with the school as a whole. In turn, families are provided feedback through weekly certificates that directly link to achievement in our school values.