At Wandle Valley all staff continually strive to promote the extensive personal development of pupils. The school goes beyond the expected, so that pupils have access to a wide, rich set of experiences and have the opportunity to develop their talents and interests. Pupils across all Key Stages are keen to take up the range of opportunities provided by the academy. The school provides these rich experiences in a carefully planned and balanced way, both within the curriculum and through extra-curricular activities and we believe they considerably strengthen what the academy has to offer. We assert that the development of our pupils’ characters is as important as their academic achievements and therefore we place considerable emphasis on providing a broad and balanced curriculum. Through our Personal Development curriculum, we aim to:
Develop:
- 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
Promote:
- 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
Enable:
- Pupils to recognise online and offline risks to their wellbeing – for example, risks from criminal and sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, substance misuse, gang activity, 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
Support:
- Readiness for the next phase of education, training or employment so that pupils are equipped to make the transition successfully
Provide:
- An effective careers programme in line with the government’s statutory guidance on careers advice that offers pupils:
- Unbiased careers advice
- Experience of work, and
- Contact with employers to encourage pupils to aspire, make good choices and understand what they need to do to reach and succeed in the careers to which they aspire
