Personal Development
Spiritual Moral Social Cultural and British Values
The promotion of British Values takes place across the curriculum with great significance placed upon it. Spiritual development encourages the children to reflect on their religious beliefs or otherwise, and reflect on their experiences, and to try and answer some of life’s fundamental questions. The use of imagination, creativity, and a sense of fascination in learning about themselves and the world around them is developed.
Moral development encourages the children to recognise the difference between right and wrong; to have a concern for others and develop an understanding of the consequences of their actions. They are helped to think about moral and ethical issues and to think about the views of others in these matters.
Social development encourages the children to work and socialise with others and to relate to those from different backgrounds; religious, ethnic and socioeconomic, and they are helped to understand and accept fully the British Values in order to participate fully and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.
Cultural development encourages the children to understand and appreciate the wider range of cultures in their local community and further afield. They are taught to respect different faiths and diversity in local, national and global communities.
Our curriculum supports the teaching of multiple identities and challenges stereotyping. The children are also encouraged to take part in artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities. British Values are promoted so that the children can be prepared for life in modern Britain.
They are helped to accept and engage with the fundamental values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. All of these are experienced in a variety of activities, including discussions, circle times, assemblies, visitors, workshops and specific lessons.
Enrichment Activities
A comprehensive programme of enrichment is offered, including a range of sporting and non-sporting after school activities. These activities are not extensively offered to our youngest children, as they are more tired at the end of a long school day. Parents are given details about the activities taking place at the start of each term and children have the opportunity to make selections; all booking is made online. For safety reasons some of the clubs have limited numbers and may be over-subscribed, although we are able to offer alternatives do hold reserve lists and repeat the most popular clubs. Once children have been allocated places at after school activities we do expect them to make a commitment to attend every week and to be collected on time at the end of the session.
School Trips
Throughout their time in the school the children have the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of visits to stimulate and extend their intellectual and social development. This is a carefully planned programme to ensure that the children have a range of experiences as they progress through the school and that they provide value for money. In Years 5 and 6 this includes residential trips to Robinwood (Outdoor Adventure Centre) and York. We have extended our residential offeing this year to enable Year 3 to have a Space Camp Sleepover at school and Year 4 to stay overnight at the Catalyst Museum. We usually invite parents and guardians to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of these activities. However, if there are insufficient funds generated for a trip we reserve the right to cancel any activity. Support is available for any children entitled to Pupil Premium.
Pastoral Care and Discipline
Effective pastoral care depends on mutual respect, confidence and understanding between the home and the school. We aim to motivate children through praise and reward for good behaviour, but have a scale of sanctions, which we can use for children who misbehave, if necessary. If your child’s behaviour is causing concern at school, you will be informed and invited to discuss the way forward with the class teacher, SENCO, or Headteacher. The staff have, with involvement of the both parents and pupils, established specific positive rules that clearly define the high standard of behaviour and the positive ethos that we expect in school to ensure children are safe, develop self- discipline and are able to learn. These rules are displayed around the school:
- Be kind
- Be helpful
- Be understanding.
Our school Behaviour Policy has an approach that emphasises rewards and consequences. The children are constantly reminded that their responsibility is to make the right choices – keep to the rules and be praised or rewarded, alternatively to ignore the rules and accept the consequences. The success of the school’s policy is evident throughout the school which is often complimented on by visitors. Please see below for a copy of the School Behaviour Policy.
Sex & Relationships Education
The Governing Body has approved our policy, which details the sensitive and caring context for the delivery of this curriculum element, complementing and supporting your role as parents / carers. As children move through the school their education for personal relationships matches their stage of development with questions being answered appropriately. For example, in the lower school work includes looking at growth, animals, lifecycles and the differences between males and females. In Year 5 children learn about puberty and in Year 6 the children watch video of conception and birth. The discussions in these sessions help children to clarify issues and answer questions. Children are taught about family relationships and family make-up. We actively teach to remove stereotyping and societal prejudices within our relationships education. You will be informed as to the timing of these sessions, so that you can support your child at home. You have the right to withdraw your child from those aspects of sex & relationships education that are not part of the National Curriculum, although we strongly urge parents to discuss their concerns with the Headteacher before doing so. If you wish to view the video material, please do not hesitate to contact the school. Please see below for a copy of the School Sex and Relationship Policy.
