One of the first questions that we ask all of our learners when they join our school is “what do you want to achieve?” It has become our school motto because we truly believe that our pupils can achieve whatever they set their minds to when they join our school. The school has always focused on developing the whole child and providing pupils with the opportunities that they need to achieve the goals that they have set for themselves. Academic success is a high priority in our school, but it sits alongside the high value that we place in physical, creative, moral and spiritual development through our Personal Development offer.

Our Personal Development intentions are for our pupils to develop the skills, knowledge, understanding and character to thrive and flourish in our community and in the wider world beyond that of Valley Gardens. We achieve this through:

  • Our careers offer for students at both KS2 and KS3;
  • Our trips offer which gives the pupils the opportunity to visit local, national and international locations;
  • Our character curriculum which feeds in to our assembly and visiting speakers offer;
  • Our extra curricular is vast and pupils are able to choose from a wide range of opportunities both in, before and after-school covering a wide range of interest areas;
  • Our PSHE/RSE curriculum which is a ‘Thematic Model’ developed in association with PSHE Association. The thematic approach allows our school to drill down to a whole-school theme each half term and embed it into our school ethos as well as our PSHE lessons. The curriculum is based around a different theme each term from three broad overarching themes: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World. We cover both statutory and non-statutory objectives – pupil and parent voice has shown that non-statutory objectives are highly valued which is why they are also included in our overall PSHE curriculum.
  • Our RE curriculum which covers a wide range of religions, thereby introducing our students to a variety of cultures and building their understanding of the world;
    is taught in half-termly units so that each religion can be revisited that year, in order to revise, develop and further embed knowledge and skills;  challenges our students to develop their character and to build their own values and celebrates and explores diversity.
  • Our weekly ‘Thought of The Week’ which enables students to reflect on celebration weeks, our core values or key PSHE/RE themes.
  • Our curriculum offer which includes Project Based Learning projects, an incredible arts and sports offer. Beyond this, Subject Leaders think hard about the opportunities for personal development and enrichment within curriculum planning and pedagogy.
  • Our exceptional pastoral offer which supports he social, emotional and mental health of pupils, and pupils know how to access support in school.
  • Regular School Council meetings in which pupil voice supports the future ambitions of the school through attendance at Senior Leadership meetings;
  • Our transition offer which supports students both entering and leavening Valley Gardens Middle School using a RAG system to ensure pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

 

Our team of form tutors take a leading role in teaching many aspects of personal development through dedicated form reflection time, and we plan our assembly curriculum around our Character Curriculum.

Through our Character Curriculum, every term, a new pair of virtues are introduced to the school community. Our current virtues are:

Term  Character trait  Virtue
Autumn Term  Having Character  Autumn 1 – Kindness 

Autumn 2 – Knowledge  

Spring Term  Developing Character  Spring 1 – Resilience 

Spring 2 – Resourcefulness 

Summer Term  Being of Character Summer 1 – Respect 

Summer 2 –  Reflection 

 

The understanding of these virtues is then further developed by each class through attendance at assemblies and through follow up work in reflection time during registration time.

Pupils demonstrate their understanding, giving examples of how they carry out each virtue in given situations as part of their everyday lives at home, school and in the community through a character curriculum passport. Each passport has certification levels in it and students are awarded E-Praise points for their participation in supporting each virtue.

We equip pupils with the essential skills they will need for future success and to develop as well-rounded individuals who will contribute positively to society beyond school.

 

Personal Development at Valley Gardens Middle School