Personal Development At St Anne’s

At St Anne’s Primary School, our curriculum, ethos and approach fully support the personal development of every pupil.

We recognise that the primary years are a key time for children to develop their own identity and aspirations for the future. As well as academic development, we ensure children are given opportunities, through the curriculum and beyond, for personal development.

We understand the crucial role we can play in helping children to prepare for their adult lives so they can go on to engage positively in society.

Children are nurtured and encouraged to develop attributes such as confidence, resilience and independence as well as an understanding of British values in order that they are fully prepared for life in 21st Century Britain, and indeed, the world.

Equality and diversity are promoted and celebrated throughout school and we are very proud of a curriculum which equips our children with the knowledge, skills and understanding to lead happy, safe and healthy lives whilst enabling them to develop their talents and strive for their goals.

Our personal development curriculum provides significant opportunities for pupils to engage in the following key areas:

Careers education

Legacy Projects

British Values

School Values

Wellbeing

SMSC

PSHE/ RSHE

Wider Pupil curriculum

Enrichment Clubs

Wider Curriculum Opportunities & Cultural Capital

Our curriculum at St Anne’s extends beyond the National Curriculum and includes a wide range of enriching experiences and opportunities both within and after the school day. This includes an extensive programme of after-school clubs that support the core curriculum offer whilst also extending the range of children’s experiences (Cultural Capital).  A primary focus of our curriculum is to raise aspirations, encourage a sense of personal pride in achievement, and provide a purpose and relevance for learning.

The school takes pride in providing a highly inclusive environment, where learners are fully engaged, enjoy their learning opportunities and make good progress across the curriculum. Children at all levels are supported to achieve their full potential with those who are most able being challenged at greater depth and those who need more support, encouraged and given targeted help to learn in a style that best suits their individual needs.

Cultural Capital

Cultural Capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a child gains over time through different experiences and opportunities. They draw upon these to demonstrate their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence. It is one of the key ingredients a child will draw upon to be successful in society, their career and the world of work.
Cultural Capital gives a child power. It helps them achieve goals and become successful citizens.

At St Anne’s we recognise that for a child to aspire and be successful academically and in the wider areas of their lives, they need to be given rich and sustained opportunities to develop.

There are six key areas of development that are interrelated and together contribute to a child’s Cultural Capital:

In addition to our exciting and stimulating enquiry-led curriculum, we also provide further enrichment opportunities to enhance children’s learning wherever possible:

Protected Characteristics

Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have. Under the Equality Act, there are nine Protected Characteristics:

Age

Disability

Gender reassignment

Race

Religion or belief

Marriage or civil partnership

Sex

Sexual orientation

Pregnancy and maternity

Promoting Fundamental British Values

In accordance with The Department for Education, we aim to actively promote British values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. 

Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law.

At St Anne’s we actively promote British values to ensure our children leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

British Values work alongside our school values to ensure all children have a secure understanding of moral attitudes and behaviour.

The Key Values are:

•    democracy
•    rule of law
•    individual liberty
•    mutual respect
•    tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs 

How do we promote key British Values?

Through Collective Worship, class discussion, focus days and oracy opportunities, we promote and celebrate British Values.

Democracy

Democracy is embedded throughout our school curriculum.  Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.  Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council.  The elections of the School Council members are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action.

Rule of law

All children are taught about the rules we abide by to ensure we are safe.  Classes also explore their own rules along with our school values. The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced. We have school values which are deeply embedded in our learning every day.  Each class also discusses right from wrong and sets their own class charter that is clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.  Our pupils are taught the values and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. We also have regular visits by the local PCSOs
 

Individual liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment.  As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education.  Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely; examples of this can be clearly seen in our e-safety and P.S.H.E. lessons.  Whether it is through choice of challenge; of how they record; of participation in our numerous extra- curricular activities; our pupils are given the freedom to make choices and are encouraged to act responsibly and show initiative.

Mutual respect

Our School Values have evolved around core values such as ‘Respect’.  The pupils have been part of discussions and collective worship related to what this means and how it is shown.  Respect is one of the values which is taught explicitly within lessons and collective worship, enabling pupils to contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the school community and local area. It is shared with home through newsletters and website information.  Educators throughout the school model, demonstrate and promote respect for others as do older children who have suitable, age related, tasks and responsibilities. Our team points reward system and Citizen awards recognise children who show our values, equally as highly as academic success. In all parts of school life, children are taught and expected to be tolerant and respectful pupils.  Differences are recognised and celebrated,

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

Our core value of Respect ensures tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs.  St Anne’s Primary School enhances pupils’ understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education studies; P.S.H.E. curriculum; visits to other schools and places of worship; welcoming visitors from other schools in order to celebrate differences and enjoying a depth of study during themed weeks.  We celebrate a range of cultures, faith, beliefs, traditions and customs from around the world and encourage an open sharing and discussion of similarities and differences within society Through these activities our pupils gain an enhanced understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.

Promoting Positive Mental Health & Wellbeing

At St Anne’s, we aim to promote positive mental health and wellbeing of every member of our school community and recognise how important mental health (along with physical health) and wellbeing is to our lives.

We recognise that children’s mental health and overall wellbeing can affect their learning and achievement. A key aspect of our role in school is therefore to ensure that children can manage times of change and stress, and that they are supported to reach their potential or access help when they need it. We also ensure that children learn about what they can do to maintain positive mental health, what affects their mental health, how they can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and where they can go if they need help and support.

Positive wellbeing is promoted through the wider curriculum and all school activities. Through a carefully planned approach to PSHE, RSE and Citizenship, our pupils are helped to acquire the knowledge and develop the skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives, and to become resilient, informed and responsible citizens.

In addition, to whole school approaches such as collective worship, focused days and PSHE lessons which further develop the pupils’ knowledge of strategies, targeted intervention such as Zones of Regulation and Time to Talk are used to help pupils learn to control and manage feelings and communicate with others when needed. Whole school events are held including, Mental Health Awareness Week in May, World Mental Health Day in October, and Anti-bullying Week in November and NSPCC Number Day. During these events, the focus is on mindfulness and resilience; teaching strategies for dealing with anxiety; and coping with change and transition.

What do we do at St Anne’s to support children’s emotional well-being and mental health?

Our school community is committed to creating a happy, caring and supportive environment. As well as a learning environment, the school ensures there is a positive, supportive and inclusive ethos where children can thrive and achieve their personal best. Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) is a central to the curriculum across the whole school.

PSHE & RSHE assists pupils to cope with the changes at puberty, introduces them to a wider world, manage transitions and enables them to make an active contribution to their communities.  The concepts covered in PSHE include identity, managing feelings and emotions, relationships, change, resilience and being healthy, which includes physical, emotional, and social well-being.

Exercise is known to contribute positively to well-being and our children experience physical education at least two hours weekly including swimming opportunities in our school pool depending on the weather. In addition to this, children of all ages enjoy running the daily mile and many pupils attend at least one sport-related after-school club with many taking part in inter-school sporting competitions.

An extensive range of after-school clubs support the children’s social and emotional development, and their well-being enabling them to make informed choices for adult life.  Activities are designed to be fun and cater for a wide variety of interests.

Healthy eating is promoted throughout the school. We have sensory garden with growing beds where the children grow a variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Disadvantaged and vulnerable children are closely monitored to ensure that any barriers to learning are removed and enrichment opportunities are encouraged and supported.

World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness Week is celebrated across the school and ongoing events and activities are planned for the whole school community.

Staff are trained in supporting children’s wellbeing through ‘Developing Practices around Mental Health and Wellbeing’, including accessing outside help and support when required.

ELSA Support

Children who experience childhood ACES, bereavement and anxiety are identified and supported by a fully trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) educators who will offer regular 1:1 or small group nurture support. The school supports the child in their specific needs, meaning the pupil is at the heart of the school focus and their learning is understood developmentally.

Whole School Theme Days/Weeks

Throughout the year, themed days/weeks are woven into the curriculum to extend and enhance the breadth and balance of opportunities we offer our pupils. These include, Anti-Bullying Week, NSPCC Number Day, Creative Arts Week, World Book Day, Black History Month, European Day of Languages, RE Days and much more.

Forest School & Outdoor Learning

Forest Schools is a Scandinavian initiative designed to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through an innovative, long term, educational approach to outdoor play and learning in a woodland environment.  As a school we are very fortunate in having our own woodland area and educators trained to deliver the Forest Schools programme.

Forest Schools is offered to children of all ages with sessions designed around the needs of the group to ensure that they are learner-led.  Learning involves practical and respectful exploration of the natural environment and many areas of the National Curriculum are intrinsically covered, in the Forest Schools experience without the programmes needing to be curriculum led. Teamwork skills are developed through games and activities.  Individual skills and self-esteem are heightened throughout activities such as hide and seek, shelter building, tool skills, lighting fires or environmental art.   Each activity develops intra and inter-personal skills as well as practical and intellectual skills.

We are an Eco school and value the benefits of outdoor learning within our extensive site.  Children are stimulated by the outdoors where they can undertake a range of practical activities to support and enhance learning across the curriculum. In conjunction with our enquiry-led approach, opportunities are built into the curriculum for children to continue learning beyond the classroom including undertaking fieldwork and enquiry-based work in the local area.

Educational Visits and Residential Trips

School trips and visits are an integral part the children’s learning at St Anne’s.  We value the opportunities visits offer our pupils and the commitment of the educators undertaking them.  Trips include class visits aimed at bringing learning alive and providing first-hand experience; extra-curricular outings such as activities with the school choir, sporting events; and attending or taking part in performances or competitions. 

Children in Years 4, 5 and 6 take part in residential visits. These are planned to provide new and exciting experiences. Year 5 and 6 activity sessions provide opportunities for the children to go beyond perceived limitations, to improve their self-confidence and resilience, and to develop trust and build positive relationships with peers.

Visitors into School & Workshops

Visitors are always welcome and can have a valuable role to play giving talks, workshops and full day activities across a wide range of subjects, allowing pupils to access outside experiences and expertise. Visitors provide a link with the wider community – children have the opportunity to work alongside artists, musicians, authors, health professions and others to get a glimpse of career opportunities that could be open to them in the future. Visitors include local artists, CPR training sessions.

School Swimming Pool

At St Anne’s Primary School we are very fortunate to have our own outdoor swimming pool on site. From after the May half-term until the October half-term (weather depending), years 1 - 6 benefit from weekly swimming lessons in the heated pool. Activities range from developing water confidence through to learning new strokes.

When the pool is in action and swimming lessons are taking place, specialised sports coaches deliver these sessions. Class teachers support the instructor and lessons are adapted to focus on different skill sets depending on year group and ability. 

By the end of Year 6, it is expected that pupils should be able to: 

Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres. 

Use a range of strokes effectively.

Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations. 

Creative Enrichment through Music

At St Anne’s we believe that instrumental lessons are a fantastic way to both engage children in music making and to improve their confidence and concentration. To allow children the opportunity to learn an instrument, a range of external music lesson providers come into school and provide tuition during the school day. In addition, we also run whole class music workshops where children learn an instrument over a term, finishing with a whole school performance to showcase their new skills.

School Ambassadors

To support their personal development, Year 6 children take on the roles and responsibilities of Ambassadors across the school. Being a school Ambassador is an important position of responsibility where children will often greet visitors, conduct school tours and will be the face of St Anne’s.   (in accordance with Safeguarding Procedures). The roles and responsibilities of the School Ambassadors are closed linked to our school values.