Personal Development
Intent
Our Personal Development curriculum has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the Personal Development National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. With that being said, the principal focus of the Personal Development at Marlcliffe Primary is to enable pupils to broaden their view of the world around them. They are encouraged to do so by having a developed curiosity through an engaging curriculum which allows them to ask questions and develop the skills they need to answer them. Here at Marlcliffe, our Personal Development curriculum encompasses both Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). Our PSHE and RSE sessions centre around age-appropriate, discussion led activities that help children to know how to be safe, build and maintain positive relationships, be healthy and respect equality and diversity in all its forms. It is the aspect of the curriculum concerned with the process of growing up and maturing physically and emotionally. Therefore, we encourage this to be seen as a crucial part of a child’s learning. We also encourage children to have an increased understanding of the key vocabulary linked to the National Curriculum which link to our progression maps. Our ‘Whole School Core Values’ reinforce the Personal Development curriculum. Through the discrete teaching of the RSHE Sheffield scheme, we teach resilience, respectfulness as well as recognising self-worth through developing the child’s understanding of their own identity and how this fits in the wider world. We also emphasise the importance of being safe both inside school, in the home and outside of the home through being resourceful and being able to differentiate between safe and unsafe scenarios.
Implementation
We promote diversity and inclusivity through assemblies and class briefings, residentials and trips, celebrating global events such as World Mental Health Day, as well as preparation for the next stage through our involvement in ‘Start Small, Dream Big’. We also promote British Values through the use of our school council and anti-bullying ambassadors. Personal Development is embedded throughout our curriculum to ensure that we are continuously promoting our key themes along with diversity, respect and self-awareness. The scheme we use covers many themes such as: Families, Friendships, Communities, Online Safety, Mental Wellbeing, Physical Health, Growing Up and Sex Education (optional in Y6). Progression is ensured by building on previously taught knowledge and careful consideration towards recaps which are planned strategically. For example, once the children have understood what ‘good friendships’ look like, they will learn how to choose healthy friendships which then equips them to identify manipulation tactics and bullying both online and in the real world.
The materials used through school are those commonly used in schools across Sheffield. However, we are also aware that the curriculum must meet the needs of all pupils with differing backgrounds so teachers are encouraged to add any necessary additional lessons which still reflect the content of the curriculum. We ensure that the scheme and associated curriculum resources are available for parents and carers to view and discuss. They are encouraged to regularly check our blogs for any learning shared as well as look through our class books when visiting school. This allows parents and carers to make an informed decision if they choose to withdraw their children from sex education. With that being said, we would encourage any parent or carer to discuss their concerns with us as a school first.
Impact
At Marlcliffe, we aim for all of our children to be prepared to face changes in their lives with accurate information and the confidence and skills to make healthy choices. Through the curriculum, our children will have a passion for Personal Development. Our aim at Marlcliffe is for our children to be ambitious individuals, who always aim high and have no limits when thinking about who they strive to be when they grow up, whether that is an astronaut, forensic scientist, or microbiologist. To achieve this, we promote exciting, practical hands-on experiences that will encourage curiosity and questioning. When children leave Marlcliffe Primary, they do so with the knowledge, and an increased understanding of emotional literacy to be able to thrive in an active, positive and successful role in today’s diverse society. Our children have high aspirations, a belief in themselves and realise that anything is possible if they put their mind to it. Our PSHE curriculum develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and skills which will enable children to access the wider curriculum and prepare them to be global citizens now and in their future roles within a global community.