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Personal Development
Enriching Learning at Atkinson Road Primary Academy
We believe education is about much more than lessons in the classroom. It is about inspiring a lifelong love of learning and helping children grow into confident, kind and well-rounded individuals. Our children enjoy a wide range of opportunities beyond the National Curriculum, both in and outside school. These experiences help them build confidence, resilience, independence and ambition, while discovering new interests and talents.
Our school values are at the heart of this. We teach children to respect others, celebrate differences, show empathy and believe in themselves. Children also learn about British Values, including democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law, mutual respect and tolerance.
Personal development is woven throughout school life, through our curriculum, enrichment experiences and opportunities for children to take part, lead and achieve.
Our pupils have access to a rich range of cultural experiences beyond the classroom. These include Year 6 performing in Royal Shakespeare Company productions at Northern Stage, Years 3, 4 and 5 performing at the Newcastle Schools Big Gig, Year 5 singing at the LST Extraordinary Us concerts at Newcastle City Hall, KS2 pupils taking part in stand-up comedy sessions at The Stand Comedy Club and creating art installations with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art resident artists, opportunities with the English Touring Opera, and Years 5 and 6 participating in school debates at Newcastle Civic Centre. Together, these opportunities develop pupils’ confidence, creativity and communication skills, broaden their cultural experiences and encourage them to participate fully in the wider life of their city.
Cultural Capital
Cultural capital is defined as the growth of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a pupil can draw upon and which demonstrate their cultural awareness, knowledge and ability; it is one of the key ingredients a pupil utilises to be successful in society, their career and the world of work.
We recognise that for pupils to aspire and be successful in the wider areas of their lives, they need to be given rich and sustained opportunities to develop their cultural capital. We do this in many ways, for example, through our curriculum, extra-curricular activities, trips, visits and careers activities.
Specialist Clubs
Our curriculum extends beyond the National Curriculum and includes a wide range of experiences and opportunities within and beyond the school day. Our specialist club programme is designed to link with and enhance the school curriculum for all age groups from Reception to Year 6.
All clubs are run by experienced and qualified teachers or coaches who have a passion to inspire pupils and help them develop new skills. Our program is an ever-changing and broad offer and is adjusted in response to pupil views. We include sports, science, art, music, dance, computing and cooking, and we aim to have a club for everyone.
Trips and Visits
Trips and visits take place throughout the school year, in all year groups linked to our learning challenges. If appropriate we also invite external speakers to deliver talks and workshops.
School and Class Assemblies
A programme of assemblies based on our values-based ethos helps to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and provide clear guidance for pupils on how to grow up to be the best person they possibly can be. Alongside the values assemblies, each term pupils also take part in:
- Safeguarding assemblies
- Attendance assemblies
- Sports celebration assemblies
- Music performance assemblies
- Rights Respecting assemblies
- Eco Warrior assemblies
- Accelerated Reader assemblies
Music
Pupils participate in a wide range of musical activities beyond the National Curriculum. Over 200 pupils in Years 3 -6 learn to play a musical instrument. Those who are learning a musical instrument or sing are given the opportunity to perform.
Forest School
Forest Schools is designed to provide opportunities for outdoor learning in a natural environment. As a school, we are very fortunate to have our own forest school area and teachers trained to deliver the Forest Schools programme. Pupils in our Nursery and Reception age groups have regular forest school sessions. We aim to offer blocks of forest school to our children. Each session is designed around the needs of the pupils taking part and offers opportunities to address all aspects of personal development.
Pupils as Leaders
Pupils have many opportunities to become a leader in school. These include elected class and deputy councillors, playground leaders, eco-warriors and house captains.
Poverty Proofing
At Atkinson Road, we have worked to identify and overcome the barriers that children and young people from families with fewer financial resources face. We have had an external audit of our school which looked at many different aspects of school life and involved children, parents, carers, staff and governors.
In this way, we have explored the most effective way to spend our pupil premium allocation to ensure all our children have free and equal access to a rich school experience. We provide and wash our free PE kits, subsidise school uniforms and school trips where we provide all children with the same packed lunches to take. We are very casual about themed days e.g. World Book Day so our families are not expected to buy unnecessarily expensive items. Free books are regularly sent home e.g. as Christmas presents, prizes and as part of our parent workshops.
Summary of Personal Development Activities
Emotional development |
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Social development |
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Physical development |
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Spiritual development |
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Moral development |
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Cultural development |
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