Personal and Social Development

As a school, we recognise the importance of supporting the development of the whole child. Alongside the child’s academic development, the nurturing of their personal and social skills are crucial aspects of the child’s learning. We aim to support children to become confident individuals, who are aware of their emotions and recognise their own self-worth, whilst building positive relationships and friendships. Emotional health and well-being are supported through a combination of the school’s ethos, curriculum and teaching approaches, which seek to nurture children as individuals and to develop their self-esteem.

Across the academic year, children engage with a range of learning themes to support their personal and social development. These aspects are delivered through the PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) curriculum. The themes that children explore include learning how to stay safe online, learning that their body belongs to them through the ‘pants are private’ programme (NSPCC), exploring how to recognise and deal with bullying, developing positive friendships and relationships, learning about emotions, and how to be mentally and physically healthy. A key aspect of the PSHE curriculum also involves enabling children to develop a respect for differences and for their own uniqueness. Children explore the importance of respecting differences based upon the things we like to do, cultural heritage, or where we come from in the world. They learn about gender stereotypes, develop their understanding of disability, and explore the importance of respecting physical differences, including the colour of our skin. In addition, they learn that there are many different types of family. By engaging with these different themes, we aim for all children to develop respect for themselves and for the diverse world they are entering into.