PSHE/SMSC

Our personal development programme is integral to the daily routines and education of every child, and its key objectives are to encourage students to:

· develop their spiritual, social, moral, cultural, mental and physical development;

· develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;

· distinguish right from wrong and respect for the civil and criminal law of England;

· accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in our community and society more widely;

· acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;

· advocate tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions and acquire an appreciation of, and respect for, their own and other cultures;

· respect other people; and

· respect democracy, support participation in the democratic processes, and respect the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.

Through structured form time routines, weekly themed assemblies, PSHE education delivery, a range of enrichment opportunities, and by upholding the key values of The Academy, our students access learning in a range of areas including:

· The community in which they live, the wider community and the world as a whole.

· The adult world.

· The world of work.

· Personal money management.

· Politics and citizenship.

With society changing constantly, The Academy prepares its students in order to adapt to these changes and to make confident decisions about themselves, and their direction for the future.

The Academy is proud of its inclusive approach which allows the students to benefit from the increasing diversity of our school community.

The Academy works with the local authority which provides professionals to help deliver age appropriate education in health and relationships (including sex and relationships education).

We have a broad range of extra-curricular opportunities embedded within the curriculum such as a trip to a local university, a local theatre and a restaurant. Outside of the curriculum, students have a wide selection of clubs which students can opt to take part in such as Fitness, The Discovery Debate Society, K-pop, Football, Science and Musical Theatre among many others. Our Debate society have won many local awards for their debating skills and take part in national competitions with other schools and colleges and our Orienteering and Netball teams complete to a high standard within the county.

In addition to the above programmes, the Welfare Team at The Academy operates a robust and highly effective programme of support and assistance to many vulnerable students. The work of the Welfare Team ensures that students who require additional support feel safe and understand that a team of professionals can be accessed at all times to help them when they are most in need.

All of our staff are trained to understand the issues around safeguarding young people and vulnerable adults, including E-Safety and Prevent Strategies.

In our curriculum we encourage students to understand the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of people of all faiths, races and cultures. We help students to understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its laws. These crucial values are evident not only in PSHE and during Pastoral sessions, but also in a range of subjects, including RE, History, Geography, English and MFL, thus ensuring our key values are embedded in the daily culture of The Academy.