Station Road, Halmer End, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST7 8AP
Part of Windsor Academy Trust
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Personal Development

Curriculum Rational:

The aim of Personal Development is to enable students to become effective members of society, contributing to the wider community, with a strong moral compass. 

To achieve this, teachers will equip students with the knowledge and understanding of the real world. The PD curriculum is about ensuring students can make positive decisions, in potentially difficult circumstances, which they may face in their lives. The PD curriculum evokes curiosity in all students’ minds, with them knowing that they can make a positive difference in their community, and which provides opportunity to explore different viewpoints, including their own, on different social issues. 

All students at Sir Thomas Boughey Academy are taught a 1hour PD lesson every two weeks as part of their curriculum time. Lessons are planned and delivered by a specialist team of teachers. The Personal Development curriculum contains much more than just PSHE themes and units of work. There are also a range of other educational opportunities, such as Drop Down Days, and PD links in curriculum areas.  The main aim of the PD curriculum is for students to be able to explore concepts and diverse views, gaining a real-world perspective. 

The curriculum gives equal weighting to the PSHE themes of: 

  • Health and Wellbeing 
  • Relationships and Sex Education (SRE) 
  • Living in the wider world (Careers and Economic Wellbeing).

These key area have been devised into 6 core themes:

  • Health & Wellbeing- Drugs & Alcohol
  • Health & wellbeing- Healthy lifestyles including mental and physical well-being
  • Living in the wider world- Managing money & online safety
  • Living in the wider world- Careers & Aspirations  (CEIAG)
  • Romantic Relationships 
  • Respectful Citizens  

Assemblies are delivered to the whole school, Houses and Year groups to support key messages and information delivered during PD. We also support national events and initiatives such as Anti-bullying week, Mental Health Week and National E-safety day.

In addition to the PD curriculum each students are given opportunities to work with with external agencies who can deliver specialist sessions linked to the PD curriculum and careers. During tutor time, students also undertake our Character Curriculum which is linked to students completing a Character Passport. Each half term students will complete projects in the following 5 areas; Sport, World of Work, Creativity, Performing and Charity. After successfully completing projects students will complete heir Character Passport evidencing their work, along with other academic achievements, sporting and any other achievements/experiences during their time here at Sir Thomas Boughey Academy.

Qualification assessment overview

Students do not receive a credited qualification for participating in PD sessions, however their knowledge and skill set is broadened in order for all our students to be prepared to live in the wider world and community. Students are assessed internally and are expected to complete extended writing tasks following completion of each unit of work. In addition to this students also complete a Formal PD assessment which assess their long term recall of content taught.

How can parents support their child and Sir Thomas Boughey Academy with PD?

Parents can support their child by having active discussions with their child. Ask your child to share what they have been studying during PD sessions, and give them examples, support and guanidine of your own experiences.

Curriculum map

PD curriculum map

Teaching Staff