Personal Development

We provide a broad and balanced education for all pupils that allows them to explore the breadth and depth of the Development Matters Curriculum (EYFS) and The National Curriculum (KS1 & KS2) therefore ensuring children learn within a coherent and progressive framework.

Pupils in the Pre-School, Nursery and Reception Classes follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum – Development Matters.

Pupils in Year One and Year Two follow Key Stage One of the National Curriculum.  Pupils in Years three to six follow Key Stage Two of the National Curriculum. 

The National Curriculum covers a wide range of subjects: –

Mathematics, English, Science, History, Geography, Art, PE, Music, Computing and Design Technology, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), together with Citizenship.  A Modern Foreign Language (French) is taught as part of the KS2 curriculum. 

We aim to enhance our curriculum in many ways, for example, including providing opportunities for pupils to experience a number of appropriate planned visits, through our partnership with the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) and through promotion of STEM subjects in KS2.

At Archibald Primary School Religious Education is provided in within the framework of the Middlesbrough Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.

We use guidance from our local SACRE (Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education) and the National Curriculum Framework for Religious Education to inform our programme of study to develop informed attitudes to understanding major world religions and aim to create a positive ethos and tolerance of all beliefs and practices.

Close links with Macmillan Academy helps to ensure that the KS2 curriculum is aligned with KS3 curriculum demands in order to help a smooth transition.

Archibald Primary School provide a range of opportunities for pupils that extends beyond the school day. We want every pupil to have opportunity to develop interests and skills through our co-curricular programme and opportunities for learning outside the classroom.  These include all pupils having the opportunity to participate in after school clubs in the areas of reading, crafts, cookery, art and design, sports, Eco Club, STEM (Car Club) and music during their time at Archibald.

We also provide opportunities for pupils to participate in residential outdoor learning experiences to enable them to develop skills that will help them in later life. These opportunities help develop and build character, self-confidence and leadership potential in our pupils and provide opportunity for pupils to shine in experiences and locations they would not otherwise have.

We aim to give pupils multiple opportunities to learn about the world of work and the chance to develop the transferable skills that employers consider important in the work place such as team working and problem solving. Our careers provision, provided in partnership with organisations such as Primary Futures and South Tees NHS Trust aims to widen pupils knowledge of the range of jobs and careers available to them in addition to meeting real-life role models from the world of work which in turn  increases motivation to learn and challenges stereotypes and provides opportunity to start to develop social mobility.

Our aim is for our pupils to know how to be healthy and why this is important.  We ensure that every pupil enjoys the benefits that come from an active lifestyle and introduce them to a variety of sports and activities that improve their physical health and wellbeing, giving them a brighter, healthier future.

In addition to weekly PE lessons taught by subject specialists from Macmillan Academy and MFC Foundation coaches, we promote active playtimes and lunchtimes with organised active activities.  Through PSHE lessons and Science lessons pupils are taught about and encouraged to participate in healthy lifestyles, including hygiene and nutrition to help educate them on how to stay healthy in the modern world.  Our curriculum reinforces the dangers of taking illegal drugs and the disadvantages of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Where targeted work is required, especially with older children this is accommodated through our mentors and PSA and can involve working in partnership with external agencies.

Each Summer Term there is a whole school Health and Fitness Week which focusses on the importance of following healthy lifestyle options.  We also encourage pupils to participate in arrange of PE competitions at a cluster level, town level and where possible within the wider Tees Valley.

Archibald Primary promotes the mental health and wellbeing of pupils throughout their time at the school by promoting positive mental health. We aim to promote a culture of calm, structure and dignity through having clear behaviour expectations for all pupils. We also put appropriate support in place for those suffering from mental health problems and work closely with outside agencies to provide specialist advice when required.

Throughout the school we use the Zones of Regulation to help pupils manage their emotions through self-regulation.  We aim to teach all of our pupils good coping and regulation strategies so they can help themselves when they experience anxiety and stress in school or in their lives outside the school gates.   By teaching pupils how to cope effectively with negative feelings they may experience when faced with a tricky learning problem or challenge will make them better at tackling learning challenges and build better resilience, so they don’t give up so easily when faced with difficulty. We want pupils at Archibald to grow into successful teenagers then adults. Teaching children at a young age about managing their feelings will support them in later life so that they don’t turn to negative coping strategies which affect their mental and physical wellbeing. We aim to help children to:

• Recognise when they are in the different Zones and learn how to change or stay in the Zone they are in.
• Increase their emotional vocabulary so they can explain how they are feeling.
• Recognise when other people are in different Zones, thus developing better empathy.
• Develop an insight into what might make them move into the different Zones.
• Understand that emotions, sensory experiences such as lack of sleep or hunger and their environment might influence which Zone they are in.
• Develop problem-solving skills and resilience.
• Identify a range of calming and alerting strategies that support them (known as their personal ‘toolkit’).

Pupils are taught how to use the ‘worry box’ in their classroom if they have anything that they would like to share with an adult in school.  These worries are then picked up by the class teacher and/or referred on to the mentor /wellbeing team as appropriate.   Following consultation, upper KS2 pupils have a ‘worry box’ on the corridor rather than the classroom.

All students are taught PSHE lessons following a comprehensive scheme of work.   This helps pupils to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. PSHE education helps pupils to manage many of the most critical opportunities, challenges and responsibilities they will face growing up, including minimizing risk taking behaviour, keeping themselves safe and digital resilience in our modern society.

Financial Education

Providing children and young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to be able to navigate and thrive in an increasingly complex financial world is a vital part of improving their life chances.  Financial education provides children and young people with the core life skills that are essential to support them in achieving financial wellbeing in an increasingly complex financial world, By providing pupils with a planned and purposeful financial education offer we aim to help secure their financial wellbeing and future life chances as they grow older so that they:-

• Feel more confident about managing their money
• Disagree with the statement ‘I feel anxious when thinking about my money’
• Save money more regularly
• Have a bank account that they use
• Have positive attitudes towards money
• Talk about money
• Demonstrate positive day-to-day money management skills, such as shopping around to compare prices and planning ahead for how they will buy the things they need.

The Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development of the pupils in our school is not a discrete subject that is taught explicitly but an aspect of learning that is present in lessons and behaviour in school.

Pupils will:

• Explore beliefs, experience and faiths, feelings and values.
• Enjoy learning about themselves, others and the surrounding world by using imagination and creativity helping to reflect on experiences.
• Recognise right and wrong and respect the law as well as understanding choices and consequences.
• Investigate moral and ethical issues and offer reasoned views.
• Appreciate cultural influences
• Appreciate the role of Britain’s parliamentary system.
• Participate in culture opportunities.
• Understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.
• Use a range of social skills to participate in the local community and beyond.
• Appreciate diverse viewpoints.
• Resolve conflict.

Both within our curriculum and the wider life of the school we strive to ensure, “…children become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect and tolerance, regardless of background” (Lord Nash, DfE 2014).

Our aim at Archibald Primary School is to encourage pupils to develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate and contribute positively to life in modern Britain. We provide pupils with the opportunity to develop and understand an appreciation of the diverse community within which they live. – equipping the pupils with the necessary skills and attributes to be able to make a positive contribution towards it.   Our programme of Cultural, Celebration awareness days ensures puils are informed about a range of important events and people (eg Human Rights Day, Martin Luther King,   Holocaust Memorial Day, St Georges Day) as well as celebrations reflective of the community (eg Christmas, Divali, Eid, Chinese New Year).

At Archibald Primary School we actively promote British Values to ensure that our pupils  leave school knowing the importance of respect and prepared for life in modern Britain.

The British Values we actively promote are:

• Tolerance and respect – To respect and tolerate the opinions or behaviour of others. Respect is core to our school values and permeates through everything we do. All members of the school community are taught to treat each other with respect and understand that differences are opportunities for learning. Pupils are taught to respect one another and themselves through our clear set of school values underpinned by our first Golden Rule – ‘Respect everyone and everything.’
  
  
• Individual liberty – Be free to express views or ideas. Our safe, respectful and supportive school environment enables and nurtures our children to be able to express their thoughts and beliefs. The creative ways in which children are encouraged to present their work empowers them to make independent choices that are echoed across the curriculum and beyond, for example, when choosing from the extra-curricular activities on offer, or activities offered on the playgrounds at lunchtimes.  Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons.  Each class creates and shares a class charter at the start of each year.
  
  
• Democracy – Be part of a system where everyone plays an equal part. Children have many opportunities for their voice to be heard. Our School Council is elected each year following an election as part of our annual Democracy Week ensuring all pupils are given genuine opportunities to make a difference within the school and our local community. The Scjhool Council meet to discuss issues raised in class and around the school and plan fundraising ideas and popular competitions.
  
  All pupils Reception to Y5 participate in our annual Democracy Week – an opportunity to learn about the history and importance of Democracy in the UK and to practice these principles in our School Council elections.
  
  

• Rule of law – Learn that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable for their actions and behaviour. Pupils are taught the values and the reasons behind laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when rules are broken. This is reinforced daily through lessons, assemblies and our systems of dealing with behaviour incidents. Visits from key services such as the Fire Service and the Police help to strengthen and support the importance of teaching the rule of law. Class Charters, established by all members of the class at the start of each year, set expectations that are understood by all, ensuring a safe, respectful and productive learning environment.

We place a great emphasis on developing character traits, as many of our pupils come from backgrounds where education and academic attainment is undervalued.  Our school motto ‘Believe and Achieve’ encompasses this approach as we aim to instill a belief in our pupils that whatever their background and whatever barriers to success they face, they can all achieve both personal and academic excellence, with personal excellence achieved through the teaching and modelling of character behaviours, traits and attributes.  A focus on metacognition has helped to instill a self belief in our pupils exemplified by the metacognition displays in each classroom, together with the “I can do it,” attitude that permeates every classroom.  The character qualities we have chosen to focus on link to our whole school vision and ethos.  The set of character qualities have rapidly become ‘everyday language’ throughout the school, being used by all staff, pupils and is referred to in assemblies, lessons, displays etc.

The three main strands to our work in this area each contribute to our ‘big picture’ curriculum ensuring that the skills and traits promoted are embedded in the teaching and learning occurring throughout our school – we aim that they shape every aspect of school life.

Rules – Behaviours

Respect,
Use Kind and Caring Words,
Listen carefully and follow instructions,
Everyone one to use their personal power to make the right choices,
Share your concerns and celebrate your achievement

These behaviours are revisited regularly and the language is used everyday in interactions between pupils and between staff and pupils.  In the first half of Autumn term we re-focus on one rule each week.  This is repeated in Spring Term 2.  The theme is shared on our weekly newsletter and celebrated in whole school and team assemblies with pupils who have made a special effort being recognised and celebrated at the end of the week.  Teachers also use PSHE lessons to revisit the behaviour and develop pupil’s understanding of the behaviour. The rules are displayed around the school on posters designed by pupils.

MAGIC – Traits

Motivation
Attitude
Gumption
‘I Learn’
Communication

Throughout school we refer to these traits as ‘magic’ traits necessary for pupils to thrive and make the best progress possible.  In the second half of Autumn term we re-focus on one trait each week.  This is repeated in Summer 1.  The theme for the week is shared on our weekly newsletter and celebrated in whole school and team assemblies with pupils who have made a special effort being recognised and celebrated at the end of the week.  Teachers refer to the traits in their teaching, for example when asking pupils to work in groups they will use the MAGIC vocabulary.

Each classroom also has a MAGIC display.

LORIC – Attributes

Leadership
Organisation
Resilience
Initiative
Communication

These attributes are introduced in EYFS and developed further in KS1 and KS2.  This element of our work is facilitated through our engagement with PiXL Primary Edge.  LORIC is developed in whole school and team assemblies In the first half of Spring term and the second half of Summer term.  The theme for the week is shared on our weekly newsletter and celebrated in whole school and team assemblies with pupils who have made a special effort being recognised and celebrated at the end of the week.  Teachers refer to the traits in their teaching, for example when celebrating work they will refer to the LORIC attribute or attributes being displayed.

Each classroom also has a LORIC display.

Our School ‘A’ Team embrace each of the attributes in their daily engagement with pupils in EYFS.  They support playtime activities and act as peer mentors for the younger children. 

Throughout each term, although the pupils maybe focusing on character behaviour, trait or attribute per week within each half term, all of the other behaviours, traits and attributes are also recognised, referred to and promoted. This means that pupils are aware of each of the behaviours, traits and attributes and are able to articulate how they and their peers are demonstrating these.

In addition to the ‘Star of the Week’ Awards, teachers and support staff use the SeeSaw app to share and celebrate children’s successes in applying the behaviours, traits and attributes.