Personal Development Curriculum

Personal Development and Ethos Curriculum

Inspired by our school mission: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit” John 15:5, we seek to form students that are prepared and willing to live out the gospel values and place Catholic Social Teaching at the centre of decision-making, life choices and social action. We strive to promote an understanding that a fullness of life and a positive sense of self and wellbeing, is informed and achieved by placing Jesus’ teaching, his model for living and a sense of our own place in a wider community, at the very centre of our lives, our aspirations, choices and relationships.

The Personal Development provision at St Bede’s Catholic High School is designed to proactively support student wellbeing and development as they grow into young adults. It is our hope that the values that we promote and the knowledge and skills that we progressively teach will help our pupils to grow into what God intended them to be.

Inspired by the values of Faith, Hope and Love, we aim as a Catholic Community to provide a proactive system of pastoral support which in turn, supports and nurtures the needs, uniqueness and dignity of all, allowing every member of our community to develop personally, academically, socially and spiritually. Our approach recognises the unique potential within each pupil and seeks to foster an environment that encourages self-discovery and personal growth. We believe that education is not just about preparing for exams; it is about preparing for life. Thus, our personal development provision is achieved through a combination of events days, such as retreats and enrichment days organised by the Personal Development team and pastoral staff. Personal development themes are also explored through cross curricular lessons, assemblies and form time, pastoral guidance and support systems and extra activities that allow our pupils to develop character and nurture their own personal interests, gifts and talents.

The Personal Development and Ethos Curriculum encompasses the following strands:

• Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
• SMSC
• Citizenship
• Personal, Social Health Education (PSHE)
• Careers Education and Guidance (CEIAG).

Our commitment to personal development extends beyond the acquisition of knowledge; it embraces the development of character and virtues and a profound sense of social responsibility. At the heart of our Personal Development provision is the integration of ‘ethos focused language’ into every aspect of the provision. Our cross-curricula approach is infused with Catholic Social Teaching, GRITTY virtues, protected characteristics and British values; we aim to instil a deep sense of human dignity and community in our students. All Personal Development lessons are planned with our school ethos at the very core of learning.

At St Bede’s there is a shared responsibility and a coordinated approach to the successful delivery of the Personal Development Programme. All pupils actively participate in all areas of the Personal Development Curriculum either within their form, year or specifically selected activity groups. The Personal Development Curriculum views all curriculum platforms as a way of enriching pupils’ experiences, specifically through developing positive, healthy attitudes, character and virtues. At the centre of provision is our Personal Development and Ethos curriculum that is delivered during a dedicated timetable slot once every two weeks. The curriculum has been carefully planned to complement the wider curriculum and enrichment provision at our school and it is focused on providing an education that is responsive to the needs of our pupils and the wider local community.

• Click HERE to view our Character Education provision map
• Click HERE to view our Personal Development Curriculum map
• Click HERE to View our School Values map