Personal Development Curriculum
The OCL Primary curriculum is arranged through the follow delivery systems to ensure faithfulness to the Curriculum Statement of Intent:
The Personal Development curriculum can then be broken down into the following areas which cover the below content:
Intent
The context that our children and young people live in:
- Our children live in a world where they require the skills and qualifications, flexibility, emotional intelligence and expertise to be leaders and to thrive as human beings.
- Our children live in world where accepting themselves as individuals and celebrating who they are is key in navigating a complex and ever-changing environment.
- Our children live in a world where they need to feel a sense of ability to change things for the better and have self-efficacy.
- Our children live in a world where they need a network of relationships and a network of support to thrive and excel.
- Our children live in a world where early development of vocabulary skills is the single most important factor to get right as early as possible.
At Oasis, we are deeply committed to the extensive personal development of all our pupils, consistently striving to go beyond the expected in nurturing well-rounded individuals. Our comprehensive approach aims for all pupils to:
- Aspire beyond academics by exploring vocational pathways and developing a broad range of skills.
- Build resilience, confidence, and independence to face challenges and thrive.
- Maintain mental and physical well-being, fostering a healthy lifestyle.
- Engage fully in diverse curricular and extra-curricular activities, including sports, arts, leadership, and community involvement.
- Become respectful, curious, and responsible citizens who contribute positively to society.
- Feel comfortable with their identity, embracing and celebrating diversity and differences.
- Adopt a values-driven approach to life, grounded in empathy, integrity, and compassion.
- Have equitable access to opportunities, ensuring disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND benefit fully.
- Develop the knowledge of the choices available to them and the skills to make informed, confident decisions for their future.
- Grow into lifelong learners who are prepared with transferable skills for future success.
- Develop strong character, instilling values such as resilience, respect, responsibility, and kindness.
Through this thoughtful and inclusive approach, including the discrete teaching of our 9 habits, we support the academic and personal success of our pupils, helping them become confident, capable, and compassionate individuals who are ready for the future.
Therefore, we focus on developing character, competence and community. The Personal Development curriculum specifically meets the OCL statement of intent by focussing on character, competence and community in the following areas:
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Character: A strong Personal Development curriculum fosters well-rounded, empathetic, and respectful individuals. Children will cultivate a strong sense of self and learn the importance of integrity and compassion, enabling them to engage positively with others and develop resilience in the face of challenges. |
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Competence: Through a comprehensive Personal Development curriculum, children will be equipped with essential skills for lifelong learning. They will have opportunities to explore critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving, ensuring they understand equality and diversity from an early age and can engage meaningfully with complex issues. |
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Community: Children will build strong relationships within the school community and beyond, actively participating in collaborative projects and leadership opportunities. They will learn about different communities both locally and globally, fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility as they explore their role in the wider world and the importance of civic engagement. |
Implementation
To ensure our intent transfers into everyday classroom practice, we use current research in cognitive science to develop pedagogy and specific CPD to ensure subject content is expertly delivered. This is alongside individualised coaching in constantly striving to continually improve practice. Responsive feedback approaches, delivered through out highly effective one-to-one horizons approach, ensure each adult knows the relevant next steps to maximise learning opportunities.
Using research from Dan Williamson’s Models of Memory, Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory, Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction and the thinking behind Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve, the personal development offer is implemented effectively through a set of core elements. This enables children to assimilate new information into growing schema as they move through the academy. By presenting new information to students as another example of these core concepts it allows them to process information in relation to previously learned knowledge and make connections.
Subject Delivery
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Character development is integrated throughout our entire curriculum, with personal development explicitly taught through dedicated, timetabled content. Each week, pupils participate in a 30-minute character development session and a 30-minute assembly focused on key values. Additionally, PSHE and RE play a central role in our personal development program, with annual chunked content that addresses important themes. The 9 Habits, British Values, and the Rights Respecting framework are embedded in every lesson through our "Golden Thread of Character." These values also form the foundation for our behaviour reward system and are celebrated throughout the school.
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Mixture of thematic and discrete:
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Impact
The impact of our Personal Development curriculum is measured through a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of pupils' growth across key areas of character, well-being, and social-emotional development. Our approach includes the following impact measures:
- Retrieval Practice and Quizzing: We use end-of-concept quizzing to assess pupils' understanding and retention of core concepts. Regular retrieval tasks are embedded throughout lessons to interrupt the forgetting curve, helping students consolidate knowledge into long-term memory and access prior learning with ease.
- Character and Values Development: Pupils document their progress in the 9-Habit Character Log, which tracks the development of key character traits such as resilience, responsibility, and empathy. This log, along with behavioural data collected through our reward system, allows us to monitor how well pupils are embedding these values into their daily lives.
- Social and Emotional Well-being: Each year, pupils complete the YouHQ assessment, which provides a detailed analysis of their well-being and mental health. This assessment offers a strengths-based perspective, allowing us to track their social-emotional development and mental health over time, and to identify areas where additional support may be needed.
- Participation and Engagement: We track student participation in extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and community involvement to measure engagement with personal development opportunities outside the classroom. High levels of involvement indicate a thriving PD culture within the school.
- Teacher Assessments and Observations: Teachers regularly assess students through formative feedback, noting their growth in personal development areas such as emotional intelligence, communication, and social interactions. Observations during lessons, assemblies, and extracurricular activities provide further insight into pupils' character development and interpersonal skills.
By utilising these diverse and structured impact measures, we ensure that our Personal Development curriculum fosters the holistic growth of every child. This approach helps pupils not only achieve academic success but also develop the skills, values, and emotional well-being necessary to thrive as confident, capable, and compassionate individuals ready for their future.
Golden Threads of our Personal Development Curriculum
At the heart of our curriculum, 9 habits, SMSC, British Values, and Rights Respecting are golden threads that run through every aspect of school life. These essential components are embedded not only in lessons but also in chunk weeks, assemblies, and our safeguarding practices, ensuring that all students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
Spiritual Development
Our students are encouraged to explore their own beliefs and the beliefs of others, respecting different faiths, feelings, and values. Through creative learning experiences, we foster curiosity about the world around them, using imagination and reflection to deepen their understanding of themselves and others.
Moral Development
We guide our students in recognising right from wrong, respecting the law, and understanding the consequences of their actions. Through discussion and exploration of moral and ethical issues, we empower students to form reasoned views, while encouraging them to think critically about justice, fairness, and kindness.
Social Development
Our curriculum offers a wealth of opportunities for students to develop social skills, cooperation, and teamwork. By engaging in both local and wider communities, students gain an appreciation for diverse perspectives, participate in volunteering, and learn effective conflict resolution. British values, including democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance, are integrated throughout, helping students understand and contribute to modern society. Additionally, they are empowered to make informed decisions and are aware of the various choices available to them.
Cultural Development
We celebrate cultural diversity by teaching students to appreciate different cultural influences, including Britain’s rich heritage and parliamentary system. Through participation in cultural opportunities, from arts to sports, students learn to respect and value the diversity that makes up our community and world, preparing them for life in an interconnected and multicultural society.
British Values
We actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. These values are woven into our curriculum and daily school life, equipping students with the skills and attitudes needed to be active, responsible citizens in modern Britain.
Rights Respecting and Safeguarding
We are committed to the principles of Rights Respecting, ensuring that every child understands their rights and responsibilities. Safeguarding plays a significant role in this, as we strive to create a safe environment where students can explore who they are, form positive relationships, and achieve success.