Personal Development & Enrichment Curriculum
PHSE, Life in Modern Britain, RSE & SMSC
In our pursuit of academic excellence, The Eastwood Academy adopts a holistic educational approach designed to equip all pupils with the skills and knowledge necessary for personal growth, social responsibility, and overall wellbeing. This approach enables all pupils to become well-rounded citizens and future leaders.
Personal Development Areas and Delivery Methods
Health and Wellbeing
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Physical Health: Understanding the importance of nutrition, exercise, and sleep.
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Mental Health: Learning about stress management, resilience, and emotional regulation.
Social and Emotional Learning
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Interpersonal Skills: Effective communication, empathy, teamwork, and conflict resolution.
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Self-Awareness: Understanding one’s own emotions, strengths, and areas for improvement.
Life Skills
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Decision-making: Critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical considerations.
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Financial Literacy: Basics of budgeting, saving, and responsible financial planning.
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Digital Literacy: Safe and responsible use of technology and social media.
Citizenship Education
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Citizenship: Understanding rights and responsibilities, community involvement, and volunteering.
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Cultural Awareness: Respect for diversity and inclusion.
Career and Future Planning
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Career Exploration: Awareness of various career paths and the skills needed for different professions.
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Goal Setting: Setting and working towards personal and professional goals.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
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Healthy Relationships: Understanding consent, boundaries, and respect.
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Sexual Health: Information on reproductive health and safe practices.
At The Eastwood Academy, we ensure that Personal Development delivery enables our pupils to become ambitious, respectful, resilient, and kind individuals.
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Curriculum Integration: Personal development topics are integrated into various subjects.
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Workshops and Assemblies: Engaging with external experts to deliver workshops and assemblies relevant to our academy context.
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Extracurricular Activities: Clubs, projects, and sports that foster personal growth and teamwork.
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Weekly Personal Development Sessions: Age-appropriate, engaging sessions taught through a sequenced curriculum.
Relationships and Sex Education
The Department for Education introduced compulsory Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for secondary pupils from September 2021. Schools are required to consult with parents, pupils, and staff when developing and reviewing their RSE policies. This consultation informs decisions on when and how certain content is covered. Effective engagement allows parents to provide input, ask questions, and share concerns, while the academy decides the way forward. Ultimately, the academy determines when and how content is taught, and consultation does not provide a parental veto on curriculum content.
Further details about the introduction of compulsory relationships education, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, can be found on the government website.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) (Secondary) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Personal Development Curriculum Areas
The Personal Development Curriculum at The Eastwood Academy covers the following areas:
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Fundamental British Values and citizenship education
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Social, moral, spiritual, and cultural education
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Personal, Social, Health & Economic (PDE) and Sex & Relationship Education (RSE)
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Careers and living in the wider world education
Our academy mission statement, "Believe, Succeed, Together," embodies our commitment to the importance of personal development.
Delivery Methods
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Weekly Sessions: All pupils receive PDE, careers, and citizenship sessions each week.
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Cross-Curricular Integration: Many curriculum areas contribute to personal development education.
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Assemblies: Weekly assemblies highlight aspects of personal development and awareness.
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Extracurricular Activities: A full calendar of personal development trips, rewards trips, and extracurricular sports programs.
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Community Support: Charity work supporting local and global communities, led by our StLT (student leadership team).
Fundamental British Values and Citizenship
Within the fundamental British Values aspects of the curriculum pupils are able to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England as well as accepting responsibility for their behaviour, showing initiative, and understanding how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely. Through this we embrace the following four strands integral to fundamental British Values:
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Democracy
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The rule of law
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Individual liberty
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Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
Citizenship is delivered as a standalone subject within the curriculum. Pupils cover issues such as rights and responsibilities, discrimination and how they can contribute positively as active, caring citizens both in school and within the communities in which they live. They are also encouraged to respect democracy and support participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in Britain
Social, Moral, Spiritual & Cultural
We recognise and firmly believe that the development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally plays a significant part not only in their ability to learn and achieve but in their ability to relate fully to, and have the ability to, access the world they live in. These principles underpin education at The Eastwood Academy and are expressed through the rich curriculum experiences that take place both within and outside the classroom. The academy is a community based on values, which find expression in every aspect of daily life at The Eastwood Academy.
We aim to provide an education that provides children with opportunities to explore and develop their own values, whilst recognising that those of others may differ. Beliefs, spiritual awareness, high standards of personal behaviour including a positive caring attitude towards other people, an understanding of their social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of other cultures are all critical skills and dispositions that we nurture, encourage and develop through this subject and the wider curriculum. The values and ethos of The Eastwood Academy are central to our personal development education.
At The Eastwood Academy, our mission is to foster ambition, respect, resilience, and kindness in our pupils, placing character and values at the core of their educational journey. By doing so, we aim to nurture future leaders and well-rounded citizens, forming the ethos and culture of our academy.
Our vision is to support pupils in flourishing across all aspects of their lives, guiding them to become empathetic individuals who actively contribute to and shape society. Through the teaching and modelling of good character, we emphasise the importance of respecting and supporting others within our community and beyond.
Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural (SMSC) development at The Eastwood Academy is a comprehensive and integral part of our curriculum, ensuring personal development is seamlessly woven through all educational experiences and opportunities provided to our pupils.
We prioritise SMSC development, recognising its essential role in our pupils’ growth and success.
Personal, Social, Health & Economic (PSHE) and Relationship & Sex Education (RSE)
The three main strands are:
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Health and Wellbeing
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Healthy Relationships
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Living in the Wider World
The program promotes health and emotional wellbeing, relationship management, and economic activity. It includes personal health, mental health, and education on diet, drugs, and alcohol abuse. Age-appropriate delivery prepares pupils for each phase of their life and education.