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Curriculum

Personal Development

Subject Overview

We use the Personal Development curriculum to equip our students with knowledge and skills that are vital to their success as an adult. The lessons take place weekly on a Wednesday for the whole school. It is a spiral curriculum that includes the RSE curriculum as well as other important PSHE topics.

"We use the Derbyshire 'My life My View’ survey annually to check the knowledge of key issues with our students. We then add to the curriculum if necessary any issues that are required."

Statement of intent  

Tibshelf Community School believes that Character and Personal Development Education is important to help our students develop into well-rounded members of society, who can make a positive contribution to their community. Our approach to promoting Personal Development is linked throughout our curriculum, which is then supplemented through a range of activities throughout the year, such as Personal Development Days, educational visits, assemblies, and guest speakers.

Through our Personal Development provision, we aim to ensure:

  • Our school is one where everyone is encouraged and supported to achieve their personal best.
  • Our school is welcoming, inclusive, has a real community feel and is a place where everyone is valued.
  • Students are developed to become responsible, respectful, and active citizens.
  • Students are encouraged to develop our Character Values, Community Spirit, Curiosity, Integrity, Resilience, Respect and Positivity.
  • Students are prepared for the world of work and the next phase of their education.

The Personal Development curriculum is designed to support our students to become confident, independent, and responsible citizens, who can make informed and safe choices and decisions throughout their lives.

The curriculum includes a wide range of topics, each of which helps to further support and inspire our students to take a more active role in their own development and success. These topics include, character education, promoting equality, British Values, careers and employability, relationship and sexuality education (RSE), drug awareness and health education, finance education and the importance of physical activity and diet.

Personal Development lessons form part of a spiral curriculum and take place weekly for all year groups.

Both the KS3 and KS4 are carefully sequenced to allow for topics to be built upon in a logical order and importantly, accessible for all. Independent learning is built into the curriculum alongside the importance of retention and resilience. Opportunities to develop oracy skills are heavily embedded, which allows students to discuss topics and share their thoughts in a safe and well-managed environment. These skills are imperative to ensure that students are suitably prepared for further education, careers, and the ever-changing world.

Assessment Information KS3 & KS4

There are no formal assessments for Personal Development lessons. Students are however, assessed at the end of each topic to check understanding of key concepts. 

Personal Development Curriculum Intent

To access the full Personal Development Policy, please see the Policy and Procedures area of our website.

Curriculum Overview

Year 7 Personal Development

Year 8 Personal Development

Year 9 Personal Development

Year 10 Personal Development

Year 11 Personal Development

Personal Development Days

Our Personal Development Days are designed to enrich our Personal Development Curriculum, by providing meaningful encounters for students to engage with employers, businesses and Further and Higher Education Providers.

Each Personal Development Day is designed to be fun and interactive with a different theme linked to each year group. Activities from recent Personal Development Days include:

  • Educational visits to universities and colleges.
  • Encounters with businesses, colleges, and other post 16 providers.
  • Workshops and educational talks linked to careers, safeguarding, well-being etc.
  • Additional careers and post 16 guidance.
  • Debates.
  • First aid training.
  • Team building activities.
  • Increasing cultural capital.

If you would like to support one of our Personal Development Days, please get in touch. communications@tibshelf.derbyshire.sch.uk

Protected Characteristics

The Equality Act 2010, identifies the ‘protected characteristics’ as: 

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race
  • religion or belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  • marriage & civil partnership

 At Tibshelf Community School, we believe that effective teaching of protected characteristics is an essential part of ensuring our students become respectful, tolerant and well-informed individuals who are prepared for life and the world of work.

Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through: 

  • Our school ethos statements and SIP 
  • Our school character values 
  • Our school behaviour policy 
  • Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community 
  • Active engagement and communication with parents and carers 
  • Assemblies 
  • Promoting and upholding of British Values  
  • Discussion within curriculum subjects, taking a cross-curricular approach
  • The Personal Development curriculum
  • Sporting, Art and Cultural Events
  • Pupil Voice 
  • Student leadership
  • Educational visits 
  • Meaningful encounters with business and industry
  • Effective careers education, information, advice and guidance
  • Guest speakers
  • Extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs.