Here at John Whitgift Academy, we pride ourselves in providing a rich personal development curriculum which enables our students to develop into well-rounded members of society.

Our Personal Development programme is tailored specifically to meet the needs of the school’s local context whilst at the same time equipping pupils with the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to play their full part in an ever-changing world in the 21st century.  Our programme is delivered through a combination of discrete timetabled lessons, tutor time and an assembly programme, presentations and events delivered by external providers, plus a series of progressive “Step Up” days, as well as emphasising a number of cross curricular links across a wide range of subjects.

Our Personal Development programme encompasses the following areas below:

Ethics, Philosophy and Citizenship (EPC)

The EPC curriculum at John Whitgift Academy places social and personal development at the heart of its design, with group discussion, self-expression and the promotion of tolerance and respect towards the opinions of others. It provides opportunities for students to develop confidence, resilience and knowledge to stay mentally and physically healthy.               

Religious Education is also embedded throughout the EPC curriculum, as students are able to explore the 6 main world religions of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Hinduism, in order to develop skills of reflection, respect and tolerance. Religious quotes are woven into schemes of learning such as “Evil and Suffering” and are interpreted alongside some religious practices and core beliefs.

Careers

With income deprivation and unemployment levels in the local area significantly above national averages, we are fully committed to ensuring that our CEIAG provides enough time to achieve all eight of The Gatsby Benchmarks, working alongside various organisations.  A mixture of tutor time activities and progressive step-up days and events provide opportunities for employer contact and Enterprise Education. We are proud to hold the Gold Standard Careers award for our excellence in Career education and support here at John Whitgift. We also work very closely with Progress Careers to ensure that the advice and guidance our students receive is bespoke and impartial.

RSE

Our RSE curriculum provision gives due regard to the DfE’s statutory guidance on sex and relationship education as well as focusing in more detail on issues most relevant to students in our local context. Specific needs, as they arise are responded to and incorporated into our planning, plus curriculum content is once again ‘stepped’ to ensure that key issues are revisited in later years and in greater depth. We also work closely with BigTalk Education to ensure that students in each year group receive specific, bespoke information in a safe and supportive way.

Colours

We encourage our students to take part in a wide range of activities, both individually and in groups/teams. These may include representing the academy but also through activities such as charity work, public speaking, litter picking and helping others. We recognise this by awarding colours. Each colour signifies a different type of activity undertaken by our students and students wear a badge once they have been awarded the colour.

British Values and SMSC

The Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development of our students has always been at the heart of the education offered in Delta Academies.  The Academy’s approach to SMSC is embedded in the Delta ethos of mutual respect, partnership working and collaboration; an approach that we believe is fundamental to a full and positive participation in life in modern Britain.

Cultural Capital

We encourage our students to take part in a wide range of trips and visits, both local, national and international. Students also experience weekly “JWA – This is culture” presentations during tutor times which include knowledge and information about musicians (both classical and modern,) international buildings and landmarks, national and international sporting events, famous painters and artists, careers and labour market information, religion and British values. Students experience different music each week on the academy gates in the morning and afternoons as the enter and leave, and we also have an assembly programme which further contributes towards developing students into well-rounded members of society.

The Personal Development curriculum:

The Personal Development curriculum at John Whitgift Academy is bespoke and tailored specifically to meet the needs of the school’s local context whilst at the same time equipping students with the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to play their full part in an ever-changing world.  Our programme includes the delivery of RE, RSE, PSHE, SMSC, CEIAG and fundamental British Values, delivered through a combination of discrete timetabled EPC (Ethics, Philosophy and Citizenship) lessons, tutor periods and an assembly programme, plus a series of progressive “Step Up” days, as well as emphasising a number of cross curricular links across a wide range of subjects.

The curriculum at John Whitgift Academy places social and personal development at the heart of its design, with group discussion, self-expression and the promotion of tolerance and respect towards the opinions of others. Providing opportunities for students to develop confidence, resilience and knowledge to stay mentally and physically healthy are also included. By consistently using the collaborative approach to learning throughout the academy, we can actively support students in building the resilience needed and allow students the opportunities to work with others, from a cross section of abilities.

Religious Education is also embedded as students explore the 6 main world religions of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism.

With income deprivation and unemployment levels in the local area significantly above national averages, we are fully committed to ensuring that our CEIAG offer provides sufficient time to achieve all eight of The Gatsby Benchmarks:

Our RSE provision gives due regard to the DfEs statutory guidance on sex and relationships education as well as focussing in more detail on issues most relevant to students in our local context. Specific needs, as they arise, are responded to and incorporated into our planning, plus curriculum content is once again ‘stepped’ to ensure that key issues are revisited in later years and in greater depth.  Where possible we also bring in outside companies/agencies to deliver bespoke sessions to meet the specific needs of our students, such as the sessions which BigTalk Education deliver in the summer terms.

The Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development of our students has always been at the heart of the education offered in all Delta Academies.   The Academy’s approach to SMSC is embedded in the Delta ethos of mutual respect, partnership working and collaboration, an approach that we believe is fundamental to a full and positive participation in life in modern Britain.

Examples of how fundamental British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, are actively promoted across the Academy and include: