Personal Development

Personal Development at The Grange

Personal Development at The Grange is not a single subject — it is the heartbeat of our school culture. It is woven through daily school life, our curriculum, relationships, assemblies, and our shared values known as The Grange Way.

Our Personal Development offer brings together PSHE, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural), ensuring that every child grows as a confident, compassionate and responsible citizen.

Intent

At The Grange Community Primary School, our Personal Development curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and accessible to all. It is designed to maximise outcomes for every child, ensuring they are happy, healthy, confident, and independent members of an ever-changing society.

We want children to see that Personal Development is connected to every subject and every aspect of school life, so they understand its relevance beyond the classroom.

Through our curriculum, pupils develop:

A secure understanding of how they are changing physically, emotionally and socially
Awareness of their rights and responsibilities as members of a diverse community
The confidence to make safe, informed and ethical choices
Strong values of respect, kindness, fairness and inclusion
The skills needed to build healthy relationships and manage their emotions
Resilience, self-belief and a strong sense of identity

We explicitly promote British Values — democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance — through lessons, assemblies, discussion and daily practice of The Grange Way.

Most importantly, our intent is to give every child a voice, enabling them to become proactive, thoughtful and well-rounded citizens who leave The Grange feeling confident, unique and proud.

Implementation

Personal Development is taught and lived across the whole school through a blend of structured lessons, daily practice and enrichment opportunities.

We deliver Personal Development through:

Weekly SCARF (Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience, Friendship) lessons
Additional circle time sessions to address issues relevant to our pupils and community
Regular assemblies, discussions and themed days
The daily reinforcement of The Grange Way

A key feature of our provision is our weekly Picture News assemblies, which engage pupils with current national and global issues in an age-appropriate way. These assemblies promote discussion, critical thinking, empathy and understanding of British Values, helping pupils make sense of the world around them. Picture News supports pupils to form opinions, listen respectfully to others and understand their role as responsible citizens.

Learning begins in Reception, where children develop personal, social and emotional skills aligned with the Early Years Framework, and builds progressively through to Year 6.

We enhance our provision through:

Termly Personal Development Days, focusing on issues identified through pupil voice
Cross-curricular links so pupils see Personal Development in maths, English, science, art and beyond
Close alignment with SCIB (Safeguarding Children in Banbury) to strengthen safeguarding and wellbeing

Pupil Leadership and Wellbeing

We empower pupils through:

Mental health and wellbeing ambassadors
Anti-bullying ambassadors
Pupil leadership roles in organising Anti-Bullying Week and Make Me Smile Day

These opportunities help pupils take responsibility, build leadership skills and influence positive change within the school community.

Impact

The impact of our Personal Development curriculum is evident in the behaviour, confidence and attitudes of our pupils.

Because of our strong culture of ‘self’, children are resilient, respectful and empathetic. They contribute positively to school life and demonstrate maturity in their relationships.

Pupils can:

Explain and model The Grange Way in their daily actions
Speak confidently about equality, respect and inclusion
Recognise and report situations that may make them feel unsafe
Articulate their rights and responsibilities within school and the wider world
Demonstrate understanding of emotional and physical wellbeing
Identify healthy lifestyle choices and understand risks to their wellbeing

Pupil voice is central to our school. Children feel listened to, valued and empowered to shape their learning and community.

By the end of Year 6, our pupils leave The Grange as confident, compassionate, responsible and reflective individuals, prepared for secondary school and life beyond.

How Personal Development Links Across the Curriculum

Personal Development at The Grange is embedded across all subjects: