Menu
Search
Translate
Home Page

Edwalton

Primary School

'Excellence at Edwalton'

Personal Development

Personal Development at Edwalton

 

 

 

 

Personal development at Edwalton is centred around the Strands listed below:

  • RSHE
  • PSHE 
  • RE
  • Citizenship 
  • Character Building 
  • British Values 
  • SMSC 
  • Inclusion and Equality

 

Personal development at Edwalton goes beyond the National Curriculum. Some areas of personal development are taught within subjects through a well mapped curriculum e.g. PSHE/RSHE or the online safety strand of our Computing curriculum. Other opportunities are delivered through wider school experiences which give children the unique opportunity to engage in many areas to help broaden their horizons, build confidence, character and resilience.

Edwalton Primary boasts extensive grounds, including a woodland and farm. As children engage with these natural settings it allows them to take on responsibilities such as care of animals, growing food, instilling values of empathy, respect for nature and a sense of global responsibility.

 

 

 

 


 

We are members of the SCARF association My SCARF and use their materials and resources to enhance our delivery of PSHE/RSHE. The SCARF programme is based on the PSHE association strands and is well suited to the needs of our school and meets the National Curriculum requirements. We also work from the Key Knowledge Progression Documents (KKPDs) which have been quality assured by Flying High Partnership trust leads and leading experts from National associations. The KKPD documents ensure a sequenced and uniform progression in line with other schools within our partnership.

 

SCARF builds on prior learning while adapting to pupils’ developmental stages. It gives opportunity for gradually increasing knowledge by repeating themes each year. It’s sequenced in the following half termly units:

 

  • Me and my relationships
  • Valuing Difference
  • Keeping myself safe
  • Rights and responsibilities
  • Being my best
  • Growing and changing.

 

 

For example, Growing and Changing is revisited in increasing levels of complexity. Prior knowledge is increased and expanded on each year. Age-appropriate delivery is always considered and guidance taken from the PSHE association SCARF programme.


 

 

PSHE/RSHE are also integrated with other subjects:


 

  • Science, with the topics such as puberty, reproduction, the human body, healthy eating, periods.
  • Citizenship within history (Rosa Parks, Florence Nightingale)
  • Geography enquiry “How water shapes our environment” (Year 4 water aid, water safety assembly whole school)
  • Computing/PSHE - (online safety, E-Safety)
  • Weekly RE lessons learning about and celebrating different religions.
  • PE studying the effects of exercise on our bodies and how to use exercise to stay healthy. Exercise linked to physical and mental health. PE nurtures teamwork and children learn to develop socially.
  • Assemblies and class discussions are used to expand on PSHE themes. Every half term we have a whole school PSHE themed assembly. We also have other whole school assemblies to share relevant information and safety topics e.g. Water safety delivered by the Canals and River Trust. Whole School Assemblies

Spring 1                           

10th January

 

Spring 2

 

 

 

  • Canal and River Trust whole school Assembly - 24th January 2025

 

  • Switched On Rail Track Safety Online Assembly - 19th March 2025

 

  • First Aid CPR/AED Year 6 -  5th February & 12th February 2025

 

  • Bike-ability Year 5 – December 2024

 

  • NSPCC assemblies.

 

  • NSPCC year 5,6 and y2 modules (Speak out stay safe)

 

  • A buddy system where younger children are paired up with older children for reading helps build trusting and supportive relationship across year groups.
  • Circle time is used to deliver PSHE curriculum and used to discuss class, whole school, national and global issues which arise at different times.
  • School council class representatives are elected in a democratic manner. Meetings are held on a weekly basis with class representatives discussing and making decisions on various aspects of school life.
  • Drug Abuse is delivered in PSHE.
  • Wellbeing weeks take place to promote and stimulate healthy mind and body activities and children engage in a timetable to include a range of activities beyond the core subjects. (Healthy food plate, Boxing classes, Yoga and mindfulness, Dental hygiene). During Wellbeing week, active travel to school is promoted. Active travel is also promoted and logged through the Sustran’s Active Travel initiative which occurs annually.
  • PSHE Life Education workshops delivered by SCARF Team. Life Education workshops with visiting SCARF tutors 8th January 2025
  • Year 5 Friends
  • Year 4 It’s great to be me
  • Year 6 Decisions
  • Year 3 Meet the Brain

 

Within our ‘Children First’ curriculum, our staff highlight the opportunities to promote British Values across the curriculum. These values are also reinforced across other areas within school.

We embed these topics across different subjects reinforcing their importance in real-world contexts. 

 

  • Lessons on discrimination (History, Rosa Parkes) 
  • Diversity (within PSHE) 
  • Respecting others views and beliefs (RE) 
  • Equality (PE and sport) 
  • Safety (Assemblies, Computing, Stranger Danger PSHE, Bikeability in year 5, First Aid in year 6)
  • OPAL play
  • Water safety is delivered to years 4 and 6 as part of their swimming block. It is also highlighted within whole school assemblies and in Year 4 enquiry on ‘How does water shape our world?’
  • Fire in year 2 and a visit from the fire brigade.
  • E-Safety within PSHE and computing.


 

Edwalton is committed to promoting inclusivity and equality through various initiatives. The schools’ Equality Policy Equality Policy(2023) outlines our dedication to eliminating discrimination and fostering good relations among all members of our school community.

 

In previous years we have held a diversity week celebrating the rich tapestry of cultures, backgrounds and perspectives within the school community.

 

The behaviour policy emphasises creating a safe and caring environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We have a designated safeguarding team to ensure the wellbeing of all pupils.

 

The PE curriculum allows for inclusivity with range of sports to cater for mixed abilities and gender differences.

 

  • Extended sport provisions through clubs, festivals and competitions.
  • Mixed gender sports and teams
  • PP funded at clubs, 
  • SEND festivals, 
  • daily sensory circuits,
  • Termly send dance provision
  • Jingle jog PP
  • Forest school games PP
  • Multi skills festivals
  • Adapted equipment for a range of abilities


 

Within classrooms we offer SEND provision with bespoke and adapted programmes and 1 to 1 TAs who offer differentiated learning support.

  • Sensory room
  • Table within classroom and 1 to 1 support
  • Interventions for all children where needed


 

We have a zero-tolerance policy for racism and children are educated about racism.


 

We have a safe reporting system for discrimination. All staff have completed online training from The National College ‘Certificate in Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace’


 

We ensure school dinners cater for dietary needs, such as Halal, special diets.


 

We allow children from different religious backgrounds to observe different festivals where these do not fall in to our academic calendar, for example time off Eid and other celebrations.

 

Play leaders are high profile at breaks and lunch times to ensure children are included in play and playing respectfully, safely and fairly.

 


 

The curriculum is designed around the acronym ALIVE representing 5 principles; Curriculum | Edwalton Primary School

 

  • Aspirational
  • Long-term memory
  • Inclusive
  • Vocabulary rich
  • Experiences

 

These principles ensure that character education is embedded throughout the learning experience, promoting qualities such as aspiration, inclusivity and a love for learning.

 

Our School’s STAR values underpin whole school ethos for behaviour and expectations.

  • Safe
  • Tracking
  • Attentive
  • Respect

Our Outdoor Play and Learning Programme (OPAL) recognises the fundamental role of play in a child’s development. Playtimes provide diverse opportunities for children to engage in creative and collaborative play, fostering team-work, problem solving and resilience.
 

Within every PE lesson rises the opportunity to help shape children’s’ character.

  • Park points are awarded for working for each other. This develops mutual respect and creates a positive learning environment where children feel confident to perform.
  • Sports awards encourage children to be driven to be the best they can be. Be a best version of themselves.
  • Pentathlon awards in KS2 allow children to strive for PBs
  • High hurdles taught from year 1 instil belief and resilience and how to get up again and rise to challenge pushing out of their comfort zones.
  • Sports days encompass a wide range of values.
  • SSP values of passion, self-belief, teamwork, respect, honesty, determination are reinforced in every SSP festival and competition and are printed on the participation certificates.


 

Debating club/eco club/school councils teach children to have a voice and be confident to have an opinion and voice these.

  • Pupil voice surveys within subject lead scrutiny

 

  • Rights and responsibilities club (H Lee)
     

School plays, dance and music performances, school choir, push children out of their comfort zones and help build self-confidence and also the respect and how to behave when being the spectator.


 

Music tuition opportunities allow the children to grow within a creative environment.

  • Ukulele club
  • Keyboard (Inspire)
  • Guitar (Inspire)
  • Woodwind (Inspire)

Year 6 enquiry WW2 and in-depth studies in to Nottingham and the Blitz teach children about local resilience and coming through adversity with community spirit and strength.

 

 


The Mental Health and wellbeing policy Mental Health Policy (reviewed in September 2024), outlines our school commitment to supporting pupil’s mental health. We have a designated mental health lead ensuring a focused approach to pupil wellbeing.

Mental and physical wellbeing is integrated across a range of areas.

  • Within PSHE in lessons on emotional resilience, stress, coping with anxiety, mindfulness (give scarf example)
  • Growth mindset encouraged through problems solving (team building areas in woodland work. Residential)
  • Pastoral support (ELSA programme)
  • Mindfulness (yoga, breathing bubbles established routine after break in year 1)
  • PE lessons to stimulate moment and educate how it’s ok to feel out of breath, how it feels when your heart is racing, activities to increase HR. Every year groups works through Health-Related fitness unit in Autumn half term 1.
  • Outdoor learning/active classrooms allow for children to increase movement whilst studying their core offer and being outdoors and in nature stimulates positive feelings.
  • Healthy eating lessons are covered in DT (soup making/ cooking)
  • OPAL playtimes increase activity levels
  • Farm work opportunities exposure the children to nature and animals which helps to reduce stress and stimulate calm.

 

 

  • Financial literacy is developed across all year groups within maths and problem solving.
  • Aspirations day with visits from parents in different professions.
  • Classroom monitors assigned roles and responsibilities.
  • Time management setting schedules and deadlines for HW to encourage self-organisation.
  • Enterprise activities to include Year 6 grow a fiver enterprise, selling crafts/products to rest of school.
  • Year 6 plan and design a theme park.
  • STEM visits to Rushcliffe Spencer Academy.
  • Leadership opportunities
  • OPAL play café
  • Field trips to local places.
  • Foundation meet the emergency services.

 

 

Relationships and Sex Education is delivered through age appropriate PSHE and science lessons. Our school approach aligns with the statutory guidance provided by the DFE ensuring that the content is age-appropriate and sensitive to the needs of the pupils. For example, younger pupils learn about friendship and family relationships, while older pupils discuss topics like personal boundaries and respect.

 

SCARF delivery of sex education includes:

 

  • Naming Body Parts
  • Puberty and body changes
  • Friendships and respect
  • Consent
  • Families and different relationships
  • Reproduction

 

 

Before relationships and sex education was delivered on the curriculum, a parent consultation took place via google forms. Each year a letter is sent home to all year 6 parents giving them the opportunity to withdraw their child from sex education in science. The letter ensures transparency and fosters collaboration between school and the families.

 

 

All children receive lessons on online safety within their PSHE programme and how to stay safe online using the ‘Childnet SMART.’ principles.

E-safety Penguins’ is used in key stage 1 to teach online safety through stories and songs whilst addressing online safety issues which are appropriate to different age groups.

Parent workshops are offered to help inform families of the importance of staying safe online. These include implementing school internet policies and encouraging parents to use parental controls and discuss e-safety at home with their children.

powerpoint ESafety workshop for parents

Computing lessons occur for a half term block every term. ESafety is reinforced in these lessons.

 


 

  • Gardening and the upkeep of a small, allocated garden in school.
  • Animal rotas including feeding, cleaning and animal nurture during school time and over weekends and holidays.
  • Supporting the local Friary with food bank donations.
  • Fund raising for causes such as CIN, Red nose day and other projects to benefit the school or local community (Nottingham rugby flood damage)
  • Singing at local care homes to work with elderly citizens.
  • Letter to local parliament
  • Debating competition.
  • UNICEF Rights and Respecting club helps promote awareness for global issues and engage in fundraising activities.

 

 

 

 

We are dedicated to fostering the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils through a comprehensive and integrated approach.

 

Spiritual - We encourage spiritual development through the delivery of RE enabling pupils to 

explore beliefs, respect faiths and develop their own sense of identity. Refection during circle time allows children to think about their values and experiences. School assemblies incorporate themes of kindness, respect and tolerance.

 

Moral – Children are taught to understand right from wrong and how to show empathy and social responsibility. Our STAR values promote respect. Books during story time help to explore moral choices and consequences. Teachers and staff demonstrate positive role models.

 

Social – We encourage team work. Children feel privileged to wear the #TeamEdwalton T-shirt and enjoy their sense of identity within the team. Park points unite children within classes. Play leaders and peer support develop social interaction across different year groups.

 

Cultural – We help to give pupils the opportunity to experience and appreciate different cultures and traditions through arts, music, dance, geography. Events such as Black History month, Diwali, Chinese New Year are promoted to increase cultural awareness and appreciation.

 

 

 

By using different approaches as a facilitator to debate and discussion in everyday situations, we aim to help children to develop confidence to express their thoughts, feelings and emotions. They learn how to be involved in meaningful discussions.

 

  • Classroom discussions
  • Circle-time
  • Structured debates
  • Role-play within PSHE lessons
  • Show and tell
  • Team work activities in outdoor woodland classrooms/residentials
  • School council

 

Weekly OPAL assemblies are an example of this whereby children discuss risks and benefits associated with new activities.

 

 

Children learn these skills through structured teaching, modelling and practice. We introduce debate-related opportunities in age appropriate ways so children have the tools to express their arguments clearly and respectfully.

 

Debating club allows children to watch and practice structured events and take part in debating competitions.

 

 

PSHE ‘Valuing Differences’ Autumn half term 2. Also encouraged within other areas. We encourage active listening through class discussions. We teach children to use correct vocabulary and avoid negative language or gestures. We encourage children to put themselves in other shoes if there have been any break time conflicts or fall outs. Within PSHE they are taught about relationships and conflict resolution.

Children are constantly being helped to develop strategies and ways to value and respect different opinions creating a more understanding environment.

 

 

 

Meet the teacher and transition days, summer term.

Our KKPD documents include a Year 7 strand which ensured that a child’s learning journey continues to build in to year 7. It also demonstrates the ambition within our own curriculum to prepare pupils for the next stages of education.

 

Our curriculum principles ALIVE are a thread throughout our curriculum. Long term plans are devised to map out progressive and coherent knowledge and help with transition from EY- KS1 and KS2.

Subject maps map out knowledge termly and show what composite knowledge is taught where and when.

Content choices are made to ensure cohesion between different subjects and year groups and knowledge is revisited, e.g. hockey from year 1-6 in PE invasion games unit, or London in Geography.

  • Reception children learn about Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder plot as a significant historical event in London
  • Year 1, London is the Capital city of England
  • Year 2, how London was damaged by the Great Fire of London in 1666
  • Year 6 children learn about the impact of WW2 and the Blitz on London.
  •  

Medium term plans allow for knowledge to be broken down in to smaller granular steps. Sticky knowledge formulates what we want the children to know and remember.

 

 

As well as RE/PSHE, assemblies and other initiatives help to highlight the FBVs themes which are unique to our country.

 

  • Remembrance Day
  • King’s birthday
  • Jubilee Celebrations
  • British Values week
  • Coronation
  • Guy Fawkes

 

Rule of the Law – Within PSHE children are taught that living under the rule of the law protects them and is essential for their well-being and safety. For example, in EYF children learn about policing with a visit from the Police. Year 1 learn about classroom rules and they are there to help children learn and keep everyone safe. In year 3s they learn about why we have rules and explore rules for a different range of settings.

 

Mutual Respect -They are taught that within local communities there are a wide range of cultures and beliefs, and that people should be accepted and not be subject to prejudice or discrimination. RE lessons help to teach cultural diversity.

 

Democracy - They are taught how we have the right to vote and that citizens can influence decision making in local councils and wider communities.

 

Tolerance – They are taught the other people with different faiths and beliefs within their community and wider afield should tolerated and accepted.

 

Individual Liberty – Children are guided to know that people within our society have the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs and that this is protected by law.

 

 

 

We provide a broad and balanced curriculum which provides the children with the skills and knowledge they need to develop as well-rounded individuals.

Pupils are then given the opportunity to develop these further through extended provision by way of afterschool and lunchtime clubs, partnership competitions and events and experience days or residentials.

 

We regularly communicate with parents to signpost children to community clubs and groups and Dojo or Tapestry are used as our platform to liaise and communicate about local opportunities.

 

 

 

Edwalton can pride itself in a long history of opportunities for extended provision with an opportunity to try new things. Even during covid, daily activity sessions were delivered on zoom and children tuned in to 9.00am workshops led by our PE coordinator. On return to school when children were still confined to bubbles, fitness club was delivered after school by a zoom link so children could continue to exercise at home with the support and guidance of the PE coordinator. Lessons were added to a YouTube channel and children still re-visit these sessions at home. Immediately after the covid restraints were lifted, a wide range of clubs and activities were on offer again. Some examples of new opportunities included:

 

  • Golf (Edwalton GC partnership)
  • Urban Hockey (Matt Bradbury)
  • Indoor Rowing Workshops (Trent Rowing Club)
  • ‘I Wonder club’ run in partnership with the Holy Rood Church

 

Whole class taster days provide a wonderful opportunity for children to experience real-life events and visit places of interest to help inspire them in their learning. Onsite workshops allow children to be immersed in their lesson themes. Some visits allow them to meet inspiring role models.

 

  • Nottingham Tennis Open
  • Warwick Castle
  • Space Centre
  • Trent Bridge Classrooms
  • YMCA activity Day
  • Let Girls Play Football National Day
  • Romans
  • Egyptian

 

School Sports Partnership events range through traditional sports and activities to less known new events. The new events help to include a new target audience of participation for the typically ‘non sporty’ children.

 

  • Boccia and Kurling for SEND children
  • Table Cricket for SEND children
  • Pace ball festival
  • Dodgeball Festival
  • King ball festival
  • Orienteering
  • Kayaking and team building
  • PP Jingle jog
  • PP Summer Forest Games at Sherwood Pines.

 

 

Residentials push children to move beyond their comfort zone and challenge their character with activities to include High Wires, Raft Building, Problem solving. They learn independence and are tested emotionally staying away from the security of their families and homes.

 

 

 

There are no barriers to participation for DA and SEND children. Where costs are present due to eternal providers at after-school clubs and activities, the school funds places for identified children. Special events are run by the SSP and school games coordinator, which create opportunities for these children to experience fun and stimulating activities within a supportive environment.

An attendance log of participation at extra-curricular clubs, activities is regularly updated by the PE coordinator and gaps in provision can be highlighted.

The tracking document shows that all year 6 identified DA/PP children in the 2023-2024 cohort had taken part in an SSP event by the time they left in the summer term.

 

 

Careers week year 6 Enterprise fiver challenge

Careers week parents in

Design a theme park

Plan a holiday

Careers Year 2

Transition days

STEM days

 

 

SLT leading whole school assemblies to free up class teachers to have intervention time with identified groups.

 

Full day PPA per term covered by SLT to enable staff to plan authentic outcomes and hooks for their next enquiries.

 

Volunteers for residentials were dropping and pupil voice identified a need for more clubs and a greater variety. Lieu days are given back to staff who attend residentials or run termly clubs.

 

All staff meetings and are linked to the school improvement plan and all subject leaders are allocated termly subject leader time to complete tasks linked to their subject action plan.

 

Partnership Professional Learning Communities allow collaboration between subject leaders, SLT and the other 35 partnership schools facilitated by subject experts.

 

Top