Personal Development

Ofsted definition

OFSTED defines personal development as the development of a pupil's individual skills, attitudes, and understanding. This includes the development of self-awareness, self esteem, and emotional intelligence, as well as the development of skills related to communication, teamwork, and critical thinking.

How do our pupils describe personal development?

What does Personal Development look like at Falconer's Hill Academy?

At Falconer’s Hill Academy we believe that to achieve long-term development of our pupils as confident, positive and independent individuals they must be driven by their own sense of who they are what they wish to achieve. We believe that through a well-structured curriculum and a clear set of values pupils are enabled to broaden their understanding of themselves and others. We provide extensive opportunities for pupil to challenge themselves, take on responsibilities, complete independent project and engagement in enrichment opportunities

Our Values

• Ambition
• Aspiration
• Courage
• Respect

We are highly ambitious for the children, parents and the community that we belong to. We provide access to opportunities within the classroom and beyond. Our children to talk about how much they can do and how far they can go.

We are highly aspirational and expect all our children and staff to aim high academically. Our staff have the skills and knowledge to teach well and create a culture where high performance is expected.

We are courageous, our pupils try new strategies, think big and are not afraid to take risks in our pursuit of excellence. This expectation is shared within our whole school community.

We are respectful, we ensure that our environment is calm, polite, friendly and supportive.

“Pupils live out the school’s values of ‘aspiration, ambition, courage and respect’. They are keen to learn and try their best. They listen intently and talk confidently about their work. Pupils consistently meet adults’ high expectations and behave sensibly in lessons and around school.”
OFSTED 20222

Our Curriculum

Personal Development Evidence Beyond the Curriculum

Leaders place a high priority on pupils’ personal development. The curriculum is designed to enable pupils to develop their character and resilience. They reflect on the importance of British values, such as democracy. They have many opportunities to debate current issues. Pupils learn to understand the importance of equality and diversity. They learn about different types of families. They develop respect for different cultures and beliefs. Pupils are confident that discrimination ‘doesn’t happen here’.
Ofsted November 202

Roles and responsibilities

At Falconer’s Hill Academy we are responsive to pupil’s opinions and interests. We have several roles in place to enable pupils to share their interests and concerns. We provide the opportunity for pupils to volunteer to take on roles and to be strong representatives for others.

Pupil leadership roles

In September we hold pupil elections. We invite pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 to apply for to be Head Boy or Girl and Deputy Head Boy and Girl. The children write and deliver speeches to the whole school, pupils vote for their preferred candidates and the elected officials meet regularly with the senior Leadership Team to feedback pupil voice.

School Council

The school council meets weekly with our Vice Principal to discuss issues raised by pupils. They have created their own welcome to Falconer’s Hill booklet for new pupils based on feedback from their peers. The School Council regularly holds whole class meetings to carry out surveys, discuss concerns and share successes.

Our School Council aims to encourage our children to:

• Develop confidence and responsibility and make the most of their abilities
• Prepare them to play an active role as citizens
• Develop good relationships and respect the differences between people
• To have a “voice” and to share their opinions and ideas with others

Ivy ,Rose, Eva, Frankie- Leigh, Harper-Rose, Faith, Charliee, Peyton 

House Captains

House captains meet with subject leaders to plan termly house days. The captains ensure that pupils have input on planned activities:

• House Days
• Black History Month
• No Pens Day
• Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Day Sports Challenge Day
• STEM Day
• Art Day

Role Models and Ambassadors

We acknowledge good behaviour, attitude and effort through our Role Model programme. Our Role Models are those pupils who demonstrate our values of respect, courage, ambition and aspiration. Being a role model is our basic expectation for all pupils. Pupils who are role models can graduate to being ambassadors.

Our ambassador programme enables pupils to take on singular or multiple roles if interested. These pupils are given responsibility and are trusted to complete them independently with limited adult direction. Children can be: 

• Digital leaders
• Librarians
• Visitor guides
• Eco Leaders

STEM Ambassadors

We understand the importance for our develop an understanding of the many different roles available to them. We understand the importance of pupils have broad experiences and engagement with the wider community. We have worked with a local company, Cummins, to offer Y6 girls the opportunity to learn more about engineering. These pupils have been ambassadors for the school and have gained a good understanding of how to apply their knowledge and skills to solve problems.

"Pupils are proud of the contribution they make to everyday school life. They learn to be caring and responsible citizens. They develop their leadership skills. Pupils receive opportunities to voice their thoughts and opinions. They readily take on roles and responsibilities such as house captains, eco-councillors and prefects. The pupil well-being champions support and advise their peers.”
OFSTED November 2022

Flourishing@Falconer's

 This is our project that goes beyond academic achievement and sets pupils specific age-related challenges. These challenges are sometimes life skills, and some are designed to get children involved in activities that they might not even think about e.g. the types of trees they might see all the time. There are 6 challenges tasks that children can complete over the seasonal terms.

Activities include:

• Getting own bag ready for school
• Helping with the laundry
• Wrapping present
• Play a card game with family
• Find and name different trees
• Baking a cake
• Sew a button on
• Read a timetable
• Carry out 5 acts of kindness
• Write your own song

How should the tasks be recorded?
We provide a record books which is kept at home and children add photos, written evidence and pictures which show children achieving these challenges.

Why do children enjoy this so much?
At the end of each term we ask for the books to come back and the children are given a reward. Children who participated have: café for a hot chocolate and a snack, had a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party , Sports and Art Days and science experiments workshops.

The ‘Flourishing@Falconers’ programme encourages pupils to try different experiences. It helps them to develop life skills, such as changing their own bedsheets. Pupils appreciate the wide range of visits, clubs and activities the school offers. These include yoga, orchestra and athletics. They enjoy a range of cultural visits, including the Royal Opera House and Hampton Court

Take one picture - National Gallery

In July 2024 Falconer’s Hill Academy submitted art work for entry in the National Gallery’s Take One Picture project. Children worked on this project in class, as an extracurricular club and as a homework photography competition. Our artwork was include in the exhibition successfully. Take One Picture Surprised! 

Enrichment

Providing enrichment opportunities is a priority at Falconer’s Hill Academy and our academy sponsor The David Ross Education Trust. We provide a broad range of enrichment opportunities with a strong focus on sport, music, drama and art. We firmly believe that these opportunities have benefit our pupils, both academically and personally by broadening their life experiences. Through enrichment we can support the SMSC agenda. As a David Ross Education Trust academy, we believe that enrichment can help to raise academic standards, enhance performance and teach life skills that will equip our pupils for an ever-changing world.

 Clubs

Pupils are invited and encouraged to participate in after school clubs to develop their interests, build skills, develop teamwork skills and have new experiences. We hope that these opportunities will lead to pupils engaging in these activities in the future. Within school we support pupils develop individual music tuition. 

• Art Club
• Keyboard club
• Recorder club
• Netball
• Football
• Choir
• Drama Club

These clubs enable pupils to participate in external sporting, music, artistic and drama activities beyond the curriculum.

Charity

Every year we engage in a range of charitiable causes to raise awareness and develop pupils understanding of the wider world and develop compassion for others. 

• Jeans for Genes
• Children in Need
• Anaphylaxis Awareness
• Food bank collections

Rotakids – Nepal Solar panel water project As part of our ongoing charity work we worked with the Rotary Club to support a solar panel project in Nepal. The children delivered assemblies to school, worked in teams to build solar powered water pumps and delivered presentations to adults to raise awareness. The children then shared their new found expertise with other year groups.

SMSC

At Falconer’s Hill Academy, we recognise that social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is central to the education of all pupils and permeates the whole curriculum, vision and ethos of the school. It is reflected in the behaviours of individuals, through worship, in interactions and also in the provision of teaching, resources and learning environments. In all aspects of SMSC we focus on our school’s vision and the contribution of SMSC to help members of our schools flourish together.

Spiritual

Ability to be reflective about their own beliefs (religious or otherwise) and perspective on life Knowledge of and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values Sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them Use of imagination and creativity in their learning.

Moral

Our ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and to readily apply this understanding in their own lives, recognise legal boundaries and in doing so, respect the civil and criminal law of England To understand the consequences of their behaviour and actions interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues and ability to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.

Social

The use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religions, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. The willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively.

Cultural

Use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religions, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectivel.

British Values

Acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of Law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. They develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Young Citizens visit
On Tuesday 15th October, Year 6 attended the Young Citizens Day run by the West Northamptonshire Council. This was a fantastic day and the children learnt a lot of information that can be used to keep themselves safe. The workshops included:

• Fire safety
• Road and rail safety
• Knife crime
• Substance misuse
• Crime prevention
• Hate crime

Throughout the day, the children engaged in activities that were thought provoking and provided children with practical scenarios to be able to problem solve using the information that they were taught.

Mission Statement

Our children, their future, our responsibility

Vision

To ensure all our children are engaged in the present and prepared for the future.

Our children will leave us motivated to take on new challenges and with the confidence to persevere in all they do. Through a world class education, all our children will develop the ability to become lifelong learners. Our exciting, engaging and innovative curriculum will ignite a passion for learning in all of us.

Our children are members of a diverse community that is kind, responsible and respectful to all. Everyone is valued and celebrated. Everyone is encouraged to be ambitious and aspirational. Through our active collaboration between home and school, we develop resilient, confident and independent learners.