Personal Development

Personal Development at The Oaks School

At The Oaks, personal development is at the heart of everything we do. Alongside academic learning, we place great importance on helping pupils grow into confident, resilient and well-rounded individuals, fully prepared to take their place in the world. Our curriculum, enrichment opportunities, and wider school life are designed to nurture pupils’ sense of identity, wellbeing, independence and community responsibility, while also giving them the chance to develop and discover their interests and talents.

Our Approach

Personal development is not a stand-alone subject but is embedded across all areas of school life, from subject lessons and PSHE to enrichment days, extracurricular clubs, volunteering and community engagement. A key part of this is ensuring every pupil has opportunities to explore new experiences, discover passions and develop their talents.

Working in Partnership

  • We meet regularly with staff, parents and pupils to share curriculum plans and invite feedback. Each half-term, curriculum newsletters are sent home so families feel informed and involved.
  • Staff and pupils recently co-created a whole-school ethos and set of values, ensuring a shared vision and sense of ownership across our school community.

Belonging & Identity

  • Pupils show pride in their school, consistently demonstrating exemplary behaviour in
    school and on visits.
  • Children look after their school environment, welcome visitors and develop a strong sense of belonging and identity.
  • Lunch clubs and enrichment activities are shaped by pupil voice, giving children the opportunity to request, design and participate in activities that reflect their own interests and talents. This ensures pupils feel listened to, valued and actively involved in shaping their school experience.

Respect and Citizenship

  • Our behaviour system is clear, consistent and adapted to meet the needs of our pupils.
  • Staff model mutual respect, courtesy and British values, ensuring these are woven into daily life.
  • Diversity, equality and citizenship are taught explicitly through the curriculum, SMSC reading and PSHE. Pupils learn about protected characteristics, respect for differences and the importance of good manners.
  • Through social stories and literature, pupils also explore traits, feelings and behaviours to help them understand themselves and others.

A Broad and Ambitious Curriculum

  • Our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and tailored to individual needs, ensuring every child has opportunities to succeed.
  • Life skills are a key focus, covering wellbeing, hygiene, money management, careers education, independence and knowing who can help in an emergency.
  • Enrichment days, such as “Dress for the Job You Want”, inspire children to think about their future aspirations and explore their interests and talents.
  • Social skills are taught and embedded in real-life experiences, such as trips into the community, empowering pupils to confidently apply their learning outside school.

Celebrating Success

  • Pupils’ progress and achievements are celebrated at every stage through certificates, golden time and awards for excellent attitudes to learning.
  • Co-curricular opportunities including debating after Newsround sessions, Lego club, and art club allow pupils to develop skills over time, discover new hobbies and showcase their talents.

Community and Volunteering

  • Pupils contribute actively to their local community by litter picking, selling poppies and supporting the local church with food bank projects.
  • The school council provides a voice for pupils to plan and discuss charitable opportunities, encouraging civic responsibility and teamwork.
  • These experiences strengthen pupils’ communication skills, empathy and awareness of their role in society, while also giving them opportunities to apply their skills and talents in real-world contexts.