Our values are reflected in our P.R.O.U.D charter.
- Be Passionate – about everything you do
- Be Respectful – to yourselves and to others
- Be Organised – be prepared for every lesson
- Be United – as a team everyone achieves more
- Be Determined – to be the best version of yourself
This charter underpins our values and ethos. It forms the basis of conversations, planning and the personal development agenda.
We believe in developing the ‘whole child’ through our unrelenting focus not only on academic outcomes, but the development of emotional intelligence, a knowledge of the world we live in including British Values, an understanding of aspiration and moral purpose, an understanding of how to access support when needed and the importance of resilience so that when pupils leave Longfield Academy, they do so with the knowledge of how to lead successful, happy and healthy lives and ultimately contribute positively to society. We achieve this through covering Personal Social and Health Education, CEIAG, Statutory Relationships and Sex Education, and Citizenship through the following programmes: –
In addition, we provide a range of opportunities in relation to cultural capital including drop down days, educational visits, guest speakers, School Council and Student Voice.
The table below shows the weekly programme which is 30 minutes per day, supplemented with 1 hour per week of ‘Life’ throughout Years 7-10:
| PD Programme Daily Overview | |||||
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| Year 11 | Assembly / PD Programme | English Revision | Maths Revision | Maths Revision | English Revision |
| Year 10 | Attendance/Behaviour/Rewards/Showcase/Enrichment/WOW | Assembly | Health, Relationships and Wellbeing | The wider world: Careers and aspiration | The wider world: Citizenship/SMSC |
| Year 9 | Attendance/Behaviour/Rewards/Showcase/Enrichment/WOW | The wider world: Citizenship/SMSC | Assembly | The wider world: Careers and aspiration | Health, Relationships and Wellbeing |
| Year 8 | Attendance/Behaviour/Rewards/Showcase/Enrichment/WOW | The wider world: Citizenship/SMSC | Health, Relationships and Wellbeing | Assembly | The wider world: Careers and aspiration |
| Year 7 | Attendance/Behaviour/Rewards/Showcase/Enrichment/WOW | The wider world: Citizenship/SMSC | Health, Relationships and Wellbeing | Careers and aspiration | Assembly |
Personal Development Curriculum
The Personal Development programme incorporates all aspects of the PSHE Association Themes highlighted with full details of the topics covered which can be accessed here. All topics are delivered under the statutory 3 core themes of Relationships, Living in the Wider World, and Health and Wellbeing. As part of this programme all statutory Sex and Relationships Education is delivered. Please click the following link which details what is covered in the curriculum.
Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
British Values
British values are taught on a day-to-day basis and are evident across the academy through pupils’ behaviours. British values are explicitly referenced in Citizenship through the Personal Development Programme and the assembly rota.
Protective Characteristics & Equality and Diversity
Protective characteristics, equality and diversity are recognised and evident across the academy through behaviours and where necessary, it is challenged. Protective characteristics, equality and diversity are taught specifically during Personal Development Time and during assemblies.
LGBT
Longfield Academy support the understanding of LGBT through Personal Development specifically in relationships. Pride month is also celebrated within the academy and often culminates in a performance which further celebrates and raises awareness of the LGBT community.
LIFE Curriculum
The LIFE curriculum is a planned programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives.
The LIFE curriculum encompasses:
- Religious Education (RE)
- Personal, Health, Social and Education (PHSE)
- Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education (SMSC)
- Relationship and Sex Education (RSE)
- Equality and Diversity
The curriculum offer has been carefully constructed using the statutory guidance from the DfE, PHSE Association Framework.
The academy aims to develop skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, team working and critical thinking in the context of learning and provides opportunities for pupils to gain Pledges through this.
Assemblies
Below is a sample of the assembly rots which incorporates PSHE themes supporting Personal Development
Careers
Our intent is to provide all our pupils with a quality careers programme which raises aspiration and allows them to make effective informed decision on future pathways. Careers Education forms an integral part of the Personal Development programme. This is part of the daily Personal Development programme, which is taught as a theme, weekly. Here pupils study Careers in the wider world which links specifically to the career Development Framework (CDI). Pupils have the opportunity to explore the following areas:
- Grow throughout life in careers
- Explore possible opportunities in careers
- Managing a Career
- Create opportunities in careers
- Balancing life and work
- The Bigger Picture
During the weekly sessions, pupils continue to build on prior knowledge and are encouraged to develop employability skills through collaborative learning, presenting and teamwork.
The careers programme is further supported by curriculum areas delivering careers in lessons. Where possible, pupils will become aware of key occupations linked to curriculum areas, key labour market information and how the skills they are using link to the wider world.
In addition to this, all pupils will experience at least one meaningful encounter with an employer each academic year and participate in career activities. These include:
- Career drop down days: Meet the employer
- University visits
- Assemblies
- Work experience in Year 10
- Open evenings
Over the course of the year, all pupils will receive impartial career advice from the Schools Career Advisor. In this meeting, pupils will discuss their career aspirations and be supported in preparing for post-16 opportunities.
Enrichment
Our intent is to deliver a pupil learning experience that is appropriately challenging and meets the needs of individual pupils. We are proud of our wider enrichment offer open to all pupils, which allows children to access a range of activities designed to broaden horizons and to equip them with the confidence to face the future. The programme is changeable throughout the year and continues to adapt according to pupil voice.
To see the current Enrichment Club timetable, please visit Enrichment Clubs | Longfield Academy
Pledges
In order to support our challenging curriculum, we have also developed and invested in a simple but broad set of ‘Pledges’ that pupils are expected to complete during the course of their time at Longfield Academy.
The Pledges initiative encourages and supports our pupils to: –
- Value extra-curricular involvement within and outside of the academy. Through meeting the pledge challenges, pupils gain confidence and valuable life experiences that will help to prepare them for life beyond our academy
- Become actively involved in our wider school community and the community as a whole. By promoting independence and teamwork, pupils can apply new skills and their improved confidence to all aspects of their lives
- Enable pupils to gain important qualities such as leadership, citizenship, moral purpose, sense of community and collective responsibility.
To ensure all pupils work towards gaining their Pledges badges, they will receive regular support and check-ins from their form tutor. However, the onus is on the pupil to ensure all Pledges are complete.
The Pledges system also aims to develop character in all pupils, character that they will take with them allowing them to contribute positively to society and help them to fulfil a happy and healthy life.
Praise and Reward
We are passionate about rewarding success and achievement and there are a number of rewards available to pupils. All areas of Personal Development link into the rewards package within Class Charts, this is where pupils gain positive clicks for pledges, enrichment, careers, attendance and good classwork. Pupils also receive positive clicks for attending or participating in school educational visits including those to further education providers. Points are accrued throughout the academic year and can then be ‘spent’ in the rewards store within Class Charts. There is an array of rewards on offer such as footballs, ‘posh pens’, highlighters, drinks bottles and more. Pupils receive their rewards during Personal Development time or during assembly.
We aim for rewards to out-weigh sanctions. All pupils are awarded achievement points recorded on the ClassCharts system.
Rewards are also given for: –
- Telephone call made to parents / carers, so they know how well pupils are doing
- Awarding departmental certificates
- Sending letters home to parents / carers telling parents / carers how well pupils are doing
- Rewards trips
- Educational visits
- Reward assemblies
- The Year 11 Prom
- End of term celebrations
- Highest earners of green clicks (termly and inclusive of ratio)
- ‘In it to win it’ linked to attendance
- Showcase Rewards where excellent work is celebrated which happens half termly
Other rewards include: –
- Bronze, Silver and Gold Certificates and badges based on the number of pledges earned
- Y11 Leavers Day, Leavers Hoodies and Y11 Prom
Student Council
At Longfield Academy we value the opinion and thoughts of all pupils. A ‘Student Voice’ box is situated in school and pupils are encouraged to share ideas which they feel could make a positive difference to their school.
The school council is a vehicle led by pupils which aims to drive a positive change in our school and the community it serves. All pupils are given the opportunity to apply for the school council and contribute towards whole school improvement. The structure of the school council consists of two senior figures, two deputies and working groups which work in the following areas:
- Enrichment
- Community and fundraising
- Behaviour
- Teaching and learning
The council meets fortnightly and discusses key questions and concerns raised by other pupils from the ‘student voice box’ as well as working on key issues from their working groups. Information is shared with the Senior Leadership Team whose thoughts are then fed back to pupils during Personal Development time where appropriate.
