Intent

At Thomas Whitehead CE Academy we want our children to be happy, resilient, stimulated, engaged, busy, sociable, independent, confident, curious, to challenge themselves and become creative individuals.
This can only be achieved when health and wellbeing is nurtured and encouraged both through our day to day interactions with the children and through specific teaching which promotes a healthy mind set and nurtures emotional wellbeing at the heart. These areas are key to brain growth and therefore learning.
Our Personal Development Curriculum develops the skills and attributes our children need to thrive as individuals and as part of a wider community, both now and in the future. We have carefully selected an approach that is suitable for the needs our our children and supports children with SEND with its visual, musical and practical approach. The Jigsaw Scheme of Work brings PSHE to life with resources and characters used in each class from Preschool up to Year 6.   

Implementation

Our curriculum includes:

• The Jigsaw Programme- a mindful approach to Personal, Social and Health Education, Relationship and Sex Education, and British Values which runs across the whole school
• SMSC- A focus on spiritual, moral, cultural and social education through Religious Education, Worship, our whole school Values and through carefully planned topic work
• Physical Literacy developed through the wide range of physical equipment used in our Early Years provision and the Healthy Movers scheme for early years, Rising Stars PE lessons, opportunities to develop physical life skills with Bikeability and Swimming, an active play approach during lunch periods, use of our Golden Mile track and encouragement to travel actively to school
• Healthy Eating is encouraged through providing healthy snacks for the younger children, encouraging children to drink water regularly throughout the day, healthy school lunches and through carefully planned topic work
• Mindfulness – developed through the Jigsaw programme. Our whole school approach to growth mindset and promoting independence through C3B4ME which is fostered through day to day oral literacy and evident through displays around the school
• British Values – evident in the Jigsaw scheme of work.. We have appointed team members through a democratic voting system for School Council, Light Leaders and House Captains. Half termly meetings are conducted and children are given the platform to make positive changes to our school. We celebrate key events including parliament week as a whole school and actively partake in wider school opportunities to engage with our local community