St. John’s Personal Development Curriculum
At St. John’s Catholic Primary School, our Personal Development Curriculum is designed to support pupils in becoming healthy, independent and responsible members of society. It promotes their personal and social development, enhances their understanding of moral, social and cultural issues, and enables them to recognise their rights, responsibilities and role within a diverse community. We are committed to fostering confidence, self-worth and a strong sense of contribution, ensuring that every child is equipped to participate positively in school life and the wider world.
Curriculum Components
Our Personal Development Curriculum encompasses a broad range of elements, including:
- PSHE/RSE
- Catholic Life
- Fundamental British Values
- Pupil Voice
- Sporting Events
- Enrichment Clubs
- Wider Curriculum and Educational Visits
- Careers' Education
- Praise Culture
- BHCET Virtues
PSHE/RSE
Our PSHE/RSE curriculum provides pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of modern life. It includes:
- protected characteristics
- safeguarding (including road safety)
- sexual harassment
- child-on-child abuse
- online safety
- anti-bullying
- financial education
- Contextual safeguarding and PSHE
Safeguarding is embedded across the curriculum and taught progressively to ensure pupils develop age-appropriate understanding and confidence.
Catholic Life
Christ is at the centre of all we do at St. John’s. As part of the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, we are committed to providing pupils with opportunities to ‘live and serve’ within the Catholic community and to grow into the people God calls them to be. Catholic Social Teaching underpins our policies, decision-making and daily practice, ensuring that the dignity of every individual is upheld and that the most vulnerable remain at the heart of our mission.
The Mini Vinnies lead charitable initiatives throughout the liturgical year. Their work includes Harvest collections, food bank donations and outreach projects. They guide the school community through the CAFOD Lenten Appeal.
As a Catholic community, we are proud to maintain strong links with our parish. Pupils join the parish family weekly for Mass and the school actively supports the sacramental preparation programme for First Holy Communion.
Fundamental British Values
The Fundamental British Values are woven through our curriculum and signposted to our children incidentally. We also use Picture News as a resource to encourage meaningful dialogue about current news and world issues. Our pupils know that their voice and opinions matter.
Pupil Voice
At St. John's we are proactive with pupil and parental voice. We take every opportunity to engage with our school community to seek out their views and wishes and make changes in response to the feedback we receive. Our pupil voice is also reflected in the enrichment timetable we offer.
Sporting Events
As a member of the Stockton Schools Partnership, children are given the opportunity to participate in activities such as Football and Athletics across the academic year. Our Sports Leaders facilitate games and activities during lunchtimes for children throughout the school. By participating in competitions and festivals, our pupils receive the opportunity to develop their confidence and resilience whilst working as a team.
Wider Curriculum
Each class attends at least one educational visit per year which are linked to the curriculum. In addition to our local trips, all Year 6 children have the opportunity to attend a two-night residential at an outdoor activity centre. Our Year 5 pupils visit the Diocesan Youth Village for a two-night retreat and residential stay. At the end of the summer term, our Year 6s are also invited to attend a sleepover at school to celebrate the end of their time at St. John's.
Wider Opportunities
Throughout the year, we participate in many national wider opportunities including: World Mental Health Day, Remembrance Day, Road Safety Week, Bikeability, Anti-Bullying Week, Holocaust Memorial Day, National Storytelling Week, Fairtrade Fortnight and World Book Day.
Careers' Education
Engaging with professionals from a wide range of fields enables pupils to broaden their understanding of the world of work as they continue on their journey of self-discovery at St. John's. These encounters help them develop aspirations, recognise their strengths and appreciate the diverse opportunities available to them as they grow.
Praise Culture
Each week, we celebrate Stars of the Week, WOW Wednesday Winners, Trust Virtue Winners, TTRS Winners and when someone has consistently demonstrated these qualities across all aspects of school life, Ambassadors of St. John's. At the end of the school year, we also award the Rea Cup and the Spirit of St. John's award to two individuals. Dojo points are given to children for following our school rules ‘Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Safe’. These points are collected each week and the winning house is announced in Celebration Assembly.
BHCET Virtues
As part of BHCET, we promote the virtues of: Compassion and Justice, Honesty and Self-Belief, Respect and Responsibility and Confidence and Resilience. These virtues are woven through our curriculum and are designed to help children develop their sense of self and be ready to move with confidence onto the next part of their educational journey and beyond.