Student’s Personal Development

Each student’s personal development occurs throughout the school day and throughout their school career. However, in Years 7-11, this becomes the focus for one lesson each week, whilst in the Sixth Form this doubles.

Most SPD lessons are delivered by the form tutor and will cover a wide range of subjects including social relationships, emotional wellbeing, bullying, understanding self and others, as well as sex, health and drugs education. These sessions provide a welcome opportunity to explore social and moral issues in a safe environment, one where students can try out their ideas and understandings both with their peers and their tutor.

We aim to bring in a variety of outside speakers to enrich our students’ experience and have had visits from speakers as diverse as those representing Alcoholics Anonymous, the Teenage Cancer Trust, the Army Student Presentation Team and Bristol Magistrates along with many more. Older students are encouraged to assist in delivering some of the areas covered by SPD and have been particularly helpful in areas such as anti-bullying and work on social relationships.

In the Sixth Form, students are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their own personal development with their form tutors. This is a time where critical issues can be debated in a more mature style, where choices about university and careers are discussed, with plenty of time devoted to preparation for life after school and UCAS applications.