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Howden School

Howden School

Personal Development

Personal Development at Howden School is a key part of delivering our vision and intent for the school. Our personal development programme helps to build character and experiences which enable our students to leave Howden and be a success. We aim to provide students with the opportunity to reflect upon and identify their own character whilst understanding their place within the wider world. Throughout their time at Howden, students have the opportunity to place themselves into the context of modern society, ensuring they can discuss, debate and accept a wider variety of opinions and attitudes which may differ from their own. There is no one single strand to “Personal Development”, and all staff play a part in ensuring students have a rich and fulfilling experience.

Team Howden Values and British Values

Underpinning all our work on Personal Development is the concept of “Team Howden and the five House values:

Excellence

Respect

Equality

Inspiration

Resilience

We aim to build these values into all our planning and curriculum design.

These values are delivered alongside the British values of “Democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance.” “Justice and trust” are closely linked to “democracy and the rule of law”.  “Individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance” are again closely linked, reflecting the school’s values of “compassion and forgiveness”.

Students are given frequent opportunities to reflect upon both the British Values in tutor time, lessons, Deep learning days and enrichment/cultural opportunities.

The Howden School Journey:

No year is wasted at Howden School and we understand that no two students’ journey will be the same. However, our students can share similar experiences and opportunities in order to shape who they are. Throughout a student’s time at school, we provide them with opportunities to reflect upon who they are as a person, what their aspirations are, what they want to do and change and ensure they have all the skills to become the person they want to be.

High quality Teaching and Learning: Students are provided with the opportunity to place their learning into a wider context across the curriculum. This may include exploring real life experiences/examples or linking the current learning to future careers and aspirations.

The extra-curricular programme: Students of all key stages take part in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. The offer of extra-curricular is continually developed and refined to meet the ever changing needs of students. 

Trips and Visits: Students are given the opportunity to go on a variety of trips or visits which are both local and further afield. Students are encouraged to engage with cultural opportunities which go beyond their day-to-day experience at school.

Enrichment Activities: All students take part in the enrichment programme, specific to their year journey within school. This may include Deep Days such as “Prison me no way” or “Industry Days”.

Form Tutor ProgrammeStudents are also given weekly opportunities to explore wider society issues, aspects of culture, British Values and opportunities through the weekly news and. This highlights a range of difference voices, opinions and attitudes whilst fostering debate and discussion. Form tutors create an open and inclusive environment where all students feel comfortable exploring their personal values.

Cultural Opportunities: We believe it is important every student experiences a wide range of cultural experiences. For those students who have had limited cultural experience outside of school, we aim to go the extra mile for these students. Opportunities for 2021-2022 include Live Theatre and film experience, photography and cultural visits to art galleries, outdoor adventure and Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Life Long Learning: These lessons are designed to both sit separately to and complement the academic provision. Every student in Year 7, 9 and 10 has a weekly lesson, which aims to widen the students’ experiences. These are bespoke lessons and the focus will change yearly. Students will have the opportunity to earn qualifications in Art, ICT and Linguistics, develop their literacy, reading and numeracy. Students will also experience a range of cultural and academic catch up.

CEIAG Careers: Our students experience a range of careers enhancement as part of their curriculum. All students complete 1 hour of dedicated careers learning per week in Year 11.

Sport Leaders is delivered in Year 9 and students experience a wider and deeper range of learning as a result.

Accelerated Reader Programme: Year 7 students take part in the accelerated reader programme to ensure they continue to develop as readers when they join Team Howden.

Literacy Plus is a course delivered to students most in need of literacy and reading support. This enable all students to progress well.

Confucius Institute: Howden School is a partnered with the Confucius Institute. Students at Howden School encounter a range of MFL experiences.