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Personal Development
The Personal Development opportunities at Great Baddow High School aim to give students an understanding of the world beyond the classroom, and to develop their skills to thrive as successful adults when they leave us.
Our intention is to nurture happy, healthy young people who have the knowledge, academic achievement and strength of character to lead safe and successful lives in modern Britain, preparing them for their next steps in education or employment with a thirst for lifelong learning.
We ensure that every member of our school community knows that we are committed to supporting their physical health, safety, and emotional wellbeing throughout their journey with us.
Collective Worship
At Great Baddow High School, we offer students regular opportunities for collective worship. This is delivered largely through reflection on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of our students’ lives, with emphasis on their character development in the modern world.
Spiritual aspects of this education can include reference to Christianity and other religions but more importantly, is the personal reflection which students participate in, which prompts them to consider their responses to a range of issues, allowing them to develop as critical thinkers.
These opportunities are delivered largely through year group assemblies, reflection and discussion in tutor times, and at pertinent times throughout the curriculum. Through our reflections and collective worship, we aim to offer a sense of awe and wonder for students of all religions and none.
Curriculum, Character and Community
We aim to provide for our students’ broader development under the banners of Curriculum, Character and Community
Curriculum
A comprehensive curriculum for life, embedded across all aspects of schooling and tailored to our pupils’ needs. Personal Development will be delivered effectively and consistently to all pupils by a confident and competent team of staff.
At GBHS we promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive Lessons for Life curriculum. The Lessons for Life curriculum encompasses PSHE, RSE, SMSC and British Values, Emotional Health and Wellbeing and Careers, and is delivered through fortnightly Lessons for Life lessons, weekly tutor sessions, Personal Development Days, special events and workshops, and within curriculum areas.
Personal Development is at the heart of our whole school ethos. We ensure each area of the Personal Development curriculum delivers all aspects of the statutory guidance and reflects our specific needs as a school community, and we provide training for all staff to ensure that all students get the very best we have to offer.
We are proud to have achieved the Quality in Careers Standard in recognition of our careers education, advice and guidance.
Character
Intent: A multitude of opportunities which help our students to explore and express their character. Their school experience will build life skills such as resilience, confidence and empathy and will develop in them the qualities they need to flourish as motivated, mentally healthy adults in society.
Our vibrant and varied Personal Development programme is designed to support students to develop confidence, relationships and transferrable skills which will serve them well in the future. Through the many clubs and societies, our student voice channels and leadership opportunities, we enable students to discover and develop their interests and talents. They learn how to keep themselves safe and make healthy life choices, as well as exploring their beliefs and setting their moral compass.
We place a strong focus on teaching our students to prioritise their physical and mental health and wellbeing, and offer a number of one-to-one and group interventions to support students and teach them techniques to cope with the challenges of modern life.
We reward the students’ excellent attendance, behaviour and engagement in lessons, reinforcing positive life choices and helping the students to behave within a clear system of boundaries and expectations.
View our Club Timetables here.
Community
Intent: A school which is proud to be truly inclusive, and which fosters a culture of tolerance and respect. Students actively contribute to their community, and value the contributions of others. With a strong sense of identity, every student is motivated to thrive in a school which celebrates the development of the whole child.
Great Baddow High School is proud to be a school which celebrates individuality, diversity and community.
Our thriving house system encourages our students to interact in close-knit communities, and promotes inclusion and understanding between different groups of students. The recent launch of our Equality and Diversity Working Group has given students the chance to champion causes they believe in, to educate peers on issues of equality and diversity, and to strive to create a truly inclusive experience for all at GBHS.
The Resource Base for Deaf Students and the SEND department supports learners to access the curriculum and reach their potential; their presence also enables all students to celebrate all abilities and differences in our school.
Our students have many opportunities to volunteer in our community and to develop the skills to be active citizens in the wider world. We value our students’ contributions and reward them for ‘giving back’ through initiatives such as the Leaders, Readers and Mathematician’s Breakfast Club, the Prefect System and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Our students help to shape their school through regular opportunities to be a part of Student Voice panels.
Through the many opportunities for teamwork and togetherness, we strive to foster a culture of tolerance and respect, which celebrates British Values.
Read about our Resource Base for Deaf Students here.
View our Equality and Diversity Information here.
Read about our Local Authority, SEND and Disability Offer here.
