Personal Development

Personal Development Narrative 

At St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, the aim of our Personal Development Curriculum is to enable our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of our society. It supports children with their personal and social development, and develops their understanding of the moral, social and cultural aspects of society and life. We provide our children with opportunities for them to learn about rights and responsibilities and appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse community. Our children are encouraged to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life, the wider community and is integral to the development of children’s values for them to become positive citizens in an ever-changing community. 

 

Our Character Virtues 

Our Personal development programme is firmly rooted in character virtues we believe are gifted to us through Christ. We intentionally nurture these virtues in every child, supporting their growth in character as they journey through school. These virtues are central to our Christian ethos and underpin the skills, attitudes and dispositions pupils need to thrive beyond the classroom. They are taught explicitly, embedded throughout the curriculum and recognised weekly through our Celebration Assembly. 

 

 

Catholic Life and Catholic Social Teaching 

Christ is at the centre of all that we do at St. Joseph’s. As a member of the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, we strive to offer our children as many opportunities to respond to the call to 'live and serve' in the Catholic community and work closely with internal and external organisations to provide them with the chance to be who 'God has made them to be' - St. Catherine of Siena.  

Catholic Social Teaching is the Church’s rich tradition of reflection on how we live together in community, guided by the Gospel values of dignity, justice, and the common good. At our school, these principles are woven throughout our curriculum and daily practice. We encourage pupils to recognise the inherent worth of every person, to act with compassion, and to take responsibility for shaping a fairer world. Through our lessons, liturgy, and wider school life, we help children understand themes such as solidarity, stewardship of creation, and the preferential option for the poor, enabling them to grow as thoughtful, active, and faith‑filled citizens. 

 

British Values 

At St Joseph’s, we promote fundamental British Values and foster mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Our collective worship reflects the diverse religious backgrounds within our community, and we actively encourage pupils to show respect and understanding towards people of all faiths, cultures and traditions. 

Our approach to British Values is rooted in the teachings and example of Jesus, whose message of love, welcome and inclusion is central to Catholic Social Teaching. We strongly value the celebration of individuality and difference and recognise our shared calling to work for the Common Good, serving others with compassion and respect. 

British Values are taught explicitly, woven throughout the curriculum and school life, and explored weekly during Picture News assemblies. 

 

 

Protected Characteristics 

At St Joseph’s, all forms of discrimination are unacceptable and are actively challenged. Our pupils are taught to show respect for everyone, and those with protected characteristics are supported to feel safe, valued, included and a true sense of belonging. We ensure that every pupil is treated with equality and dignity, and we explicitly teach about protected characteristics to help children understand, respect and value the differences they will encounter both within our school community and in wider society. 

Our pupils recognise that they are part of a diverse world and will meet people with a wide range of experiences and identities. As children of God, they learn that they have a responsibility to treat all people with respect and compassion, upholding the dignity of every human person. 

As a Catholic school, our approach is rooted in the belief that every individual is made in the image and likeness of God. The dignity of the human person lies at the heart of all Church teaching and is central to how we live, learn and relate to one another. 

We embed age‑appropriate teaching about protected characteristics across the curriculum so that all pupils leave our school with a secure understanding of equality and a strong sense of moral responsibility towards others. 

 

 

 

PSHE and RSE Curriculum 

Our PSHE and RSE curriculum has been carefully designed to enable our children to grow into confident, independent and respectful members of society. It addresses the topics most relevant to our pupils and reflects the context of the community in which they are growing up. The curriculum is structured around six key strands: Citizenship, Community, Staying Safe, Relationships and Growing Up, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Healthy Lifestyles and Wellbeing. 

PSHE is taught through weekly sessions in every class. Elements of the programme are drawn from the Ten:Ten RSE scheme and are further supplemented with additional high‑quality resources to ensure a coherent and progressive PSHE and RSE curriculum. This spiral approach enables children to revisit and build upon prior learning, deepening their understanding over time. The curriculum explicitly includes important themes such as safeguarding, sexual harassment, child‑on‑child abuse, protected characteristics and online safety. These themes are taught intentionally through a planned sequence of lessons, rather than being addressed only in response to incidents. 

Teachers make meaningful links across the wider curriculum to support learning in PSHE, helping pupils to understand the practical steps they can take to protect and promote their own health, safety and wellbeing, as well as that of others. Learning is evidenced through pupils’ active participation, with books showcasing independent work, collaborative tasks, role‑play and discussion‑based activities. 

We aim to create a safe and supportive learning environment in which all children feel able to express their views, discuss relevant issues and learn without fear of judgement. Pupil voice is central to our approach and is regularly gathered through learning walks and through a range of pupil leadership and participation groups, including the School Council, Community Crew, Searchlights, Mini Vinnies, Chaplaincy and Sunshine Crew. 

In delivering relationships and sex education, we place a strong emphasis on working in partnership with parents. Parents are kept informed, consulted and given opportunities to contribute to decisions about how and what their children learn, enabling learning to be supported and reinforced at home. 

Sporting Opportunities 

Stockton Schools Sport Partnership works with schools to promote healthy and active lifestyles for all pupils. The partnership supports schools in developing high‑quality physical education, school sport and competitive opportunities, helping children build physical, social and emotional skills and develop a lifelong enjoyment of physical activity. 

Through its support offer, the partnership helps schools to increase pupil participation in regular physical activity, strengthen staff confidence and expertise in delivering P.E. and sport, broaden access to a wide range of sporting opportunities, and encourage competitive sport. Sport is also used as a tool to support wider whole‑school improvement and positive outcomes for pupils. 

Pupils have access to a wide range of sporting opportunities across the year, including the Sports Leadership Academy, cross country, tag rugby, football, athletics, netball and cricket. Our school Sports Leaders play an active role in promoting physical activity by organising and leading inclusive lunchtime sports activities for pupils across the school. 

Through regular participation in competitions and festivals, pupils represent the school at a variety of local events and sporting activities. These experiences support children in developing confidence, resilience and teamwork skills, while also fostering a positive attitude towards physical activity and sport.

 

 

Enrichment Clubs 

The school offers a wide and inclusive extra‑curricular programme organised across four key strands: Academic, Social, Community and Character. This approach ensures that pupils can develop a broad range of interests, skills and personal qualities beyond the classroom. 

A diverse range of clubs is available (and all are free), including arts and crafts, film club, netball, multi‑sports, football, choir, board games, animation, cooking, science and STEM, story club, mindfulness and gardening. These opportunities support pupils’ creativity, teamwork, resilience and wellbeing, while also promoting positive attitudes to learning. 

Partnerships with our local secondary school, St. Michael’s Catholic Academy, further enhance this provision, providing pupils with access to specialist facilities and tuition through various sports including trampolining, art, ukulele and keyboard clubs. 

Collectively, our extra‑curricular offer makes a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development, helping them to build confidence, develop character, and engage positively with their community. 

 

Pupil Leadership 

The school places a strong emphasis on pupil leadership and pupil voice, providing a wide range of opportunities for pupils to take on meaningful roles and responsibilities. Leadership groups include Mini Vinnies, Community Crew, Sports Leaders, Chaplains, Reading Crew, Searchlights, Sunshine Crew and the School Council. Pupils are voted into these roles by their peers, promoting the British values of democracy, mutual respect and individual liberty, and ensuring that children have a genuine voice within the life of the school. 

Through these leadership roles, pupils contribute to decision‑making, support others and take responsibility for initiatives that benefit both the school and the wider community. These opportunities help pupils develop confidence, communication skills, teamwork and a strong sense of social responsibility, making a significant contribution to their personal development and developing character, leadership and active citizenship. 

 

Wider Curriculum 

Our curriculum extends beyond the classroom and is enriched through carefully planned local visits that are closely linked to learning across subjects. These include visits such as Tees Barrage, Captain Cook Museum, Seaton seaside and local theatres. These experiences deepen pupils’ understanding, bring learning to life and ensure knowledge is meaningful and memorable. By making purposeful links between classroom learning and real-world contexts, we support pupils’ developing a secure knowledge, skills and cultural capital through a broad and ambitious curriculum. 

In Year 5 children can attend a two-night stay at the Youth Ministry Village which provide children with an opportunity to deepen their faith and engage in spiritual development. These retreats offer a combination of prayer, reflection, team-building activities, and group discussions that encourage personal growth, faith formation, and a deeper understanding of our Catholic values. In Year 6, pupils attend Carlton Outdoor Centre for 3 days of outdoor adventurous activity.  

 

Wider Opportunities 

Throughout the year, pupils take part in a wide range of national and global initiatives that enhance personal development, social awareness and enrichment. These include Science Week, STEM Day, Black History Month, World Mental Health Day, Remembrance Day, Road Safety Week, Bikeability, Anti-Bullying Week, Holocaust Memorial Day, National Storytelling Week, Fairtrade Fortnight, World Book Day, World Maths Day, World Poetry Day and Walk to School Week. 

These opportunities promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, helping them to understand their place in the world, develop respect for others and build positive attitudes to learning and wellbeing, ensuring pupils are well-prepared for life beyond school and equipped with the knowledge, values and experiences needed to thrive. 

  

Career Readiness 

The school places a strong emphasis on providing high‑quality careers education, guidance and inspiration to help pupils develop aspirations and excitement about their future pathways. A structured programme of careers events takes place throughout the year, supporting children to broaden their understanding of the world of work and the opportunities available to them. 

A wide range of professionals from different industries and services are invited into school to share their personal journeys through education, training and employment. These encounters help pupils understand the skills, qualities and resilience needed to succeed in different careers. In addition to face‑to‑face visits, pupils also participate in virtual careers events and webinars, ensuring access to a diverse range of role models. 

Careers activities are carefully linked to the PSHE curriculum to ensure relevance and progression. For example, sessions with professionals such as paramedics support learning around health, wellbeing and public service, helping pupils to make meaningful connections between curriculum learning and real‑world careers. 

This comprehensive approach contributes strongly to pupils’ personal development, raising aspirations, challenging stereotypes and supporting social mobility. 

 

Praise Culture 

The school has a strong culture of praise and recognition, which encourages pupils to demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and behaviour. Alongside weekly character virtue certificates, pupils are awarded virtue stickers when they actively demonstrate the school’s values through their actions and learning and a Star of the Week! We hold termly celebrations with families to celebrate pupils’ achievements, including a ‘Shining Light’ award, attendance and children with the highest behaviour points. 

Positive behaviour is further reinforced using behaviour points, which are awarded to pupils for following the school rules of Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Safe. These points are collected weekly, with behaviour winners announced for each class and house, promoting motivation, healthy competition and teamwork. Reading is also celebrated, with weekly rewards for the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 classes that record the most reading at home. 

This consistent and purposeful approach to praise and reward supports pupils’ behaviour and attitudes and contributes significantly to their personal development, promoting positive behaviour, motivation and a love of learning. 

 

 

 

Wellbeing 

‘Love at the heart of everything we do…’ 

 

Vision and Values  

Our school is committed to nourishing the whole child, mind, body and soul. We are committed to nurturing children’s emotional wellbeing, resilience, and positive mental health. We believe every child has the right to feel safe, valued, and supported. Our approach is rooted in our school virtues: compassion, respect, resilience, responsibility, justice, self-belief, honesty, confidence.  

  

Aims  

• To create a safe, inclusive environment where wellbeing is prioritised.  

• To identify and respond to wellbeing needs early.  

• To provide a graduated response to need, ensuring appropriate support.  

• To work in partnership with families and external agencies.  

 

  

Graduated Response to Need  

Tier 1 - Universal Offer  

All pupils benefit from:  

• A nurturing school ethos and positive relationships.  

• A bespoke PSHE curriculum including emotional literacy, resilience, and mental health.  

• Daily check-ins and emotional regulation strategies e.g. Zones of Regulation.  

• Access to calm spaces and sensory tools.  

• All staff trained in trauma-informed, inclusive and restorative practice.  

• Restorative whole school approach to behaviour.  

• Celebration of the Word, Creative Prayer, Assemblies promoting wellbeing themes.  

• Our ‘Sunshine Crew’ have been trained as peer mentors to offer emotional support to other children.  

• After school enrichment opportunities free of charge or all pupils, including, cheer, dance, art, craft, Bible study, multi sports, football. Additionally, we go to St. Michael’s for trampolining, basketball, football, music and other specialist activities.  

• Trained Y5 Sports Leaders who organise and encourage game playing at break times, to ensure no one feels left out.  

• Lunchtime ‘nurture group’ for children who find busy playgrounds overwhelming.   

• Opportunities for pupil voice and leadership, including Community Crew, School Council, Mini Vinnies, Chaplains, Sunshine Crew, Sports Leaders, Searchlights, Reading Crew.  

• All children attend trips to enhance learning, including a Y6 trip to London, various sports events with Stockton School Partnership and residentials to the Youth Village and Carlton. School support families with the cost of trips.  

• Whole class interventions with Alliance Psychological services, delivering ‘5 weeks to wellbeing’.  

• Whole class intervention with Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation, delivering a ‘Sports Behaviour Workshop’ to encourage fair play and inclusivity.  

• ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ intervention delivered to the whole classes.  

• We provide low-cost wrap around care, based in school.  

  

Tier 2 - Targeted Support  

For pupils with emerging or short-term needs, class teachers and Sarah Harrison our school Parent Support Worker & Wellbeing lead will guide support for the child and family.   

• Small group interventions with Alliance, including positive friendship groups, resilience support.  

• Time with a chosen designated adult in school.  

• Attendance and punctuality support with the PSA.  

• If there is a safeguarding need? Support from the pastoral team.  

• Is there a SEN need? Meeting with Miss Black our SENDCO.  

• Access to mentoring or peer support programmes.   

• Referrals to school-based counselling including Rainbows Bereavement Group, delivered by Mrs Bell.   

• Lego therapy delivered by school staff.  

• Thrive assessment by Miss Black. 

  

Tier 3 – Specialist Support  

For pupils with complex or ongoing needs, the headteacher, SENDCO and parent support worker will guide and organise support.  

• Individualised support plans.  

• (TAF) Team around the family meetings to engage a multi-agency approach - agency involvement; CAMHS, Early Help, Educational Psychology.  

• Reasonable adjustments and personalised provision within school.  

• 1:1 school based therapeutic counselling delivered by our specially trained counsellor (Lisa) from The Bungalow Project each Thursday.  

• Daisy from Future Steps, works in school each Wednesday, she provides assessments to identify sensory and emotional regulation needs, providing tailored programmes to support regulation.  

• Mark Ralphs from Stockton Local Authority offers targeted interventions.   

• Behaviour support from the West View Project. 

• Family support for housing, food, fuel, and financial hardship via support from our PSA.  

• Regular review meetings with parents/carers and professionals