Developing Academic Progress and Community Cohesion through the Schools' Personal Health and Well-being Programme

Why this is leading practice

Duty of Schools to promote Community Cohesion was added to the Education and Inspections Act in September 2007 and since then the school has made significant progress in this area thanks to the Personal Development and Emotional Well-Being Programme. The programme has also been used as a major tool in helping to develop the pupils' academic progress. Using the Schools Personal Development and Emotional Well-Being Programme as the driving force to develop both of these areas is innovative and forward thinking and therefore leading practice.

Impact to date

• Top performing school in Worcestershire
• Marked improvement in academic achievement on targeted children
• Improved behaviour (particularly at lunchtime)
• Improved punctuality and attendance
• Significant improvement in literacy and numeracy results

Rationale / Start Point

When the school opened in 2007 the Head Teacher and Govenors took the innovative step of appointing a member of staff to lead the School's Personal Development and Emotional Well-being programme. This is an unusual appointmment in a Primary School but through the following aspects the programme has been a success and academic progress and community cohesion have developed to a high standard because of it;

• Specialist High Quality PE teaching
• Curriculum relevant to the pupils
• Extensive extra curricular programme - onsite and in the community
• Learning through Sport Initiatives
• Effective PSHCE programme
• An effectiveHouse System
• Residential opportunites 

Key Strategies

• The vision of the Headteacher is  vital to this development and underpins the whole ethos of the school
• The ethos and vision is embedded within everything.
• Staff are appointed on the clear understanding that they can work within this ethos
• It is a whole school approach
• There is evidence of excellent tracking of targeted pupils for impact
• PSHCE is given discrete time in the curriculum
• The skills and dedication of the PDEHWB leader are essential to lead the work

Sustainability and Further Development

The development is clearly sustainable and drives the whole school ethos

• To develop a holistic PSHCE curriculum which encompasses the SEAL materials rather than having ‘bolt ons’ to the SEAL materials
• To develop the PE curriculum in line with the new primary curriculum focussing on outcomes rather than activity
• To implement the Praise and Reward system for lunchtimes
• To further develop work on diversity using links with other schools as well as international links
• To further involve parents in the work