Personal Development Learning
On a Monday to Thursday pupils have a 40 minute PDL session with their tutor. During PDL, pupils work in small sized tutor groups. Each tutor group has a mixture of pupils from each year group, three or four from each year.
Each week during PDL pupils will explore activities around a given theme; they will have the chance to work on a small project within their family group, take part in a debate or discussion around the theme of the week, explore current affairs, as well as having the chance to take part in a house competition. Tutors will also have the chance to celebrate any tutee successes or special occasions at any point throughout the year.
The activities are designed to build on pupils' 'virtues' and character development these are;
- Intellectual virtues
- Moral virtues
- Civic virtues
- Performance virtues
Tutors know every pupil well, and the tutor group system allows them to mentor and monitor the development of potential in each pupil and helps to promotes equal opportunities for all pupils. It also allows for greater parent partnership, enhanced pupil voice and leadership, and encourages good citizenship.
PDL aims to to focus on the following:
- Developing responsible, active citizens who are able to play their part and become involved in public life as adults
- To broaden pupils’ horizons through a range of spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities.
- To develop pupils’ interpersonal strengths; sense of purpose, gratitude, ‘heart’, honesty
- To develop pupils’ intrapersonal strengths; growth mindset, optimism, self-control, perseverance
- To develop pupils’ intellectual strengths; curiosity, a zest for life, critical thinking, communication
- To develop and provide opportunities for pupils’ civil virtues; volunteering, neighbourliness, community awareness and spirit
- To develop and provide opportunities for pupils’ performance virtues; leadership, teamwork, motivation, confidence
- To promote and debate current affairs and world events
- To promote British Values
Tutor time is also used effectively by tutors to support the pastoral care of pupils. Tutor mentoring and tracking along with attendance/behaviour and uniform checks are activities that are embedded each day in our tutor time activities.
AUTUMN 1 |
WEEKLY PDL THEME |
WEEK 1 6th September |
What is our school community? Civic virtues; citizenship, community awareness |
WEEK 2 13th September |
How can we help our local community? Civic virtues; service, volunteering |
WEEK 3 20th September |
How can we help our wider community? Civic virtues; civility, neighbourliness Moral virtues; respect |
WEEK 4 27th September |
How can I look after myself? Moral virtues; gratitude |
WEEK 5 4th October |
How can I look after others? Moral virtues; justice, respect |
WEEK 6 11th October |
How can I keep myself safe? Intellectual virtues; autonomy, curiosity, judgement |
WEEK 7 18th October |
How do I help to keep others safe? Intellectual virtues; compassion, honesty, justice |
AUTUMN 2 |
|
WEEK 1 1st November |
How bad is stress really? Performance virtues; resilience |
WEEK 2 8th November |
Stand Up/Speak Out Performance virtues; confidence, teamwork |
WEEK 3 15th November |
Men and Mental Health Moral virtues; compassion |
WEEK 4 22nd November |
Stress Busters Performance virtues; resilience, perseverance Intellectual virtues; reflection |
WEEK 5 29th November |
How to Change the World! Performance virtues; teamwork Civic virtues; community awareness, volunteering |
WEEK 6 6th December |
Xmas Hampers Performance virtues; teamwork Civic virtues; community awareness, volunteering |
WEEK 7 13th December |
Xmas Hampers Performance virtues; teamwork Civic virtues; community awareness, volunteering |
SPRING 1 |
|
WEEK 1 4TH January |
Diversity – disability Intellectual virtues; curiosity, judgement Moral virtues; humility, respect |
WEEK 2 10th January |
Diversity- body shaming Intellectual virtues; curiosity, judgement Moral virtues; compassion, empathy, respect |
WEEK 3 17th January |
Diversity – racism Intellectual virtues; curiosity, judgement Moral virtues; empathy, respect |
WEEK 4 24th January |
Diversity – holocaust Intellectual virtues; critical thinking, reflection Moral virtues; compassion, empathy |
WEEK 5 31st January |
Diversity – invisible illness Intellectual virtues; curiosity, Moral virtues; compassion, empathy, humility, respect |
WEEK 6 7th February |
Diversity –LGBTQ+ Intellectual virtues; curiosity, judgement Moral virtues;, respect |
WEEK 7 14th February
|
Global diversity Intellectual virtues; curiosity, judgement Moral virtues; compassion, empathy, humility, respect |
SPRING 2 |
|
WEEK 1 28th February |
Education in developing countries Intellectual virtues; curiosity, judgement, reflection |
WEEK 2 7th March |
Comic relief Civic virtues; community awareness Performance virtues; teamwork |
WEEK 3 14th March |
We Are One project Intellectual virtues; resourcefulness, autonomy Performance virtues; confidence, teamwork |
WEEK 4 21st March |
We Are One project Intellectual virtues; resourcefulness, autonomy Performance virtues; confidence, teamwork |
WEEK 5 28th March |
We Are One project Intellectual virtues; resourcefulness, autonomy Performance virtues; confidence, teamwork |
WEEK 6 4th April |
We are one project Civic virtues; service, volunteering |
SUMMER 1 |
|
WEEK 1 25th April |
Grow your own Civic virtues; civility |
WEEK 2 2nd May |
Red Cross Intellectual virtues; critical thinking Performance virtues; teamwork |
WEEK 3 9th May |
Nursing around the world Intellectual virtues; critical thinking Performance virtues; teamwork |
WEEK 4 16th May |
Mental health around the world Intellectual virtues; critical thinking, autonomy Moral virtues; compassion |
WEEK 5 23rd May |
Food supply Intellectual virtues; critical thinking, |
SUMMER 2 |
|
WEEK 1 6TH June |
Protecting our oceans Intellectual virtues; critical thinking, Civic virtues; community awareness |
WEEK 2 13th June |
World health organisation Intellectual virtues; critical thinking, Civic virtues; community awareness |
WEEK 3 20th June |
School diversity week Moral virtues; respect Civic virtues; community awareness, volunteering |
WEEK 4 26th June |
World wellbeing week Intellectual virtues; reflection, autonomy |
WEEK 5 4th July
|
Go Global project Intellectual virtues; resourcefulness, autonomy Performance virtues; confidence, teamwork |
WEEK 6 11th July |
Go global project Intellectual virtues; resourcefulness, autonomy Performance virtues; confidence, teamwork |
WEEK 7 18th July |
Go global project Intellectual virtues; resourcefulness, autonomy Performance virtues; confidence, teamwork |