Caldershaw Primary School
Character Education 2021
Our provision for personal development and character education is of a very high standard, embedded across school and integral to our work in the same way as our Health and Wellbeing provision, led by our Health & Wellbeing team and in many aspects they overlap.
We deliver a rigorous and stretching academic education interwoven with outstanding provision for wider personal development to ensure that our children fulfil their potential and achieve their best, in spite of any barriers to learning and development they may face. This combined with our excellent health and wellbeing provision contribute to forming well-educated and rounded children ready for their next stage of learning and development.
We actively promote excellent behaviour and positive character traits, including, perseverance, determination, courtesy, respect, honesty, care, courage and generosity.
We are aspirational for our children
What kind of school are we?
We promote hard work and perseverance. We have high expectations of academic progress and attainment and a desire to ensure outstanding provision for personal development alongside highly supportive health and wellbeing provision. This is embedded throughout school and is articulated by all staff to our children and parents on a daily basis. It is clearly visible in our vision and values statement, our day to day practice and in our extra curricula offer. Our children demonstrate a pride in their work and their achievements but also in the CARE values that we promote and engender in our school. They are proud to be part of our school family. For example:-
- Our CARE (Care; Achieve; Respect; Everyone) values are integral to our reward system, reinforced daily and celebrated each week.
- From the early years (EYFS) we teach our pupils to develop a growth mindset from the outset not only in their academic learning but also in their personal and social development and in the wide range of extracurricular activities and clubs which all children are encouraged to access.
- We have embedded the myHappymind programme across school, teaching children the science behind their thought and behaviour processes, supporting their self-regulation and mental wellbeing.
- In PE and extracurricular sports clubs and sports teams, our children are taught the importance of the Olympic Values of excellence, respect and fairness and are rewarded for displaying these values with our PE stars awards. They are offered a wide range of physical activities to increase participation and promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
- PSHE and RSE is delivered consistently across school through Discovery Education Health and Relationships programme.
- Once in KS2 our children become part of Rochdale Children’s University and are encouraged to participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities inside and outside school to widen their experiences, develop new skills and raise their self-esteem and confidence. The vast majority of our clubs are free to all children and delivered by our staff before and after school and at lunchtimes and (pre pandemic) each year at least 50 children graduate at a special graduation ceremony hosted by Rochdale 6th Form College.
- Our highly effective School and Eco councils include pupils elected by their classmates from Y2 to Y6, who attend weekly meetings and feedback to their classmates, and leading the school in our Eco work and in the case of our School Council through their social action led annual Big Action Plan developing children’s understanding of what it is to be a good citizen.
- Our Happiness Heroes are able to support all children through their Wellbeing Ambassador training and our Sport Leaders support playground games and activities at playtimes.
What are the expectations of behaviour towards each other?
Our children’s behaviour is excellent. Their conduct in lessons and around school shows that they have a clear understanding of school’s expectations. We use a wide range of positive behaviour strategies and we celebrate good behaviour, achievement and personal development with our Star of the Week, Achievement and myHappymind awards. We have only had one fixed term exclusion in 12 years and where children need support we are quick to implement a range of support strategies to help them and where behaviour may be linked to a SEND need we are skilled at rapidly identifying and putting in place effective support.
