Personal Development

Personal Development at Charlton

Our exceptional Personal Development offer is something we are very proud of. At Charlton it starts with our school vision and values – 'to be an exceptional school where children flourish'.

Flourish not just academically, but also as young people making sense of the world as Kind, Responsible and Happy individuals.

What do we mean by Personal Development?

Pupil Personal Development is the approach we take as a school to ensure that each child’s journey with us includes key experiences that enrich the development of who they are as a person and enhance their 'Cultural capital'. This includes both academic and social aspects of learning such as school trips, class shows, learning about key historical figures and contributing to the life of our school community. 

Cultural Capital - What is it?

Cultural capital refers to the social and cultural knowledge, skills, and attitudes that a person possesses and that can be used to navigate society successfully. Primary schools in the UK have a responsibility to ensure that their pupils continually add to their cultural capital by providing a range of experiences, knowledge, and skills that will help them to thrive in life.

Here are some examples of how Charlton ensures that pupils are continually adding to their cultural capital:

1. Curriculum: The curriculum is designed to provide pupils with a broad range of subjects and experiences that will help them develop their cultural capital. At Charlton, subjects such as history, geography, and literature provide pupils with knowledge about the world around them and the different cultures that exist. The arts, including music, drama, and art, can also help pupils develop cultural awareness and appreciation.

2. Trips and visits: Throughout a pupils' school journey at Charlton, they will experience trips and visits to cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, and theatres. These experiences provide pupils with opportunities to see and learn about different aspects of culture that they may not have encountered before. For example, a visit to a museum might expose pupils to a particular period in history or a scientific concept they hadn't come across before.

3. Extra-curricular activities: Charlton offers extra-curricular activities that allow pupils to explore different aspects of culture in more depth. For example, around the world club, choir, language clubs and sport. 

4. Diversity and inclusion: We strive to create an inclusive and diverse environment where pupils can learn about different cultures and traditions. At Charlton, we celebrate cultural festivals and events, and incorporate different perspectives into the curriculum. For example, a school might explore the history and traditions of Black History Month, or teach pupils about Diwali or Eid.

5. Values and attitudes: Through our core school values and British Values we focus on nurturing values and attitudes that will help pupils succeed in life. At Charlton, we teach our children the 'Charlton Character' . The foundation of these traits and behaviours are through our core values 'Kindness',  'Responsibility', 'Happiness'; we also teach respect, politeness perseverance, resilience, excellence, creativity and teamwork. All of which can help them to develop their cultural awareness and appreciation.

As a school, we play an important role in helping pupils to develop their cultural capital. By providing a broad range of experiences, knowledge, and skills, schools can equip pupils with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly diverse and complex world.