Personal Development and Wellbeing at Endeavour Academy

At Endeavour, we want every young person to feel valued, confident and ready for their future. Our Personal Development and Wellbeing programme helps pupils grow academically, emotionally and socially, guided by our four core values: Achieve, Kindness, Trust and Respect.

Strong Daily Routines that Support Success

Every lesson begins with clarity and purpose. Our Credit Sheet system gives pupils simple, real‑time feedback on their effort, behaviour, engagement and personal target, helping them build positive habits and understand what success looks like.

Personal Targets that Build Confidence

Each child works on personalised goals linked to their EHCP outcomes. Staff select targets from a structured bank covering communication, learning skills, emotional wellbeing and independence, making personal development practical and achievable.

This is supported by weekly tracking of credit scores, so we can celebrate progress and identify pupils who may need extra support.

Theme of the Week (TOTW) - At the Heart of School Life

Theme of the Week (TOTW) is one of the most important parts of our Personal Development culture. Each week focuses on a specific value, skill or awareness theme that helps pupils understand themselves, others and the wider world.

TOTW is built into:

Curriculum planning: subjects make explicit links to the weekly theme
Tutor time: pupils explore the focus through discussion,resources, reflection and vocabulary
Assemblies: the theme frames our celebrations, messages and shared learning

This approach ensures every child receives a consistent, whole‑school message about character, citizenship and behaviour.

Wellbeing: Understanding and Supporting Every Child

We use the PGIS (Personal Growth Initiative Scale) to help pupils reflect on how they see themselves in relation to our school values. This self‑assessment helps us understand their emotional wellbeing and track improvement across the year.

For Looked After Children, we also use the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to provide additional insight and ensure the right support is in place.

A Graduated Approach to Support

Using information from PGIS, credit tracker scores, personal targets and staff observations, we identify pupils who may need further support. We then offer targeted interventions such as emotional literacy, critical thinking skills, mentoring, Dog therapy, SaLT, resilience work or social‑skills support. Progress is closely monitored so interventions remain effective and meaningful.

Personal Development in the Curriculum

KS3

All KS3 pupils receive timetabled Personal Development lessons that help them build:

Resilience
Respect
Social understanding
Emotional regulation

These lessons give pupils the tools they need to form positive relationships and make good decisions.

KS4

All pupils in KS4 complete two nationally recognised qualifications:

King’s Trust Level 2 Award in Personal Development and Employability
BTEC Level 2 in Personal Growth and Wellbeing

These courses equip pupils with essential life skills, employability understanding and personal resilience as they prepare for post‑16 education and adulthood.

Assemblies That Celebrate & Inspire

Our weekly assemblies bring pupils together to celebrate achievements and explore important themes such as Black History Month, Anti‑Bullying Week, Human Rights and World Religion Days. They help pupils connect personal development with the world around them while reinforcing our shared values.

Oppurtunities That Broaden Horizons

Pupils take part in a rich calendar of Personal Development opportunities such as cultural events, workshops, trips, charity projects and careers experiences. These activities help pupils to:

Build confidence
Develop communication skills
Step outside their comfort zone
Understand different perspectives
Explore future pathways

Evidence shows a positive impact on independence, aspiration and wellbeing.

The Impact

Because of this structured and nurturing approach, pupils at Endeavour:

Feel more confident and self‑aware
Build stronger relationships
Understand and manage their emotions
Engage positively with learning
Grow as respectful, resilient individuals
Gain qualifications that prepare them for the future