Personal Development is embedded throughout every child's school learning journey at Acres Hill.  It encourages and promotes a range of skills that allow children to be effective, life-long learners that demonstrate our school motto of 'Bringing learning to life'

By enabling our children and young people to develop these key own skills, knowledge and understanding of how to be who they are, we aim to encourage an age appropriate understanding of the world they are growing up in and have the confidence to tackle many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up.

At Acres Hill Community Primary School, we are committed to providing a purposeful and empowering curriculum that fully prepares learners for the next steps in their school career and the wider world. We want our children to aspire to achieve and believe that it is essential that they understand the world in which they live. Broadening our children’s horizons and giving them the belief that they are capable of achieving great things drives our curriculum. Our Personal Development offer gives the children the knowledge and understanding they need make informed choices and to be a positive influence in the communities that they belong to. 

Assemblies

Our assembly programme plays a central role in promoting pupils’ personal development and reinforcing our school values.

Weekly key stage assemblies celebrate and recognise children who exemplify our core attributes, fostering a culture of respect, care, collaboration, creativity, resilience and reflection.

Weekly whole school assemblies focus on inspiring ambition and resilience through diverse real-life role models, while separate sessions focus on British Values, helping pupils understand democracy, liberty, respect, and tolerance.

Regular safeguarding assemblies ensure children know how to keep themselves and others safe, Singing assemblies for KS1 and KS2 nurture creativity and a sense of belonging, while assemblies linked to national events such as Remembrance and Children in Need develop empathy and social responsibility. Finally, assemblies reinforcing our behaviour curriculum provide clarity and consistency, ensuring pupils understand expectations and the importance of positive choices. Together, this structured programme enriches pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development and supports their wellbeing.

Opportunities to perform

We provide all pupils with an annual opportunity to perform for parents and carers through songs, dances or productions. These events allow children to develop confidence, creativity, and communication skills in a supportive environment, while fostering teamwork and resilience.

Performing arts experiences contribute significantly to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development: spiritually, by encouraging self-expression and appreciation of creativity; morally, by promoting responsibility and respect within a collaborative setting; socially, by strengthening relationships and cooperation; and culturally, by exposing pupils to diverse traditions, stories, and artistic forms.

After-school enrichment

Our after-school enrichment programme offers pupils a wide range of opportunities to explore interests, develop new skills, and enhance their personal development and wellbeing.

These experiences promote resilience, creativity, teamwork, and confidence, while supporting SMSC development and reinforcing British Values through collaboration, respect, and inclusion. By offering such variety, we ensure pupils have opportunities to discover passions, build cultural capital, and strengthen their sense of belonging within our school community.

Visits and Visitors

We enrich our curriculum through a wide range of visits and visitors that bring learning to life and provide real-world experiences beyond the classroom. These opportunities deepen pupils’ understanding of key topics, broaden cultural capital, and inspire awe and wonder about the world around them. Educational visits might include museums, historical sites, theatres, and outdoor learning environments, while visitors such as authors, scientists, community leaders, and professionals share expertise and experiences that connect learning to the wider world. These experiences support SMSC development, reinforce British Values, and help pupils see the relevance of their learning in everyday life.