One of the distinguishing features of Tottington High School is the emphasis that we place on a child’s Personal Development. Our Academy Core Values consisting of Kindness, Enthusiasm and Excellence; underpin a strong feeling of achievement and community. The Personal Development programme aims to provide our students with a wide range of opportunities to develop their individual character, contribute positively to the community and to prepare them for their next stage of education, training or employment.

Personal Development is interwoven into the whole school curriculum and wide range of enrichment opportunities. These include the weekly Focus Week Assemblies that incorporate a theme and provide an opportunity for a period of reflection through encompassing a ‘thought of the week’, a comprehensive PSHE (Personal, Social Health & Economic) curriculum alongside a bespoke planned programme of enrichment opportunities.

This includes opportunities for students to participate in a range of college, university and work placed visits, receive inspirational presentations in partnership with Speakers for

Schools and local/national businesses, represent one of the four allocated Houses; Peachment, Chisholm, Peel and Johnson in a range of competitions, develop teamwork skills through the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the NHS Cadet Program as well as opportunities to be part of a range of student leadership roles within the Academy. With an extensive range extra-curricular clubs and intervention sessions to choose from, the problem is fitting everything in!

We believe that the extensive range of Personal Development opportunities provide our students with the required skills and qualities to enable them to stand out from their peers when applying for their next stage of education, training or employment but, more importantly, they continue to be of immense benefit long after that, in supporting personal relationships, career success and enabling them to contribute to their local and wider communities.

Careers

Personal Development in Key Stage 3 and 4 directly supports the provision of careers at Tottington High School through quality first teaching of modules around employment opportunities, academic and vocational skills, financial management, face-to-face encounters with employers, FE and HE providers and practical skills such as letters of application, CV creation and interview techniques.  Personal Development encourages our students to understand the world of work and how they can engage with this as they enter adult life.  For more information on this, please consult the programme of study in our careers section of the school website: Careers | Tottington High School. 

To find out more about our fantastic Student Leadership opportunities, please click on this link.

The Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education of students at Tottington High School is of great importance. This is visible through our emphasis on SMSC within departmental schemes of work, PSHE lessons, House System, Comprehensive CEIAG strategy and regular CPD for staff in areas of SMSC. Pupils at Tottington High School benefit greatly from our SMSC programme and this is visible through their positive attitudes, ability to express themselves in an articulate manner, the volume of their achievements and their involvement in our school community.

Fundamental British Values are defined as: democracy, individual liberty, rule of law, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. It is considered that they are values that are important for people to hold if they live in Britain today, and it has been suggested that this is the reason that the term ‘British Values’ was chosen.

All Staff members are encouraged to promote British Values and SMSC through lessons and conversations with our pupils. This helps their personal development, understanding of a variety of race, cultures, and opinions that equips students for life beyond our Academy doors. Within our Academy we have an effective behaviour policy, aspirational targets and a commitment to prepare our students for their next stage of education, training or employment. SMSC and British Values support all of these aims; in encouraging confidence, developing character, responsibility and helping our pupils to contribute to the wider community.