Aims

The aim of our whole school curriculum is to support children and young people to be confident, resilient, tolerant, emotionally literate and ambitious learners who are able to effectively communicate within their wider community as part of modern Britain.

The personal development ‘offer’ and curriculum is therefore at the heart of what we do and sits alongside our formal academic curriculum.

The Personal Development offer at The Brookfield School aims to develop student understanding of our differences and to build skills and confidence in all students. This will allow them to feel able to raise issues, question ideas and reflect on their learning, to allow them to develop as well-rounded young people who can contribute meaningfully to the wider community and go on to lead successful, healthy lives.

Our schemes of work are progressive, relevant and responsive to student need.

How do we teach Personal Development at The Brookfield School?

• It is taught in discrete lessons through our PSHE curriculum
• It is taught with cross-curricular links through The Learning Challenge curriculum and other lessons, such as English, Physical Education, and Religious Education. 
• All staff consistently model how to be effective citizens who uphold the school values.
• School Council
• Sports Leaders
• Assemblies - Whole school, special visitors and celebration
• Celebrating positive learning outcomes and effort with shared praise and certificates
• After-school clubs
• Competing in competitions
• Well-sequenced day and residential trips. 
• Celebrating different languages, cultures and religions

Developing: 

• Responsible, respectful and active citizens who are able to play their part and become actively involved in public life as adults 
• Pupils’ understanding of the fundamental British values of democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law and mutual respect and tolerance 
• Pupils’ character, which Ofsted defines as a set of positive personal traits, dispositions and virtues that informs their motivation and guides their conduct so that they reflect wisely, learn eagerly, behave with integrity and cooperate consistently well with others 
• Pupils’ confidence, resilience and knowledge so that they can keep themselves mentally healthy 
• Pupils’ understanding of how to keep physically healthy, eat healthily and maintain an active lifestyle, including giving ample opportunities for pupils to be active during the school day and through extra-curricular activities 
• Pupils’ age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships through appropriate relationships and sex education 

Our school representatives for the Herefordshire School Games

Coding Week - September 2024

This week each class has had a coding focus. Primary pupils have looked at basic instructions and algorthims, some have looked at the beginnings of block coding. In the lower years in secondary, pupils have used block coding to create pedometers linked to their science topics and name badges with microbits. In upper secondary, they have looked at how apps are coded and into real life examples e.g. parking sensors and how they work.

We are currently appointing school council representatives.

Older pupils have written and delivered speeches to their classes. Following this, pupils have voted for a school council representative for their class. The school council will attend meetings half termly with a focus and feedback their classes thoughts.

Year 7 - First Aid, October 2024

In PRSHE, we have looked at performing the recovery position, what to do in an emergency, how to address bleeding, CPR and the use of defibrillators. As part of this unit we have looked at what a defibrillator is and where to locate them in Hereford City Centre. Pupils also planned their own routes into the city to see them in person.

After our walk, we visited Tiffany's Cafe in The Butter Market and ordered a hot chocolate to warm up. All pupils were polite to business owners during this session and asked if they could display their posters on 'Where to Find Defibrillators in Hereford'. The feedback was really positive and pupils are looking forward to delivering these to local businesses and doctor's surgeries next half term!

Herefordshire Primary Games October 2024

Wow!! Our pupils from years 5 and 6 competed against other pupils from a range of Herefordshire schools on Tuesday 8th October. They cheered each other on and gave 100% the whole day. Pupils were commended on their teamwork and passion and even won the Respect and Determination awards! Pupils and staff had a wonderful day and can't wait for the summer games!
Big thank you to Mr Reed for organising - he didn't do too badly in the teachers javelin throw either.

Upcoming events for 2024-2025

October - Black History Month

November 10th - Inter Faith Week

November 11th - Anti-bullying Week

November 13th - Transgender Awareness Week

December 10h - Human Rights Day

February - LGBT+ History Month

March 18th - Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Enabling: 
 

• Pupils to recognise online and offline risks to their wellbeing 
• Pupils to recognise the dangers of inappropriate use of mobile technology and social media 

Internet Safety Week

Year 9 looked at persuasive features that apps may use to encourage users to stay engaged. They discussed how these can impact our day-to-day lives and which ones they believed would be the most likely to keep us engaged. After this, they designed our own app with a £2000 budget using persuasive features. They then created presentations about their project and as a class voted which one would be the most effective at keeping us engaged and why. 

Computing Week September 2024

Pupils from years 2 to 11 have been looking at the Artificial Intelligence this week as an overarching theme. They have looked at anything from games, chatbots, safety and creating apps!

Year 7 - Positive bystanders, September 2024

Year 7 have been learning about being positive bystanders and how this can impact relationships on social media including whatsapp groups. As a group, they looked at the bystander effect and this created a very mature discussion about how others influence us (video below) They then created posters giving advice to their peers on what to do to stay safe online and what a positive bystander looks like. 

Many of our young people work with CLIMB:

CLIMB sessions are delivered in partnership with the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, to protect young people from criminal exploitation.

CLIMB work with schools, the police, social care, activity providers, and others to build safer communities, supporting young people who are missing school or college, have run away from home or care, or at risk of being forced into criminal activity.

To find out more, please visit https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/

Promoting: 
 

• Equality of opportunity so that all pupils can thrive together, understanding that difference is a positive, not a negative, and that individual characteristics make people unique 
• An inclusive environment that meets the needs of all pupils, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation 

Supporting:

• Readiness for the next phase of education, training or employment so that pupils are equipped to make the transition successfully  
   

Providing secondary school pupils with:

• Unbiased careers advice
• Experience of work
• Contact with employers to encourage pupils to aspire, make good choices and understand what they need to do to reach and succeed in the careers to which they aspire

Open Events at Herefordshire Colleges:

Herefordshire College - 9th November 2024, 15th January 2025, 4th March 2025, 5th April 2025

For more information visit https://hlnsc.ac.uk/colleges/herefordshire-college/  

Holme Lacy College - 9th November 2024, 5th April 2025

For more information visit https://hlnsc.ac.uk/colleges/holme-lacy-college/

Ludlow Sixth Form College - 3rd October 2024, 11th January 2025, 8th July 2025

For more information visit https://hlnsc.ac.uk/colleges/ludlow-sixth-form-college/

For Hereford and Ludlow Apprenticeships visit https://hlnsc.ac.uk/apprenticeships/

For further education support at Hoople visit https://www.hoopleltd.co.uk/education/

Awards

The Brookfield School have been commended on going the extra mile for looked after pupils by the Virtual School in Gloucestershire. 

We are also currently working towards:

• Computing Quality Mark
• Healthy Schools
• Eco Schools

Super Kind Award

The Brookfield School is delighted to be taking part in the Superkind programme. We will work to achieve the Social Impact Schools Award, that will formally recognise and celebrate the amazing social actions our children take over the school year.

Social action is a key part of personal and character development, encouraging children to think about others and to make a positive to contribution to society. We know that by getting involved in things like volunteering, campaigning and fundraising, children are growing themselves while also benefiting the world around them. 

Fundraising activities and community work we do in school will earn the children badges. Children are also encouraged to think of ways that they can take social action when they are at home – this can be anything from helping pick up litter on the streets outside your house, doing a sponsored walk, making posters to encourage others to do the right thing, pledging to walk/cycle to school instead of driving, etc.

In school we will recognise contributions as follows;

Individual, class and house recognition – children will earn bronze, silver then gold digital badges each time they complete an act with social impact. There are 12 categories of social action so 36 badges to earn. Outstanding contributions will be celebrated in celebration assembly.

Whole school recognition – if every child earns at least one badge, the school will receive the Social Impact Schools Award in celebration of outstanding school contribution to making a difference and changing the world for the better.

Please follow this link to keep up-to-date on the number of badges pupils are earning throughout the year...

Together we can change the world!