The Personal Development curriculum endeavours to help pupils to lead confident, healthy and responsible lives as individuals and members of the St Matthew Academy and local community. Through work in lessons and a range of activities across and beyond the curriculum, pupils gain practical knowledge and skills to help them live healthily and deal with the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues they may face as they approach adulthood.

Engaging with the Personal Development curriculum gives pupils opportunities to reflect on their own experiences and to reflect on their personal development as well as their character. It helps pupils to understand and manage a variety of relationships and responsibilities as they mature and to show respect for the diversity of, and differences between people. (‘Protected characteristics’ in line with the Equality Act).

Personal Development also provided opportunities for pupils to develop well-being strategies and self-esteem, encouraging belief in their abilities to succeed as well as to enable pupils to take responsibility for their learning and future choice of courses and careers.

Personal Development curriculum at Key Stage 3 and 4 builds on the pupils’ own experiences and work done in Key Stage 1 and 2. The Personal Development curriculum also compliments the school curriculum, covering areas such as politics; the law; family; the environment; relationships; British Values; e-safety; self-awareness and the media as well as SMSC. Our curriculum is flexible and reacts to current issues that may be affecting young people in our community.