Introduction

What is our vision and philosophy?

At Harris Academy Ockendon, our curriculum philosophy is ‘Knowledge is power, we make it stick’ and this is no different when it comes to our approach to the design, sequencing and implementation of the Personal Development curriculum.

We define powerful knowledge as that which takes students beyond their everyday experience and equips them with knowledge, skills and cultural capital that will help them write, speak and perform like experts.

Within the personal development curriculum, the knowledge is powerful because it is designed to equip students with the tools they need to live happy, safe and successful lives by giving them exposure to knowledge and experiences that will help them respond to the contextual challenges facing their own lives and their community. We want to ensure that students end their academic journey having curious, enquiring minds, are equipped with the tools to navigate and thrive in our rapidly changing world and are unafraid to challenge injustice.

Our personal development curriculum has been inspired by the 7 habits of highly effective teens by Sean Covey.  These habits not only underpin everything we do but are explicitly instructed to students throughout the personal development curriculum.

Click here to see our specified endpoints for each key stage and what we aim to ensure all students know or are able to do by the end of a 3, 5 or 7 year journey as a result of the personal development curriculum.

How do we ensure our vision becomes a reality?

 The curriculum is implemented in a variety of ways:

• Citizenship and Religious Education, delivered once per week to all students in KS3, 4 and 5. Click here to view the curriculum map.
• Personal Development Days, which see all students in KS3, 4 and 5 receive four full days of lessons throughout the academic year all related to the 7 habits. Click here to see the content of our personal development days.
• A carefully planned and sequenced assembly map for KS3, 4 and 5. Click here view the map.
• Enrichment options delivered once per week as part of the weekly curriculum for KS3 and 5. Click here to view the enrichment options and each option’s curriculum map.
• Extra-curricular activities before and after school.
• Guided reading programme delivered two mornings per week to KS3 and 5. Click here to view the guided reading curriculum map.
• Community Projects completed by KS3 and 4 once per year to give students the opportunity to serve their community. Click here to see an overview of the projects our students take part in.
• House competitions and charity fundraising events for KS3,4 and 5 throughout the year
• ‘Make Memories Week’ where all students in KS3,4 and 5 will experience the outside world and deepen their cultural capital.