Growing Confident, Successful and Resilient Learners

At Priestsic Primary and Nursery School, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to flourish, achieve and be the very best they can be. We recognise that success is about more than academic achievement; it is about developing children who are confident, resilient, independent and kind, with the skills and self-belief to navigate life and make a positive difference to others.

Our Priestsic values of kindness, respect, independence, resilience, self-belief and responsibility are at the heart of everything we do. Through strong relationships, high expectations and an inclusive approach, we create a school where every child feels valued, respected, listened to and able to succeed.

Our curriculum, personal development programme and extensive enrichment opportunities provide children with the knowledge, skills, experiences and opportunities they need to develop as well-rounded individuals and responsible members of our school, local and wider community. We encourage children to discover their talents, try new things, embrace challenge, celebrate difference and learn from their experiences.

Through our commitment to high-quality teaching, personal development, enrichment and pastoral support, we aim to ensure that every child leaves Priestsic with the confidence, resilience, independence and aspirations to succeed in their next steps and throughout their lives.

Developing the Whole Child

At Priestsic Primary and Nursery School, personal development is an integral part of school life. We want our children to grow into kind, respectful, resilient, independent and responsible individuals who have the confidence and self-belief to make positive choices and contribute to their school, local community and wider world.

We support children to understand themselves, develop positive and respectful relationships, appreciate and celebrate diversity, and have the confidence to try new experiences and embrace opportunities.

Our curriculum and wider personal development offer are carefully designed to reflect the needs of our children and community, providing pupils with a secure understanding of:

• Physical and mental health and wellbeing
• Healthy, respectful relationships and friendships
• Safeguarding, personal safety and knowing how to seek help
• Online safety and responsible digital citizenship
• Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging
• Fundamental British Values and democratic participation
• Protected characteristics and respect for others
• Rights, responsibilities and our role within the community
• Aspirations, careers and future opportunities
• Different cultures, faiths, communities and ways of life
• Developing confidence, resilience, independence and self-belief

These themes are explored through our PSHRE curriculum, Relationships and Sex Education, assemblies, our Priestsic Values, wider curriculum experiences, enrichment opportunities and everyday interactions across school.

We believe that personal development should not be a standalone subject; it should be woven through everything we do at Priestsic, ensuring that every child has the knowledge, skills, experiences and confidence they need to thrive.

Broadening Horizons

At Priestsic Primary and Nursery School, we believe that some of the most powerful learning happens beyond the classroom. We are committed to providing children with a rich range of experiences, opportunities and adventures that broaden their horizons, raise aspirations and help them understand the world around them.

Through our extensive enrichment offer, children have opportunities to take part in educational visits, residential experiences, sporting events, competitions, performances, themed weeks, creative activities and community projects. These experiences allow children to discover new interests, challenge themselves, develop independence and resilience, and create memories that they can carry with them beyond their time at Priestsic.

We place a strong emphasis on helping children to understand their local community and the wider world. Through visits, visitors, links with local organisations and opportunities to meet people from different generations, backgrounds and walks of life, children develop an appreciation of diversity and a sense of belonging.

Leadership opportunities enable our children to take an active role in school life. Through pupil voice, school council, sports leadership, responsibility roles and other opportunities to contribute, children develop confidence, responsibility and an understanding of active citizenship. They learn that their opinions matter, that they can influence decisions and, importantly, that they have the power to make a positive difference.

Our approach is rooted in our Priestsic values of kindness, respect, independence, resilience, self-belief and responsibility. We want every child to leave Priestsic having experienced something new, discovered something they love, overcome a challenge and developed the confidence to believe that anything is possible.

Inclusion and Belonging

At Priestsic Primary and Nursery School, every child matters and every child belongs.

We are committed to creating a school community where every child feels valued, respected, included and able to succeed, regardless of their background, starting point, needs or circumstances. We work proactively to identify and remove barriers so that all children can access the curriculum, enrichment opportunities and the wider life of our school.

Through our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, children learn to recognise, respect and celebrate what makes people different. We provide opportunities for pupils to learn about different cultures, communities, experiences and perspectives, helping them to develop empathy, understanding and respect for others.

Our approach is underpinned by our Priestsic values of kindness, respect, independence, resilience, self-belief and responsibility, helping to create a culture where everyone is welcomed, listened to and encouraged to be the best they can be.

Supporting Emotional Health and Wellbeing

At Priestsic, we recognise that children need to feel safe, happy, valued and emotionally supported in order to thrive and achieve.

Our strong pastoral approach provides support that is responsive to the needs of individual children and families. Staff work closely with children, parents and carers to identify concerns at the earliest opportunity and provide appropriate support, guidance and signposting where needed.

We place a strong emphasis on developing emotional literacy, resilience, self-awareness and self-regulation. Through our PSHRE curriculum, assemblies, pastoral provision and everyday relationships, children are taught to recognise and understand their emotions, develop positive relationships, manage challenges and know when and how to ask for help.

Our Priestsic values are central to this work, supporting children to develop the resilience and self-belief they need to overcome challenges and approach new experiences with confidence.

Keeping Children Safe

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility at Priestsic. It is central to our curriculum, our personal development provision and the culture of our school. Children are taught how to recognise potential risks, make safe and informed choices, understand appropriate boundaries and know how and where to seek help. Through our progressive PSHRE curriculum, pupils develop their understanding of personal safety, healthy relationships, online safety, emotional wellbeing, consent, appropriate behaviour and how to respond to situations that may make them feel unsafe. This learning is reinforced through assemblies, visitors, workshops, themed events and links with professionals and our wider community. We ensure that children know who their trusted adults are and understand that they can speak to an adult in school if they have a worry or concern.

Our aim is for every child to leave Priestsic with the knowledge, confidence and skills to help keep themselves and others safe.

Enrichment Opportunities

We are proud of the wide range of enrichment opportunities available to children at Priestsic. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to discover new interests, develop their talents, build confidence and create lasting memories. Our enrichment offer includes after-school clubs, sporting opportunities, competitions, educational visits, performances, themed days and weeks, creative experiences, leadership opportunities and community activities. We are committed to ensuring that enrichment is accessible to all children and that opportunities are provided across a wide range of interests, abilities and experiences. We want every child to be able to say that they have tried something new, discovered something they enjoy and achieved something they are proud of.

Working in Partnership

We recognise that children thrive when school, families and the wider community work together. Strong relationships with parents and carers are therefore an important part of our approach to personal development. We aim to work openly and positively with families, keeping communication channels open and working together to support children's academic progress, wellbeing, personal development and wider success. Our links with the local community, external organisations, visitors and partner schools further enrich the experiences we can provide for our pupils and help children understand the contribution they can make beyond the school gates.

At Priestsic Primary and Nursery School, we are proud of the caring, inclusive and ambitious community we are continuing to build. We want every child to leave us with confidence, resilience, self-belief, positive relationships, strong values and a sense of responsibility, ready to embrace their next steps and make a positive difference to the world around them.