Personal Development
Personal Development at NTC
What is Personal Development ?
NTC supports young people to go beyond to achieve, belong and thrive — both academically and as whole people.
Personal development at NTC focuses on supporting students to become confident, resilient, inclusive and participant citizens—preparing them for life in modern Britain beyond academic results. There are several key interconnected areas across the curriculum :
- Character Development: Building students' confidence, resilience, and independence, and how to overcome challenges.
- Citizenship & British Values: Actively promoting democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance/inclusion so students understand their role in society.
- SMSC Development: Nurturing students' Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural development including teaching respect for diversity and different faiths or beliefs.
- Physical & Mental Health: Healthy lifestyles, positive body image, and mental and emotional well-being strategies.
- Relationships & Safety: Delivering comprehensive Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE) and ensuring students know how to identify risks, particularly regarding both online and offline safety.
- Future Readiness: Preparing students for the next stage of education, training, or employment through high-quality, impartial careers guidance and work-related learning.
- Enrichment & Broad Opportunities: Providing a wide range of extracurricular activities and opportunities for students to develop talents, interests, and take on leadership roles (e.g., school council, peer mentoring, subject ambassadors in open evenings/NTC public events, subject assistants in Year 5 or other collaborations. Subject Enrichment activities/experiences.
Our Personal Development Curriculum is made up of many strands under 3 main themes:
- Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Sex and Relationships
- Living in the Wider World
Health and Wellbeing
- Mental Health: Developing emotional resilience, self-regulation, and learning how to manage stress and anxiety.
- Physical Health: Understanding the importance of nutrition, hygiene, regular exercise, and sleep.
- Personal Safety: Making safe choices regarding drugs, alcohol, and navigating online environments including radicalization
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
- Healthy Connections: Learning the characteristics of positive, respectful friendships, family dynamics, and romantic relationships.
- Consent & Boundaries: Understanding personal boundaries, consent, and how to recognize toxic or abusive behaviours.
- Positive Masculinity
Living in the Wider World
- Careers and Employability: Understanding the job market, developing interview skills, and writing CVs. In the UK, this is heavily guided by the Gatsby Career Benchmarks.
- Financial Capability: Learning practical life skills like budgeting, understanding taxes, and managing bank accounts.
- Citizenship: Understanding fundamental democratic British values, the legal system, and community participation.
Character and Personal Growth
- Resilience & Stickability: Building the ability to bounce back from failure or setbacks.
- Empathy and Diversity: Cultivating a deep respect for different cultures, backgrounds, and protected characteristics (e.g., LGBTQ+ inclusion).
- Leadership and Initiative: Taking on responsibilities like peer mentoring, joining the student council, or participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
- Voice 21
SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural Development)
- Critical Thinking: Exploring ethical questions, human rights, and religious/philosophical viewpoints.
- Cultural Capital: Participating in extracurricular activities, trips, and debates that expose students to the wider world
- Social Development: including political and current affairs awareness
