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Personal Development

Our dedication to resilience and emotional wellbeing is award winning! Find out more here...

Personal development and well-being is at the heart of all we do. 

At Drapers Mills every child is welcomed, valued and nurtured. We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, happy and have a strong sense of belonging. We strive to create a calm and consistent environment which enables our pupils to thrive. 

Our personal development curriculum is designed to equip every pupil with the essential life skills, knowledge and experiences needed to succeed in secondary education and thrive as confident, global citizens.

At Drapers Mills we want our pupils to:

  • be confident speakersAsc 3651
  • know how to keep themselves and others safe
  • acquire a rich cultural capital through our well-considered enrichment and curriculum offer.

We are proud to serve a diverse and vibrant community. We understand the unique challenges our families may face and have tailored our approach to provide targeted support for all our children, including those with Special Educational Needs and those who speak English as an Additional Language. 

PSHE 

We follow the Jigsaw PSHE curriculum which is a comprehensive and mindful approach to personal, social, health and economic education. It helps develop emotional literacy, resilience and mental well-being through carefully structured and age-appropriate lessons. 

Enrichment

We offer a broad range of well considered and progressive enrichment opportunities to broaden children’s horizons and provide real-world context for their learning. These include trips to museums, theatres and castles, visitors from the local and wider community and art projects. 

We offer a wide range of free clubs to enable pupils to explore new passions, develop hidden talents and acquire new skills. From reading, to singing and well-being there is something for everyone to enjoy! 

We are proud of our high participation in inter-school and intra-school sports competitions, teaching children about teamwork, resilience and healthy competition!  

We support a wide range of charities throughout the year including Diabetes UK, Children in Need, The Royal British Legion, Mental Health Foundation and the Anti-Bullying Alliance to foster a strong sense of social responsibility and teamwork within our school community. 

Whole School Enrichement Map

 

Forest and Coastal School 

At Drapers Mills we believe everybody should have regular, long-term access to a woodland, coastal or natural environment which provides them with inspirational and challenging outdoor learning opportunities.


Forest School and Coastal School offers a learner centred approach, where participants can learn through self-directed play and exploration. Participants who come to the Forest School and Coastal school will be given the opportunity to develop their:

  • CuriosityChild using a saw in forest school
  • Confidence
  • Self-esteem
  • Creativity, 
  • Empathy
  • Communication skills
  • Knowledge of the natural environment
  • Ability to assess risk 
  • and HAVE FUN!

Forest and Coastal School

 

ACE

The TKAT ‘A Champion for Every Child’ (ACE) programme, provides those children who are eligible for Pupil Premium funding, with personalised 1:1 support to help them progress both in terms of academic outcome and social and emotional development.  TKAT ACE badges

Each child has their own dedicated ACE Tutor. Tutors are trained specifically in helping pupils and their families to identify and overcome barriers to learning at school. 

The children build strong relationships with their ACE Tutor through regular, targeted conversations. The Tutor becomes their champion and liaises with other members of staff to support them on their journey to a successful future.

Oracy

Through our carefully chosen curriculum there are planned opportunities and structured activities including debates and group work to build strong communication skills. This is especially crucial for our EAL pupils who develop their English fluency in authentic, supportive contexts. 

Celebrating Diversity

Our school is rich with different languages, cultures and experiences. We celebrate these daily through our curriculum, assemblies and community events, helping children to develop a strong sense of self and respect for others. 

Pupil Leadership IMG 9549

We empower pupils through leadership roles (including Safeguarding Ambassadors, Learning Ambassadors, Jigsaw Leaders and House Captains), performances and gathering pupil voice to ensure that every child has the chance to shine, lead and have their voice heard!