Personal Development

Tutor Time is the bedrock of our Personal Development [PD] programme, which is delivered by students' tutor. This is the person who  should know each student the best to offer a personalised approach. Within the tutor programme there is time dedicated to Personal, Social Health Education [PSHE], Relationships and Sex Education [RSE], as well a school focus of developing literacy through "Drop Everything and Listen" [DEAL] audio books and comprehension mornings; reading world issues and completing literacy tasks within the PD booklets. We believe in the importance of the role of the tutor in helping develop character and preparing our students with the skills to be successful in modern Britain.

Personal Development Long Term Plan (includes details of PSHE, RSE, Citizenship, Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural [SMSC] development)

Tutor Time Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement

Tutor Time Programme

Tutor time consists of four areas covering: PD, DEAL, Reading World Issues and Assembly.

We have specialist sessions to cover topics more in depth through drop down events such as mindfulness, consent, substances and contraception.

Sixth Form Tutor Time

Personal Development [PD] and enrichment plays an important role within our sixth form curriculum. Year 12 students get three morning registration periods each week with some sessions dedicated to the delivery of Year 12 personal development. Year 13 students get one morning registration period each week, which is geared towards the delivery of Year 13 personal development.

Year 12 students complete independent Work Experience (WEX) during the last half term of the summer (from May Half Term onwards). Students are expected to complete a minimum of 5 days worth of WEX which is ideally geared towards their future ambitions. Students receive support with contacting external companies, but students are essentially responsible for securing their own WEX.  

Year 13 students also get a fortnightly ‘destination’ session which is completely geared towards ensuring students are fully aware of the different options available to them post year 13. 

The PSHE and RSE curriculum is taught as PD in the tutor time programme. We feel that form tutors are the people in school that know your children the best.

We follow the guidance and suggested Scheme of Work from the PSHE association.

There are key themes shown throughout the long term plan

• Mental and physical health
• Healthy relationships
• Citizenship
• Careers and Personal skills

SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural) is embedded throughout the curriculum and pastoral care. SMSC development is seen every day via the Heads of Year and Tutors and weekly in assemblies.

Assembly rota is dynamic throughout the year and addresses both National and Community events alongside areas in relation to specific year group needs.

Assemblies are scheduled to include British Values, Citizenship, Careers, student voice feedback, National focused events and school values.

Click here to view our Assembly Rota

Please see our dedicated Careers pages for all the information and guidance we offer

We believe in the importance of outdoor education throughout secondary schooling. We believe it builds characteristics such as resilience, leadership and respect and think that it also can help students to develop healthy mentally.

We offer whole school trips such as the Ski trip which runs every two years and is open to all year groups.

Year 7

School Camp every summer with Bushcraft Company.

Year 8

We are looking at opportunities to run a residential trip in year 8 - watch this space!

Year 9

All Year 9 students take part in our Leadership & Challenge programme, through which half of them choose to undertake their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award for their L&C option.

Year 10

Those students who wish to continue on their Duke of Edinburgh journey, we offer the Silver Award as an extra-curricular option

Year 12

Those students who wish to continue on their Duke of Edinburgh journey, we offer the Silver or Gold Award as an extra-curricular option

All Years

Our Lead Mentors in SIGNAL run tailored programmes to help, support and advise students in all year groups. This includes specialised work with groups and individuals which help prepare them for life in modern Britain.

In addition, we support our students with special needs through life skills workshops delivered by our OASIS support team.

Run by the sixth form leadership team, our Student Council allows students to have their voice heard. Each tutor group has a representative who meets with their year group council each term. The sixth formers then collate their ideas and concerns and feedback to the school's Leadership Team. Once they have next steps and decisions from the LT, they then deliver this to all students during Year Group assemblies.

Read more about our Student Council 

We run an eclectic programme of extracurricular activities at lunchtime and after school, which are attended well by students. Some of our Sport, Music and Drama clubs are performing at the highest level including national representation. 

Extracurricular Programme

Throughout the year there is a broad range of trips for every year group which are attended by a diverse student population. There are different types of trips such as Curriculum, Extracurricular, Rewards and Raising Aspirations.

We share write ups from our trips with families in our weekly newsletter.

Throughout the year we have a varied programme of "drop-down events" (where students come off timetable to attend) to cover specific PD content such as consent, alcohol and raising aspirations, often delivered by external groups and experts.

We believe PD should be delivered across the curriculum and that opportunities to teach PD topics must be taken within subjects. This is planned into Schemes of Work for every subject. Please view subject information pages to see the detailed long term plans for each key stage.

Two members of staff are mental health champions who look at how we deliver mental health across the curriculum and within the personal development programme highlighting student wellbeing and the importance of mental health awareness via mental health week in May.

You can read more about our commitment to supporting Mental Health on our dedicated mental health pages.

The school works hard to support pupils to be confident, resilient and independent, and to develop strength of character.

Students develop their character in several ways including:

• Tour guides
• Peer mentors and Transition leaders
• Library volunteers
• Form representatives for the school council
• Student Council student leadership team
• Public speaking during whole school events.
• Leadership and challenge Option in Year 9
• Clubs and Extra-curricular opportunities

Student choices in later life are greatly improved with the greater Cultural Capital they are exposed to; therefore, part of the Personal Development program, is to ensure that all students are offered a range of enrichment activities. The activities are designed to develop a thirst for learning, a passion for the local and global environment, arts and cultures.

They will help develop students’ character by being ambitious, and challenging their resilience so they are equipped for life experiences once they leave us, such as further education and the world of work. These are some of the Cultural Capital opportunities

• Day and residential trips
• Co-curricular clubs including sports, cooking, science, drama and music
• Leadership and Challenge
• Duke of Edinburgh's Award
• Modern Foreign Languages
• Whole school Productions
• Careers Curriculum

As part of the Personal Development programme, The Bulmershe School is committed to developing young people to be respectful, responsible and purposeful citizens who understand their rights and responsibilities as a British citizen, community member and global consumers. They are taught about the key values through the curriculum areas and pastoral system:-

• Democracy
• Rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

These are some of the opportunities that celebrate British Values:

• Student Elections for form representatives, for the school council
• Assemblies
• PSHE
• LGBTQ+ (No labels)group.
• Whole School Cultural Day.