Personal Development and Wellbeing
Personal Development and Wellbeing is at the heart of our ambition for every pupil to flourish; this is underpinned by exceptional pastoral care.
At Wilson’s, personal development and wellbeing are integral to our ambition for every pupil to flourish. Our aim is to provide a safe and kind environment in which pupils grow in confidence, develop independence and resilience, and learn to treat others with respect, tolerance and consideration. This development is deliberately planned through the curriculum as well as through the wider life of the school. Every year group receives PSHE teaching from a specialist team of teachers, with a carefully sequenced programme covering health, relationships and life in the wider world; RSE develops pupils’ understanding of healthy relationships, consent, equality, online safety and how to recognise and seek help with harmful or abusive situations. Teaching is highly inclusive. Beyond PSHE (and the Futures Programme in Years 11 and 12), our Enrichment curriculum broadens pupils’ experience further: the Year 9 Elizabethan programme develops cultural knowledge and public speaking, while later activities include practical experiences such as cookery, ICT, interview skills and preparation for work experience. Pupils learn from the experiences of a range of visiting speakers in both PSHE and the WRL programme, often including inspiring former students of the school. Together, these opportunities support pupils in becoming reflective, responsible young people who can make informed decisions and contribute positively to the communities in which they live.
Pastoral care lies at the heart of school life and is designed to ensure that pupils are known as individuals and know where to turn when they need support. In Years 7-11 every form has two tutors who monitor pupils’ wellbeing and academic progress, promote respect, responsibility and resilience, and work closely with the Head of Year, who has overall pastoral and academic responsibility for the year group. Pupil Support Managers work alongside the SENCO and safeguarding teams to coordinate individual support where required, this can include signposting to more specialist provision; Sixth Form students can also access the DISCOVER programme for anxiety, low mood and stress. The Wellbeing Centre provides a visible focus for this support, including the Benjamin Room, a counselling room and an informal space where pupils can meet and talk, and all pupils are introduced to the Centre as somewhere not just for current problems but for planning for their future wellbeing. Mental health and wellbeing are discussed through PSHE, form time and assemblies from pupils’ first week in Year 7 onwards, helping to create a culture in which seeking support is normal, understood and encouraged.
Personal development at Wilson’s also means giving pupils rich opportunities to discover interests, develop talents, serve others and prepare confidently for their next steps. Our extensive co-curricular programme encompasses sport, music, drama, chess, debating and pupil-led publications, alongside the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and our long-established Combined Cadet Force; pupils can perform in junior and senior drama productions, join orchestras, choirs and ensembles, take part in a wide range of competitive and recreational sports, or challenge themselves through expeditions and leadership opportunities. This breadth is complemented by a structured careers programme: pupils encounter careers and the world of work through lessons, assemblies, visiting speakers and external events; all pupils have the opportunity for an individual careers interview, with Year 11 and Year 12 students receiving one as part of their programme, and Sixth Form provision includes a Higher Education Fair, university and apprenticeship guidance, personal-statement support and extensive interview preparation. In this way, the school’s motto, Non Sibi Sed Omnibus — not for oneself, but for all — is lived through opportunities that build character, cooperation, aspiration and service, helping pupils to leave Wilson’s exceptionally well prepared for higher education, employment and fulfilling adult lives.
Enrichment
At Wilson’s, Personal Development and Wellbeing extends far beyond the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum and Work Related Learning programme. Our Enrichment Curriculum is a universal offer - enjoyed by all - and central to the Wilson's experience. This is then complemented by an extensive range of wider opportunities - clubs, societies and competitions - through which pupils discover new interests and develop their talents. In keeping with our Aims and Ethos, this provision is broad, purposeful and carefully planned.
The enrichment curriculum includes a wide range of taught experiences such as (to illustrate) cookery; the Year 7 Music Programme; Games and Sport and distinctive programmes including The Elizabethan, Year 10 Enrichment and Futures ( extending into Year 12). All pupils also benefit from a wide range of trips and visits. Together, these ensure that enrichment is woven through pupils’ wider experience of school life rather than confined to individual lessons.
Alongside this universal provision sits an exceptional breadth of co-curricular activity. Over a hundred clubs and activities give pupils opportunities both to pursue existing interests and to try something new. These encompass Music, sport, drama and performance, debating and public speaking, chess, academic societies and publications, creative activities, leadership and service, the Combined Cadet Force and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Our enrichment provision is reviewed regularly and - although it long predates their existence - reflects the ambition of the Department for Education’s Enrichment Benchmarks. Every pupil benefits from the breadth of the Personal Development offer at Wilson’s: our Latest News gives a flavour of the range of activities, events and achievements taking place across the school each week.
