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 specially trained 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, with careful adaptation of content and delivery to reflect pupils’ differing needs, experiences and backgrounds, ensuring that all pupils can participate meaningfully, see themselves represented and access appropriate support when sensitive issues arise. Beyond PSHE (and the Futures Programme in Year 11), 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 team 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. 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 Benchmarks

Wilson’s enrichment provision accords with the Department for Education’s eight enrichment benchmarks, which set expectations for provision that is strategically aligned, broad and well-rounded, well communicated, shaped by the school community, accessible to all, strengthened through partnership, focused on outcomes and subject to continual improvement. At Wilson’s, these principles are reflected in an expansive programme that combines timetabled enrichment and universally available opportunities with an exceptional co-curricular offer and a wide range of trips and visits. Pupils encounter all five areas of experience identified within the national framework: civic engagement through opportunities such as debating, leadership and service; arts and culture through music, drama and cultural experiences; nature, outdoor education and adventure through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and CCF (as well as several trips and visits attended by all pupils); an extensive programme of competitive and recreational sport; and wider life and future skills through activities including cookery, ICT, public speaking and careers education. The school reviews its provision to ensure that it responds to pupils’ interests and aspirations, while the breadth and accessibility of the programme ensure that enrichment is not an optional extra but a purposeful part of every pupil’s personal development, building confidence, resilience, independence, cultural understanding and a strong sense of belonging.