Personal Development

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Focus at Middleton

We ensure our pupils have full access to our spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) curriculum and opportunities to explore and embrace each area. We recognise that the personal development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve. We provide an education that presents our pupils with opportunities to explore and develop their own beliefs and values and teaches pupils to be positive, respectful, and open minded.

Spiritual Focus

Pupils are enabled to explore their beliefs; respect faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about themselves and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; and reflect. Pupils’ spiritual experience is developed through their ability to:

• Be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, which inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s feelings and values
• Have a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them, including the intangible
• Use their imagination and creativity in learning
• Show a willingness to reflect on their experiences

Moral Focus

We teach pupils to recognise right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues and offer reasoned views. Pupils’ moral experience is developed through:

• Their ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and their readiness to apply this understanding in their own lives
• Teaching them to understand the consequences of their behaviour and actions
• Promoting an interest in investigating, and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues

Social Focus

We investigate moral issues; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the ‘British Values’ of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance. Pupils’ social experience is developed through:

• Using a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with students from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
• Being willing to participate in a variety of social settings, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
• Accepting and engaging with the fundamental British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Please also see the Fundamental British Values section on our website
• Developing and demonstrating the skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute to life in modern Britain

Cultural Focus

We appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain's parliamentary system; participate in cultural opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity. Pupils’ cultural experience is developed through:

• Appreciating the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
• Understanding the range of different cultures within our school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
• Learning about Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain
• Participating in artistic, musical, sporting, mathematical, technological, scientific and cultural opportunities
• Exploring, understanding, respecting and celebrating cultural diversity as shown by their attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in our local, national and global communities

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Curriculum Progression and Map

Spititual, Moral, Social and Cultural Progression

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Map

Middleton's Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum is designed to ensure children know how to keep themselves safe. Protective Behaviours lessons, in all year groups, teach pupils the difference between safe and unsafe touching and also the ‘early warning signs’ they need to be aware of if something doesn’t feel right. Our children are also taught how to keep themselves safe in the sun, around water, around roads/railways and at an appropriate age, about drugs and alcohol. We also teach our children how to ride their bikes safely and we host Bikeability Weeks for Year 2 and Year 5 children each year.

Online Safety

Online safety is actively taught as part of our computing curriculum. Pupils take part in whole school, year group and class assemblies focusing on personal safety and online safety. The school’s online safety lead produces newsletters to further update parents when appropriate. Parent/carers are informed via email of any age appropriate updates in the use of new apps and social media platforms.

Computing

Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

Middleton Primary School has been teaching statutory Relationships Education, as well as the non-statutory sex education since October 2020. Our RSE policy and schemes of work have been approved by Governors and a working party of parents and have been shared with teachers. In September 2020, an online parent information event was held to share the content of lessons with all parents, in advance of RSE lessons beginning.

Relationships, Sex and Health Education

Under the UK Equality Act, there are nine protected characteristics:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex

It is against the law to discriminate against any of the above Protected Characteristics. At Middleton children are taught to value differences and to treat everyone equally. The Protected Characteristics map informs on how Middleton teaches these protected characteristics across the curriculum.

Protected Characteristics

Middleton Primary School actively promotes the fundamental British values of:

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

Through a range of structured activities, our children develop an understanding that while people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in Britain are subject to its law.

At Middleton, children are given:

• An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
• An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety
• An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected;
• An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
• An understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination

British Values Curriculum Progression and Map 

British Values Curriculum Progression

British Values Map

The co-curriculum is an integral part of the education that Middleton Primary School offers. It embeds skills learnt in the classroom, develops self-esteem and teamwork, as well as builds friendships, enriches and deepens knowledge and taps into unknown potential.

At Middleton we believe that participation in activities that complement our curriculum play a central role in children’s healthy development and helps to enhance citizenship, as well as general educational success, allowing our children to build a tool kit for life in modern Britain beyond our school gates.

We aim to provide children with at least one co-curricular club/activity per year group, per subject each school year. Please click on the link below to see our Co-Curriculum offer for 2023/24.

Co-Curricular Opportunities 2023-24

During the academic year of 2023-24 74% of our children attended at least one co-curricular activities. This was a 1% increase on the previous year. Some examples of these activities are Art, Chess, Choir, Cookery, Languages and Sports clubs.

Co-Curricular Sports at Middleton

90% of KS2 children represented the school during the academic year of 2023/24. This was achieved through entering a variety of competitions, arranging fixtures with other local sports and inter class tournaments. Throughout the year we were champions in various Cross Country competitions, Swimming and both Badminton and Tennis tournaments. 

Over 466 (74%) children attended a Sporting extra-curricular club during 2023-24. 

Middleton have recently received Platinum School Games Mark.  The School Games Mark is awarded based on the participation in regular sport and activities as well as the breath of opportunities provided.

Co-Curriculum offer at Middleton

Autumn Term Co Curriculum 2023

Commando Joe’s aims to provide a character learning journey that can be personalised to the needs of children, whatever their background or circumstance - encouraging our children to think critically and develop a mindset that thrives on looking at themselves and others from different perspectives. 

The programme will contribute to cultural, physical, spiritual, moral and social wellbeing and play a part in extending each child’s understanding of British values.

The COJO Character Curriculum is based upon the following four principles: 

1. Character development is a right for every child 
2. Character education will empower young people
3. Character will inform the ethos, direction of learning and culture of the school 
4. Character should be developed in partnership with staff, pupils and parents 

The ultimate aim of character learning is the development of good sense and capacity to ‘think and choose intelligently’ between alternatives and it is with this aim in mind that the COJO Character Curriculum is based. Encouraging children to think differently and more deeply about their actions will be a significant element of the programme.

Creating the right environment for young people to develop positive character behaviours (traits) will enable them to respond well to challenges they face. Cooperating and learning with their peers in a safe environment, taking on enjoyable, relevant activities, will enable young people to make the right choices, supporting them in everyday life inside and outside school. Central to the success of the COJO Character Curriculum is the effective use of relevant military ethos and values – where commitment, honesty, adaptability and courage are a pre-requisite for the quality and success of all teams and people within them. It is important to note that character is not a ‘one size fits all’ concept as it is the combination of behaviour traits that sets each person apart. The COJO Character for Learning programme will: Provide a great foundation on which all children will get the chance to achieve, be resilient, tolerate others and make great choices for life - in and outside school.

The design of the Character Curriculum embeds these behaviour traits within a number of exciting topics based on amazing characters and aspects of their life stories. Significant heroes/heroines, explorers and adventurers have been identified to support children’s understanding of character traits as well as create opportunity and integration into classroom cross curricular work. Each topic has been planned to take place either across one term or to align within other curriculum area topics. 

Respect

The character behaviour traits below are divided into 7 categories linked to the COJO Character Curriculum programme’s central character – RESPECT. They include moral, performance, intellectual and relevant military behaviour traits that should not be seen as separate but be integrated to contribute to a child’s character learning and development.

Commando Joe's Curriculum Progression 

Curriculum-Progression-Commando-Joes

Middleton's seven core school values guide children's choices, behaviour and learning.  These values are the basis of all values teaching and will help children understand connected values.

Middleton's core values are:

• Resilience
• Empathy
• Self-Awareness
• Positivity
• Excellence
• Communication
• Teamwork

These values are taught through the children's weekly Commando Joe's sessions and assemblies.

Commando Joe's Curriculum Progression

Commando Joe's

Middleton Primary school actively teaches pupils how to be safe, healthy and respectful citizens. This is mapped across our broad and balanced curriculum and is delivered in all subject areas, through our rich assembly programme and is embedded within the culture of our school. We invite parents and members of our local community into school regularly to share their stories and experiences with the children, for example we invited grandparents in to talk about their experiences during WW2. We host Stay and Share sessions in all year groups where our children are able to share their books and favourite examples of their work with their parents. We hold an annual anti-bullying week and we teach our children to “tell”. Our children are encouraged to develop their understanding of equalities issues through whole school, year group and class assemblies which support our RSHE curriculum. We also get involved in raising money for various charities, chosen by the school council. At the end of KS2, we host a careers event which broadens our pupil’s horizons and focuses on the modern world, careers and employability and as part of this we welcome Year 11 work experience students from Oakgrove into our school for two weeks in July.

Citizenship Curriculum Progression

Citizenship KS1

Citizenship KS2

Middleton's life skills curriculum consists of a set of skills that it wants the children to achieve over their time at Middleton. This is split into each National Curriculum area and is taught from Foundation to Year 6. These key skills, knowledge and experiences are an important aspect of ensuring children are ready for the next stage of their education. 

Life Curriculum