Character Education
CANON SLADE SCHOOL
CHARACTER EDUCATION
What kind of school are we?
At Canon Slade our mission statement is “To provide an excellent education and training within a Christian environment to fulfil individual potential and to prepare pupils for life and service in a rapidly changing world”. Our Character journey begins with our SLADIAN VALUES of Success, Love, Aspiration, Dedication, Integrity, Authenticity and Nurture. These are integral to inspiring our pupils to achieve academically and be well-rounded individuals and to live life in all its fullness. (John10:10). Our aim is to educate the whole person, uniting physical and intellectual development with spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Taking time each day to be quiet, to reflect on God’s Word, to pray together, to listen to Christian music or to sing a hymn together – these are important for pupils and staff alike. We organise these in the following ways: The Chapel is used daily during term for collective worship. Every year group has one worship assembly in the Chapel each week led by the Chaplain, Headteacher or a member of the senior leadership team, and a weekly assembly organised by the Head of Year. The rest of the form time is spent with form tutors who have the responsibility for leading a brief act of collective worship and reflection each day, and a focused time of reflection and discussion each week resourced by the school Chaplain.
Holy Communion Services are held three times per year for all students. There are a range of activities in the chaplaincy rooms every day for students to explore and develop their faith.
What are our expectations of behaviour?
Canon Slade has high expectations for our behaviour for learning. Every child is marked a 2 on the register which may change depending on how well they are learning in the lesson. We have our Steps to Success criteria that enables all students to learn in a positive environment. Our Sladian Values are embedded in our Steps to Success language that staff and students use. In the lesson every child begins with accepting the challenge (2) and through demonstrating a can do attitude and ambition can be rewarded in the lesson with a determined to succeed (1) acknowledgement on the register. Any lost learning will be quietly dealt with in the classroom and strategies used to encourage students to remain motivated. Our Steps to Success criteria is displayed in every classroom within the school. Students are fully aware of the system where if they receive a number 3, 4, or 5 parents/carers will be contacted the same day. Our character education supports our pupils to achieve positive 1s and 2s on our steps to success. Currently only 1% of all our students have achieved 3s and 0.13% 4s.
We use our Personal Development curriculum, form time and assemblies to promote consideration and respect towards all pupils. Our rewards system is linked to Steps to Success and Sladian Values where these positive character traits are demonstrated by pupils
How well does our curriculum and teaching develop resilience and confidence?
At Canon Slade we pride ourselves on a broad and balanced curriculum to enable our students to live life in all is fullness. Our pupils are all taught by subject specialists and will study Maths, English, Science and RS as core subjects.
At key stage three they will have the opportunity to study Technology (food, textiles,) geography, history, IT, art, music, drama, dance, Spanish, French, Latin and PE. This broad and balanced curriculum provision gives our students confidence and resilience to prepare them for the wider world. Each subject has a clear well thought out curriculum map with midterm reviews. Knowledge organisers for all subjects ensures that pupils can become independent learners and help to commit subject knowledge to long term memory.
At Key stage 4 we also offer Ancient History, Art & Design, Business Studies, Computer Science, Creative iMedia, Dance, Design and Technology, Drama, Food Preparation and Nutrition, French, Geography, Geology, History, Latin, Media Studies, Music, Music Technology (NCFE Level 2), Physical Education, Spanish. Pupils are not restricted with option blocks to choose from and the curriculum is built around our pupils first, second and third choices. We also offer a personalised curriculum for a small number of our students through our inclusion hub.
At Key stage 5 the majority of our sixth form students embark on studying 3 A levels or Level 3 courses: A Level courses offered are: Art & Design, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classics, Computing, Dance, Design Technology, French, Geography, Geology, History, ICT, Latin, Maths, Double Maths, PE, Politics, Psychology, RS, Sociology, Spanish, Textiles, Theatre Studies, Music & Music Technology. A significant number of students now study a Level 3 Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science.
Throughout all of the key stages our pupils will study PSHE one period a week and added to that is a comprehensive careers curriculum.
All pupils have a structured form time programme where we develop resilience and confidence. At Canon Slade we see form time as an integral part of our character education. The form time lessons see a weekly slot dedicated to personal development which includes a careers curriculum and time to record where they have demonstrated our Sladian Values. There is also time devoted to literacy and numeracy and a session dedicated to reading. This ensures that pupils read a variety of books or texts which helps to develop their sense of cultural capital. To develop their Sladian Values they have Worship once a week delivered by the Chaplaincy team or SLT. Reflection is a key element and is based around our Sladian Values and the core message of the Worship. This helps us to build our sense of community and reiterate our high expectations.
How good is our co-curriculum?
At Canon Slade we currently offer over 80 extra-curricular activities. Our offer for all our pupils is that every year they will experience at least 4 co-curricular activities. We believe that through our co-curricular programme we will challenge our pupils, build their resilience and develop new skills. We use Absolute education to monitor our offer and guide us on what to expand and what pupils would like to experience.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is growing in popularity at Canon Slade School and all pupils have the opportunity to apply for enrolment onto their Bronze Award in Year 10, Silver Award in Year 11 and Gold Award in Sixth Form. Each level of the award involves learning a skill, completing a physical activity, volunteering time to help others and preparing for and completing an expedition. We have a dedicated member of staff that delivers Duke of Edinburgh sessions during lunchtimes and expeditions are normally held in the spring term and towards the end of the summer term. These sessions prepare the pupils with life skills, team work and problem solving. We currently have 90 students completed bronze and 30 completed silver.
Performing Arts, Music- In a world surrounded by music, which has links to both academic progress, social development and mental wellbeing, we strive to provide a rigorous musical education with a wide range of extra-curricular ensembles, musicals and instrumental opportunities. Through Bolton Music Service we offer 215 students instrumental lessons within which over 50 students are Pupil Premium. As a school we offer 10 different musical ensembles that students can be a part of.
We aim to foster a love of the Arts and use Drama as a tool to enable students to develop key skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing that will prepare them for their future. Drama allows students to communicate with and understand others in new ways, whilst developing practical aspects of communication so necessary in today's increasingly information-centred world. Students learn to express themselves creatively and imaginatively, working collaboratively with their peers to develop confidence, resilience and co-operation through teamwork.
Each year we put on a whole school musical, a dance show, gala concert, Christmas concert, Carol Service and a junior concert where we show case our talented pupils.
Sport and Physical Education
Our mission statement within the PE department is based around the following: Achievement, Inclusion and Teamwork Developing a positive outlook on, and adopting, healthy lifestyle choices. The department enables all our students to experience the following:
- Opportunity to participate in Physical Education
- Opportunity for all students to achieve their potential in a range of activities
- Opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities
- Develop a life-long love of activity and healthy lifestyle choices
Students are offered a broad range of individual and team activities that encompass the development and refinement of skill and its application in physical activity. Whilst we want students to achieve the very best examination results, we also believe our curriculum goes beyond this. We ensure students attempt core and advanced skills, have the opportunity to develop components of fitness, alongside developing a positive mind set and resilience to succeed. We hope students should be able identify the types of activities they are suited to and make appropriate choices about their involvement in physical activity in school and beyond.
The range and breadth of the curriculum is designed to ensure we give the students an extensive range of activities so they will engage, be motivated to succeed while having a sense of inclusion at all times. There are a wide range of extra-curricular sporting opportunities and we promote physical activity as being essential to improve the mental health and well-being of our students.
How well do we promote the value of volunteering and service to others?
All students in year 10 and year 12 complete work experience. This gives them the opportunity to develop their independence and beak down social barriers and a valuable insight into the world of work. It assists them in both developing their own employability skills and making good choices for the future. Pupils are supported in finding meaningful work placements by our Careers lead and form tutors.
In Year 7 we are complete the Archbishop of York Young Leaders award where they have to complete a community project. Currently this involves volunteering to support Urban Outreach food Hub. It also has the students raising money for various charities.
Our sixth form ambassadors mentor our younger students. They support them in lessons, help develop their academic progress in a wide range of subjects and in form times they support with numeracy and literacy with the lower school pupils. They also assist with weekly assembly organisation e.g. lining up the pupils entering the Chapel, to reinforce positive behaviours. They are a Year 7 Form Buddy to complete weekly equipment check and mentor new Year 7 students who are struggling with the transition to secondary school. We also have Year 12 Prefects / Year 13 Senior Prefects.
Sixth formers are encouraged to run lunchtime clubs and societies for example they have set up a Medical Debate Society and a Charity Society. Subject Ambassadors represent subject departments on Open Evenings and support in lessons.
How do we ensure all our pupils benefit equally from what we offer?
Safeguarding – At Canon Slade we ensure that all our staff treat pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect. We have fully trained Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) to work with all of our pupils. For each year group we have a DSL, a head of year, pastoral assistant and two assistant heads of years. Within school we have two additional roles; LAC professional and PP co-ordinator who ensure any barriers are removed for the young people in those groups and that they feel valued at Canon Slade and part of our community.
SEND and inclusion - The aim of Inclusion is to embrace all our students irrespective of race, gender, background, disability, medical or other need, enabling the same aspirations for all our students. The aim of the support provided by the Inclusion Hub is to enable students with SEN to achieve their potential and be fully included in the life and community of the school. The Inclusion Hub provides support and intervention which aims to accelerate the progress of students through 1:1 support, small group or individual intervention and / or specialist teaching. The Inclusion Hub provides tailored intervention packages, where appropriate, to support students who have been identified as having Moderate Learning Difficulties, Cognition & Learning Difficulties, a Speech, Language and Communication Need or a Social, Emotional or Mental Health need. The aim of these interventions is to provide support in removing the barriers that prevent these students from attending lessons or accessing the curriculum appropriately alongside their peers.
Student leadership and student voice – At Canon Slade we believe consultation with our young people is integral to our school and we have many opportunities for student voice which helps to shape the day-to-day needs of our school community. Representatives from each tutor group are a non-elite group which make up the year group council and then feeds into our whole school council. Our student voice includes students of all ages and abilities and they help to shape our staff, curriculum and issues important to young people.
