Personal Development

Extra-Curricular Activities 

We offer extra-curricular clubs covering areas such as music, chess, drama, sport and academic subjects, including science and spanish. All clubs are free. 

Participating in extra-curricular clubs helps young people build the character and resilience needed to be successful in life. We believe that all students should attend at least one club per week - whether that is at the school or through a club that takes place in the local community (Waltham Forest Clubs for young people). 

We want every student to have the chance to shine. Whenever there is demand for a new club or activity, we will always try to find a way to make it happen. 

Year 7 Activity Passport

As we welcome our new Year 7s to SCFS, we want to support them in their transition to becoming successful young people. We believe that engaging in activities outside of the classroom allows our students to build the character and resilience they need to succeed in the wider world.  

We are therefore asking all the students in Year 7 to sign-up to at least one extra-curricular club during their first year at SCFS.  We are also encouraging all our Year 7s to complete our Activity Passport which can be downloaded below.  Students who complete the passport at any point in Year 7 should show it to Mrs H Campbell so that their achievements can be recognised by the wider community through our assemblies and website. You can download a copy of the Activity passport here. 

Rewards  

It is important to recognise and celebrate achievements and efforts of those students who behave well and work hard. Staff should praise visibly and sincerely. This is important in recognising behavioural norms and reinforcing positive behaviours. As such praise should be a key component of good teaching and student / staff relationships. 

All rewards are recorded electronically.  Staff are encouraged to reward students using positive points. These rewards will then be publicly shared throughout the academic year via assemblies, form time and in real time with parents. At the end of term each subject area will be asked to nominate students that have excelled in their subject(s) this year so far. Subject areas are requested to consider both academic success as well as progress. Form tutors also nominate a student from each registration group who embraces and embodies the school values.  

The school also uses several external agencies, like the Jack Petchey Award to further promote positive behaviours and recognise the work and character of our students. 

Careers and Enterprise 

Brilliant Club 

Student Leadership 

Student leaders who make up the School Council are selected via a highly competitive application and interview process, much in the same way as the UK election system. Students are clear from the onset about the demands of the role and the importance of upholding the school’s values of Ambition, Resilience and Unity. The use of student voice through the tutor system is a major strength of our student leaders. 

The Student Leadership Team is open to any member of the student body. Through our student leadership team, every student has a voice in the running of the school, and a chance to bring about positive change. The aim of the team is to make a positive impact on our community at the local, national and global level. 

The Student Leadership Team at South Chingford Foundation School made the following impact last academic year: 

• Improved dining experience 
• Improved nutritional value of food in the dining hall 
• Healthier choices 
• Improved independent study facilities 
• Enhanced reward systems for students and staff 
• Improved peer mentoring provision 

SMSC and British Values 

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) education is an important part of life at South Chingford Foundation School 

SMSC covers the following topics: 

• Spiritual: explore beliefs and experience; respect values; discover oneself and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect. 
• Moral: recognise right and wrong; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views. 
• Social: use social skills in different contexts; work well with others; resolve conflicts; understand how communities work. 
• Cultural: appreciate cultural influences; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity. 

How we teach SMSC at SCFS ?

We deliver our SMSC education in a variety of ways through our: 

• Curriculum 
• Assembly programme 
• Extended registration programme 
• Philosophy for children programme 
• PSHE/RHSE curriculum 
• Extra-curricular opportunities, trips and external speakers 
• Enrichment and cultural capital days 
• Talk to Learn events. 

We also use the Votes for Schools programme. Votes for Schools provides effective delivery of SMSC (including British values) and Prevent. Through debating a weekly topic, students are given the opportunity for discussion of topical, sometimes controversial, issues. It allows pupils to live and experience British Values in an engaging way.  

Students debate issues such as: 

• Will climate change affect children's rights? 
• Should the UK do more to help Afghanistan? 
• Should more children get free school meals? 
• Do we celebrate our differences enough? 
• Do you see yourself as the leader in life? 

Full details can be found in the Personal Development Policy. 

British Values 

The school supports and delivers a firm commitment to developing and upholding British values: 

Democracy 

We have an elected Student Council with clear job descriptions and terms of office. The selections are done via a highly competitive application and interview process, much in the same way as the UK election system. Students learn about the importance and value of democracy in tutor time, assemblies and across the school curriculum. 

The Rule of law 

The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout all aspects of school life. Students and parents are part of the consultation of School rules and are incorporated into discussions about the value and reasons for clear expectations within the school. For example, we recently went through a process of carefully explaining the need for change regarding our mobile phone rules and ensured that all understood the change before implementation. This process ensures that all stakeholders understand the consequences of not following School rules, as well as the benefits and rewards for active participation in School life in a positive and constructive way. Students are also taught about UK legislation by our Alumni lawyers and through visits from the Metropolitan Police. 

Individual liberty 

Students are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We educate and provide boundaries for students to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education. 

Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety assemblies and tutor sessions. Whether it be through choice of learning challenge, of participation in our extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. 

Mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs 

South Chingford Foundation School is situated in an area which is culturally diverse and we place a great emphasis on promoting and understanding diversity within the student and staff body. Our Tutor sessions, assemblies and extended registration programme reinforce this. Students and staff feel comfortable sharing their knowledge and experiences to enhance learning within classes.  We also work closely with local community groups, The Anne Frank Trust, anti-discrimination advocacy and faith groups so our students are exposed to multiple ways of viewing the society around them. This is accomplished through visits to places of worship, speakers from community and faith groups, and work with anti-discrimination groups such as Stonewall. 

Curriculum 

Within the wider curriculum and its delivery, we expect all students to: 

• Participate in subjects with broad potential for deepening cultural appreciation - Art, Music and Drama 
• participate in wider activities and discussions, for example, during tutor time, that uphold British values 
• Show tolerance of different faiths and beliefs 

Radicalisation and Extremism 

The school believes and actively supports the view that all students should be protected from radicalisation and extremism. Our approach to this is in line with the Government’s CONTEST strategy (the counter terrorist strategy) and PREVENT (stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism). Staff receive training on radicalisation awareness. 

Radicalisation is the process by which people come to support terrorism and extremism, and in some cases, participate in terrorist groups. Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to the fundamental British values, stated above. Our commitment to safeguarding student welfare means we are vigilant in monitoring vulnerability to radicalisation including: 

• Family tensions 
• Sense of isolation 
• Migration 
• Distance from cultural heritage 
• Experience of racism or discrimination 
• Feeling of failure 

Students, staff, parents and guardians are supported by the Pastoral and Safeguarding teams at SCFS regarding any concerns or issues surrounding radicalisation or extremism. 

RSHE and PHSE Curriculum 

 It is our aim to develop all our students into Active Citizens by providing them with the knowledge and skills required to be ambitious, resilient, respectful, curious, confident and tolerant young people, capable of living healthy and fulfilling lives.  

Young people today are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities but also challenges and risks. 

In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.  

Below you will find an overview of the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) and the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) curriculum for South Chingford Foundation School.  

Knowledge organisation  

There are 13 topics in the statutory guidance for secondary schools and these are interleaved through the units and across the year groups. The sequence of units within each year is derived in such a way as to enable pupils to make connections and links between topics/units. 

The development of each topic, and how all the units relating to that topic build from Year 7 to 11, has been derived from a judgement regarding the age-appropriateness of the content. 

The substantive PSHE and RSHE knowledge is designed to be delivered in a sequence that allows for connection-making across the topics. The knowledge becomes more complex and age-specific as students progress through the academic year. All substantive RSHE knowledge to be delivered is taken directly from the RSHE statutory guidance document. Each one of the topics becomes a thread of knowledge building throughout this entire secondary curriculum, although there are clear links across topics, which are highlighted throughout.   

To embed the substantive knowledge relating to RSHE, pupils need to reflect on the human experience. Pupils’ understanding of the topics will be enhanced through stories and scenario-based considerations and reflections.  

Knowledge selection  

The selection of knowledge in this curriculum is informed by the RSHE Statutory Guidance 2020, the PSHE Association’s suggested curriculum and The Gatsby Benchmarks.   

For clarity, here listed are the RSHE topics from the guidance, from which knowledge and units in this curriculum are derived:  

Relationship/Sex Education topics 

• Online and Media  
• Being Safe  
• Respectful Relationships, including Friendships  
• Intimate and Sexual Relationships, including Sexual Health  
• Families  

Health topics 

• Healthy Eating  
• Health and Prevention  
• Mental Wellbeing  
• Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco  
• Basic First Aid  
• Internet Safety and Harms  
• Changing Adolescent Body  
• Physical Health and Fitness  

The curriculum has been designed with a presumption that pupils will not have been taught all of the statutory primary content for RSHE. Knowing that the guidance only became statutory in September 2020, where necessary, lessons have been included that re-cap primary content, to ensure our secondary curriculum can be fully accessed.  

Ambitious and Inclusive 

Learning within this curriculum is, by law, an entitlement of all children in the UK. By nature of the subject matter, certain elements may resonate with specific pupils more than others, based on their background and life experience. 

However, the content is designed to be taught to all pupils on the basis that it aims to build understanding and appreciation of others in order to further strengthen relationships and preparedness for adult life. 

Content relating to sex and relationships will be taught in such a way as to be equally applicable to LGBTQ+ young people as to CIS opposite sex relationships. It is hoped that in delivering this curriculum, staff and students are further embracing and enhancing inclusivity within our community.  

The curriculum breaks down lengthy guidance into deliverable, manageable chunks. It aims to challenge pupils to deeply reflect, and to embrace a wide range of topic specific vocabulary, to equip them with the tools needed to navigate their lives as teenagers and adults, and to understand experiences that might affect friends, relations, partners and colleagues both now and in the future, thus hopefully making them more empathetic individuals.   

Resilience and character building. Resilience is one of our three core values at South Chingford foundation School. These should include character traits such as belief in achieving goals and persevering with tasks, as well as personal attributes such as honesty, integrity, courage, humility, kindness, generosity, trustworthiness and a sense of justice, underpinned by an understanding of the importance of self-respect and self-worth and providing planned opportunities for young people to undertake social action, active citizenship and voluntary service to others locally or more widely. 

RSE delivered through other areas of the curriculum 

Science: At Key Stage 3 and 4, it includes teaching about reproduction in humans. For example, the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems, menstrual cycle, gametes, fertilisation, gestation, birth and HIV/AIDS. 

Computing: E-safety, with progression in the content to reflect the different and escalating risks that young people face as they get older. This includes how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, how to keep personal information private, and where to go for help and support. 

PE: Health education can be complemented by what is taught through PE by developing core knowledge and broader understanding that enables students to lead healthy, active lives. 

Pupil engagement and motivation  

Through scenario-based teaching, coupled with clear, honest approaches, this curriculum will come to life for pupils as they will understand the relevance and applicability of the content to their own lives. By carefully matching the content to the age-appropriate level, the relevance and challenge level will further enhance engagement. It will be clearly recognisable how each topic builds vertically through the year groups over a long span of time, and how topics interconnect horizontally across a given academic year.   

A contextualised curriculum  

We have considered the contextual needs of our students when designing the curriculum.  We have gathered information through the use Student Council, work with the school Safeguarding Team and internal results from Votes for Schools SMSC debates. Data from the Health and Wellbeing Surveys have also been factored into our decision-making over the time allocated to individual topics.  

This has led to additional curriculum time being devoted to the following areas:  

• Mental Wellbeing  
• Relationships and Consent  
• Staying Safe Online and Offline  
• Celebrating Diversity and Equality   

Ultimately, this curriculum aims to equip young people to live their lives safely and happily, treating others with care and respect. It aims to give them the knowledge to make their own informed lifestyle decisions (within the law), and to maintain their own self-care, through the embedding of this knowledge and the skill of deep reflection.  

Extra-curricular links  

As we deliver the curriculum, we draw clear links to how students can engage with both our in-school extra-curricular programme as well as our opportunities with our external partners. 

For example, in our Health and Wellbeing module, we provide students with resources and information on how to stay physically active through our extra-curricular sports programme as well as information on where they can gain wellbeing support through our wellbeing Champions. 

Parental engagement 

PSHE/RSHE is best delivered through a collaborative partnership between parents and the school. Each year, we offer parents the opportunity to attend a coffee morning to find out more about our PSHE & RHSE curriculum. In the summer term, parents are consulted in preparation for the delivery of the following year's curriculum. If you have any questions about our PSHE/RSHE curriculum or wish to review any of the teaching and learning materials used, please contact Mr G Asiedu, Vice Principal at g.asiedu@southchingfordfs.org.uk 

The right to withdraw from sex education  

Parents/guardians cannot withdraw their child from any aspect of relationships education or health education. If a parent/carer wishes that their child be removed from sex education, they should write to the Head of School to request withdrawal. The school will arrange a meeting with them to discuss the matter further. Where necessary, we will provide support by signposting parents to where they can find out more information on parental guidance about sex education. Parents will be able to withdraw their child (following discussion with the school) from any or all aspects of sex education, other than those which are part of the science curriculum, up to and until three terms before the age of 16.  After that point, if a student wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school will make arrangements to provide the child with sex education during one of those terms. Where students are withdrawn from sex education, we will ensure that they receive appropriate, purposeful education during the period of withdrawal. 

• Wellbeing Curriculum 
• Duke of Edingburgh 
• Anti-Discrimination 
• Assembly Presentations