Personal Development

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Amazing NUSA Values

Our ‘NUSA24/7 Values’ ensures we hold every single pupil, colleague and community accountable to consistent high standards. We live and breathe our belief in our offer to enhance the lives of our community so that all pupils can be successful in modern Britain and beyond.

Our core values are evident within our curriculum, our daily interactions and the opportunities that NUSA provide to the community. These shared beliefs guide our students, our colleagues and our wider community to grow, fostering an environment where all individuals feel safe, valued, and are ambitious to learn. We have only the highest expectations and our character education not only enhances our pupils' rates of academic success, but also cultivates the whole child’s social and emotional development, preparing students to become empathetic and engaged members of society. Our students are 'Grown At NUSA' through these key values and character traits.

Integrity

At NUSA, we create an environment where honesty, responsibility, respect, and fairness are prioritised in lessons, unstructured times and outside of NUSA. We promote integrity by driving a clear moral compass, striving to do the right thing, even when no-one is looking. Our taught curriculum, including drop down days and assemblies encourages pupils to make the correct ethical decisions and prepares them for future challenges. By instilling our values such as accountability and resilience, NUSA empowers students to not only excel academically but also become conscientious and thoughtful respected members of society.

Accountability

All stakeholders are expected to hold themselves accountable for their actions, their goals and their values. We expect everyone to take responsibility for their effort levels in all that they do. There are a variety of opportunities afforded to our pupils to encourage them to reflect on their decisions, learn from mistakes, and understand the impact of their actions on themselves and others. It is our belief that by cultivating a culture of accountability, it helps shape well-rounded individuals who contribute positively to the wider NUSA community and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Resilience

We teach our students the importance of the ability to adapt, overcome adversity, and bounce back from challenges.

We teach that growth comes from being uncomfortable, during our supportive environment which encourages positive relationships among peers and colleagues. Through our overt teaching of coping strategies, our students learn problem-solving skills and the importance of perseverance which aids their courage to take risks, both within careers and academic pressures; which equips them with essential life skills that help them navigate future challenges with confidence and determination.

Ambition

Our relentless, determined approach to instil the highest standards for our pupils is all to ensure they have every opportunity to grow into the best version of themselves. The teaching of the value ambition is through a wide range of opportunities, caught, taught and sought with the goal for all students to have a strong worth ethic as contributing members of society.

We expect and teach our students to drive and achieve academic success through personal growth within their educational journey. It encompasses goal setting, refection and seeking opportunities for enrichment, whether through extracurricular activities, leadership roles, or advanced work completion. Cultivating ambition at NUSA encourages a mindset of resilience and curiosity, inspiring students to not only strive for high grades but also to develop critical thinking skills, creativity, and a passion for learning that extends beyond the classroom. Ultimately, it lays the foundation for lifelong learning and future achievements; which is how our students will create their own cycle.

NUSA 24/7

We strive to be good humans and make a positive contribution to society.​

We accept support from others and offer it in return.​

We treat everyone with respect and equality, regardless of who they are or whether we agree with them.​

We give something back to the school and community.

Personal Development

The core purpose of Personal Development at NUSA is to ensure that our students leave us well equipped with the knowledge, understanding and emotional literacy they require to participate actively, positively, safely and responsibly in today’s society.

We support and challenge all of our students to set high aspirations and personal goals and are committed to fostering within them the self-belief that they can make a positive difference and contribute meaningfully to their local and wider communities.

The DfE defines Character as ‘a set of positive personal traits, dispositions and virtues that inform motivation and guide conduct so that students reflect wisely, learn eagerly, behave with integrity and cooperate consistently well with others. This gives students the qualities they need to flourish in our society.’ This is our aim for our Personal Development Programme at NUSA, where the Fundamental British Values, of Democracy, The rule of law, Individual Liberty and Mutual Respect and Tolerance, are evident in all that we do at the academy.

SMSC

Spiritual

NUSA encourages pupils to be reflective and self aware. Pupils learn how to reflect upon their own beliefs and those of their peers.

Moral

At NUSA we have strong routines embedded. We have a clear set of expected behaviours and our pupils recognise the difference between right and wrong. Appreciating others’ moral and ethical viewpoints can also help pupils to develop into more empathetic and caring members of society.

Social

NUSA encourages engagement with others and acceptance of differences between members of society ties in closely with ‘British Values’. It includes willingness to participate in community projects and wider social groups, including sports clubs, enrichment and volunteering.

NUSA aims to give students the support they need to become more comfortable socially can help them in all aspects of life, through higher education to employment.

Cultural

NUSA promotes the understanding and appreciation of the rich tapestry of culture that makes up our society. A love of art, music, sports and other cultural pursuits is viewed as conducive to pupils’ development as it can help to form ideas for further study.

Enrichment

NUSA offers a variety of extracurricular clubs for example, drama workshops, writing, coding, Esports, netball, debate, trampolining, and many others. NUSA has a comprehensive programme of enrichment opportunities, enabling students to extend their learning beyond the classroom. There are many creative opportunities for our students including choir, instrumental and singing lessons, theatre club, art club and an annual whole school production.

For three consecutive years, NUSA has been the top participating school in the city, entering more competitions than any other school! This means NUSA pupils have the best opportunity to develop their skills and tactics in competitive situations. As well as further enhancing their capacity for teamwork, respect and sportsmanship.

This allows students of all ages and abilities to engage in activities whether they want to play competitively, learn new skills, help others or just have fun. We have certainly got a club that fits the bill.

Character

Work Hard, Be Kind

The NUSA community, inclusive of staff, students and parents / carers will model inspirational influence of the framework of British Values. Only by modelling the expectations and behaviours, will good Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural virtues and character building be, ‘caught’. British Values are promoted through our Assembly Programme and Cultural Diversity is celebrated throughout the academic year.

Our school leadership, democratically voted, lead events and support staff or subjects. Student voice is regularly collected and acted upon. Oracy strategies are used regularly in every subject, providing opportunities to learn how to argue and defend points of view. Each subject is represented by Student Ambassadors that spread a love for their chosen subject.

NUSA provides educational experiences in and out of the classroom that equip students with the language, knowledge, understanding, skills, and opportunities to express individual liberty that enable character development.

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education)

PSHE at NUSA is a specialist SMSC and RSE curriculum delivered weekly to all students from Year 7 to 11. PSHE is delivered to 6th Form students twice weekly via the 6th Form tutor programme.

The curriculum is a dynamic one, responding to cultural and social changes that affect our daily routines and lives. The themes are continually developed in terms of relevance, complexity, depending on the age-appropriate requirements of our young people.

Lessons are adapted for our SEND learners, while the curriculum is ambitious for all students. PSHE lessons provide an inclusive environment where pupils feel comfortable and safe to discuss issues they are worried or feel anxious about.

Specialist speakers, external agencies and resource libraries are used to provide an excellent learning experience for all our students. The latest PSHE Association Framework guidance and makes reference back to the DfE’s intent on SMSC wrap around provision for all students.

RSE (Relationships and Sex Education)

RSE topics at NUSA aim to develop our students understanding around relationships and the benefits of healthy and happy relationships to their mental health and well-being, as well as being able to spot the signs of unhealthy relationships and how to avoid them.

NUSA students are delivered an age-appropriate curriculum via PSHE. In KS3 the RSE topics focus on Building Relationships & Respectful Relationships, including topics such as Cyberbullying, Positive friendships, FGM and Change & Loss. In KS4 and 5, there is more focus on Intimate Relationships, Relationship Safety and Family Relationships, including topics such as Contraception, Pornography, Celebrating Diversity and Abusive Relationships.

Parents do have the right to withdraw their child from all or some of the RSE lessons. Parents, in the first instance, should contact Miss Calladine to arrange a meeting to discuss the withdrawal of their child from RSE lessons.

CEIAG (Careers Education)

Our Careers programme prepares students for life after they leave the school. It has been designed to align with the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, which outline the requirements of an excellent careers programme, & meet the Baker Clause.

Students have many encounters with employers and learn about the different careers and the various routes into these careers. It helps find the careers that suit them and prepare them to follow their desired path. Students learn about and experience different work sectors and are taught to challenge the various stereotypes and social norms and discrimination that exists in the world of work.

Students learn about choice and pathways, and the importance of Individual Liberty. Various pathway providers, such as 6th colleges or vocational providers, are regularly invited into the school. The programme supports pupils through each of the transitions they face such as choosing Year 9 options and deciding what to do after Year 11 and after Year 13.

NUSA Careers Website