Personal Development

Each strand of our Personal Development programme has its own purpose, to form a coherent whole PD offer for the school. Our intention is to enact our school values of Kindness, Integrity & Perseverance through our PD curriculum at every stage possible during a student’s time in school. We will promote the moral, social, spiritual & cultural development of our students at every opportunity and ensure that they are best equipped to leave the school as better equipped to deal with the world through becoming better people.

Useful links

  • Careers / Futures

    The AVA Futures programme is aspirational at its core – it aims to widen participation in activities that inspire students to want more for themselves.

    We will aim for each year group will have a suite of opportunities rooted in four key areas:

    Tutor-based – in-house activities and themes imparted during morning tutor time, recent examples including Personal Branding in Oct 24.

    Wider School – bigger opportunities to engage with employers and institutions 1:1, such as the October Futures Fair.

    Assemblies – guest assemblies as well as in-house presentations from leaders rooted in aspiration and progress, recent examples including the Royal Navy’s Commander Daniel McMahon and Jane Boulton, HR Director at Axminster Tools.

    Workshops – both on and off-site workshops aimed at smaller groups of more specific students, such as the Cambridge University in-house workshop, Numatic International manufacturing day trip and Army Elite Skills Academy.

  • Enrichment

    We want all students in all years to take part in at least one club or enrichment activity, every year. This is aspirational, but needs to be. The in-school enrichment offer at AVA is comprehensive – we aim for all faculties to run an enrichment club or activity at least once across the year and we look to support each and every club with its own budget, so students get the best experience possible.

  • PSHE

    The development of students’ character is embedded in the school culture & ethos – we are explicit in highlighting Kindness, Integrity & Perseverance.

    The PSHE programme will be clearly mapped across KS3 & KS4 using the Life Lessons suite of resources, which we also use to help with interventions and support for more vulnerable students.