At St Aidan’s, we believe that character development is essential in helping our children become confident, resilient, and compassionate individuals who are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that life brings. Rooted in our Catholic mission of ‘Learning and Growing Together; Inspired by the Love of Jesus’, we aim to develop the whole child—mind, body, and spirit.
Through resilience-building and character education, we nurture important life skills such as communication, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and self-awareness. These qualities contribute to positive mental well-being and allow our pupils to grow into happy, well-rounded, and responsible members of society.
We support our pupils’ character development in a wide variety of meaningful and engaging ways:
- Our trained Thrive Practitioner supports children through the Thrive Approach, which helps pupils to understand and regulate their emotions, build positive attachments, and develop the personal resilience needed to manage life’s challenges. Thrive is embedded across our school culture and provides tailored support for children who may be experiencing difficulties, helping them feel safe, seen, and supported.
- Our dedicated Behaviour Mentor, MJ, leads weekly sessions with KS1 and KS2 classes, focusing on building key skills such as resilience, teamwork, empathy, self-regulation, and emotional intelligence. MJ’s sessions are highly valued by pupils and play an important role in developing their personal character and emotional well-being.
- ‘Take Over Day’ gives children the exciting opportunity to step into real roles within the school, including Headteacher, Learning Mentor, PE Teacher, Nursery Teacher, and Breakfast Club staff.
- Celebrating out-of-school achievements in our weekly Celebration Assemblies fosters pride and self-confidence.
- Pupils regularly perform in front of audiences, including class assemblies, school nativities, choir performances, and church Masses.
- Children take on leadership roles through our many pupil leadership teams: Head Boy and Head Girl, Mini Vinnies, Reading Ambassadors, School Council, and Play Leaders.
- All pupils are encouraged to represent the school in sports, with events such as football tournaments and inclusive competitions, helping them build teamwork, sportsmanship, and perseverance.
- Our residential trip for Year 6 provides a valuable experience in independence, collaboration, and resilience outside the classroom.
- A range of after-school clubs allows children to develop new interests, build friendships, and boost self-esteem.
- Public speaking and debate opportunities across the curriculum strengthen communication, listening, and confidence.
- Pupils also speak in front of larger audiences, including church congregations during school Masses, giving them opportunities to express themselves meaningfully and respectfully.
- We mark key awareness events such as Children’s Mental Health Week, British Sign Language Week, and Neurodiversity Week, promoting empathy, understanding, and inclusivity.
- Our high-quality foundation subjects and PSHE curriculum support the development of problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration.
Through all of these opportunities and more, we ensure our children leave St Aidan’s not just academically prepared, but as confident, thoughtful, and resilient young people, ready to thrive in the next stage of their lives.