CELEBRATING SUCCESS
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AT HORIZON
Personal development at Horizon Community College extends the curriculum beyond the expected academic, technical and vocational and provides our students with opportunities to develop passion, talent and interests. We believe in providing rich experiences of exceptional quality, in the curriculum and through a full range of extra-curricular activities, that considerably strengthen the character and education of our students. We support learners in developing their character including their resilience, confidence and independence, ensuring they know how to stay physically and mentally healthy throughout. At every stage of our students’ journey, we provide an outstanding programme of careers and enterprise, preparing students for further education and next steps, ensuring students are work ready. In turn, students are prepared for life in modern Britain within all subject areas but additionally through an in-depth programme of citizenship and tutor period debate.
The Six Key Areas of Personal Development
Health and Wellbeing including relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
All students will gain a knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves both mentally and physically healthy throughout their lives. Students will engage with activities in class and form period that build their skills in first aid as well as developing their understanding of a range of positive relationships.
Careers & Enterprise
All students are provided with an outstanding curriculum of careers and enterprise throughout their journey from Y7-11 at Horizon, ensuring that all are work ready and life ready.
Cultural Literacy
All students are prepared for life in modern day Britain with a clear understanding and appreciation of diversity and cultural differences. At Horizon Community College we drive an inclusive environment for all where students are educated in historical and popular cultural to ensure a successful transition into work and life.
Character Building
All students are provided with opportunities throughout Y7-11 to develop their character with a clear focus on our ten core values: pride, organisation, engagement, questioning, respect, kindness, teamwork, tolerance, independence, resilience.
Cleaner, Greener Horizon
It is our mission to ensure we are reducing our impact upon the Earth through continuing to make Horizon Community College cleaner and greener. Students are educated through curriculum time, form period and Votes for Schools with regards to the impact humans are having on the planet and how to take action.
Community Action
All students are equipped to be responsible, respectful, active citizens who contribute positively to society. Students are given the opportunity to get involved in many of our community projects including fund raising, Christmas hampers and many more.
Duke of Edinburgh
Horizon Community College has always been an advocate of Duke of Edinburgh with approximately 50 student each year embarking on their Bronze Award.
Duke of Edinburgh Award gives students the chance to gain new skills and improve on those they already have. It will allow students to build confidence, resilience, skills for work and friendship groups, taking them out of their comfort zone and beyond.
At Horizon, DofE is a voluntary activity for Y9 students and is held in high regard by colleges, universities and employers therefore all the effort applied by those undertaking the award, will not go unnoticed in the future.
The Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award which is a fun, life-changing experience and an opportunity to discover new interests and talents. The Award includes three sections completed in students own time; Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and then completed with a final expedition, all of which is supported by our two Duke of Edinburgh Leaders; Mrs Horsfield and Mr Vickers.
Student Leadership
Student leadership at Horizon provides exciting opportunities for pupils to gain valuable experience and skills and to be involved in the running of their school.
Student Council
“Every child has the right to express their views on matters that affect them, and for those views to be taken into consideration” (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child).
The Student Council consists of 15 members which consists of three students from each year group.
The aim of the student council is to involve students in decisions that impact them. The Council allows students to gain belief in their own capabilities and the opportunity to express views, influence decisions and develop networks.
The Student Council meet half termly, they discuss the suggestions made through whole College student voice exercises and suggestions made in the student voice boxes. As part of their student leadership role, the student council will also be provided with training to improve their confidence and presentation skills.
Natural Leaders
As part of Horizon’s commitment to becoming ‘cleaner and greener’, I created a group for young students in Year 7 & Year 8 that are interested in learning about sustainability and protecting the environment; this group was called ‘Horizon’s Natural Leaders’. The project was built in collaboration with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and their Inspiring People’s Officer, Kat Woolley. So far we have had a number of meetings where we have discussed things that students can do at home to increase the biodiversity of their own gardens and reduce their environmental impact. As a consequence, a number of students created bird boxes, bug hotels and hedgehog houses to put into their own gardens. Resources from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust were also shared with the students to enable them to educate their peers, their family and their community.
The first in-school element of the project involved planting 5 fruit trees in the school’s ‘Kitchen Garden’ doubling the fruit bearing capacity of the garden; adding to the 5 fruit trees that are already there. This is part of a plan to make the Canteen more sustainable so they can use ‘home-grown’ fruit in the meals provided to students. We also added a further 50 hedgerow saplings to the existing hedges that border the ‘Kitchen Garden’, providing increased habitat for a wide variety of species. Finally, we built some bug hotels and hedgehog houses to encourage wildlife to inhabit the garden area to increase the biodiversity.
The next element of the project is to visit the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust education site in Doncaster on Tuesday 22nd March, to acknowledge the work that the Natural Leaders have done, introduce them to the work that the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust does locally and educate them on how to protect the environment for the future.
Finally, we have had 420 saplings delivered by the Woodland Trust as part of their ‘Trees for Schools’ project, and we aim to plant them across the school site and across HCAT Primary Schools in the summer term.
Student Ambassador
At Horizon Community College our aim is to ensure students are: School Ready; Work Ready; Life Ready.
The Student Ambassador Programme was created to provide students with an opportunity to play an active role in everything that is Horizon. At present we have 65 Student Ambassadors across the 5 schools.
Each team of Ambassadors have a different area that they are responsible for supporting with: information evenings, meeting and greeting guests, departmental tasks and supporting events lead through the Careers and Enterprise team.
Becoming a Student Ambassador enables selected students to develop their personal and interpersonal skills including: communication, organisation, problem solving and teamwork.
Our Ambassadors are friendly, helpful and are positive role models. They wear the college uniform with pride, make the right choices and are easily identifiable with their green badges.
The first in-school element of the project involved planting 5 fruit trees in the school’s ‘Kitchen Garden’ doubling the fruit bearing capacity of the garden; adding to the 5 fruit trees that are already there. This is part of a plan to make the Canteen more sustainable so they can use ‘home-grown’ fruit in the meals provided to students. We also added a further 50 hedgerow saplings to the existing hedges that border the ‘Kitchen Garden’, providing increased habitat for a wide variety of species. Finally, we built some bug hotels and hedgehog houses to encourage wildlife to inhabit the garden area to increase the biodiversity.
The next element of the project is to visit the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust education site in Doncaster on Tuesday 22nd March, to acknowledge the work that the Natural Leaders have done, introduce them to the work that the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust does locally and educate them on how to protect the environment for the future.
Finally, we have had 420 saplings delivered by the Woodland Trust as part of their ‘Trees for Schools’ project, and we aim to plant them across the school site and across HCAT Primary Schools in the summer term.
Sports Leaders
Students in Year 9 can apply to become Sports Leaders. Students train to plan and lead a range of activities for younger students. They develop communication skills, confidence and understanding of how to plan and lead safe and engaging sports activities. Once students have practiced with their peers they work in Year 7 lessons, at after school clubs and organise and run sports events for Primary School students.
