What Governors Need to Know About “Personal Development”

Governors play a critical role in ensuring that schools provide high-quality education and support to pupils in all aspects of their development. One of the most important of these is personal development, which covers a wide range of areas including emotional, social, and academic skills. Here is what governors need to know about personal development according to Ofsted:

The importance of personal development: Personal development is a critical aspect of education, as it helps pupils to develop the skills, attitudes, and confidence they need to succeed in life. Good personal development can improve academic performance, reduce truancy and absenteeism, and support positive mental health and wellbeing.

Ofsted expectations: Ofsted has a clear set of expectations for schools in relation to personal development, including the need to provide a supportive, inclusive, and challenging environment that fosters personal growth and well-being. Inspectors will look for evidence of the school's commitment to personal development, including policies, procedures, and practices that support pupil progress in this area.

The role of governors: Governors have a critical role in overseeing and supporting personal development in their schools. This includes regularly monitoring and evaluating the school's approach to personal development, ensuring that it is in line with Ofsted standards and current best practice, and providing support and guidance to the school as needed.

Gathering information: Governors should gather information about personal development from a variety of sources, including school data, feedback from pupils and staff, and regular visits to the school. They should also review the school's assessment data, including attendance, behaviour, and academic progress, to assess the impact of personal development initiatives.

Supporting the school: Governors should provide support and guidance to the school in its efforts to provide effective personal development provision. This might include funding opportunities for personal development initiatives, such as mentoring and counselling services, and advocating for personal development to be given a higher priority within the school and beyond.

Monitoring and evaluation: Governors should ensure that the school regularly evaluates its personal development provision and that its policies and practices are updated in light of the results. This might include regular assessments of pupil well-being, teacher training on personal development, and review of the impact of personal development initiatives on academic and personal development.

In conclusion, governors have a vital role to play in ensuring that schools provide high-quality personal development support to pupils. By being well-informed and proactive in their support of personal development, governors can help to ensure that pupils receive the education and support they need to succeed and thrive.