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Personal Development
Marriotts Personal Development
“Leaders promote pupils’ personal development well. Important themes such as healthy relationships and online safety are revisited and developed as pupils get older. In the sixth form, students explore more mature aspects of sexual health and the law. Pupils learn about other religions and their place in British society. The school has been innovative in valuing and supporting pupils with protected characteristics.”
Our most recent Ofsted report, in 2021
At Marriotts, we strive to prepare students for their future as responsible citizens, willing to make a positive contribution to society with an appreciation of diversity and a respect for British Values and equality. We provide a wide number of rich and varied experiences and opportunities through our curriculum and our co-curriculum to develop talents, interests, and an individual’s cultural capital. We ensure that our careers and employability provision is worthy of acclaim, and our Leadership programme enables our students to engage, inspire, and achieve.
We recognise that it is important that our students know how to keep themselves safe and how to care for both their mental and physical well-being whilst they also develop personal traits and virtues that will motivate and guide them to flourish in their community and in society, with confidence and resilience. As part of this, we emphasise the importance of developing financial literacy, equipping our students with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions for their future. We also educate our students on the value of healthy relationships, helping them to build positive, respectful, and supportive connections with others.
We believe that Personal Development plays a vital part of secondary education and, as well as discrete focused lessons, it is also embedded throughout the curriculum and central to the school’s ethos of ‘Aim High! Work Hard! Be Kind!’. Personal Development is integral to the development of our students’ values preparing them to become well-rounded citizens in a forever changing community. It gives them the currency – in knowledge and skills, examination results and enriched experiences – necessary to take their next exciting, informed, and ambitious steps.
The personal development curriculum at Marriotts is more than the lessons that our students enjoy. It is the whole school experience: from assemblies to educational
visits, from guest speakers to Votes for Schools sessions, from cultural capital discussions to student-voice sessions, from life skills to extra-curricular clubs and intervention sessions. It covers the following areas:
- Fundamental British Values and Citizenship education
- Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural education
- Personal, Social, Health and Economic and Sex and Relationship Education
- Careers (Gatsby Benchmarking) and Living in the Wider World education
- Financial Literacy
Click on each of the tabs below to find out more about each of the strands of our approach to Marriotts Personal Development
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Character and Community
Our vision is to cultivate a generation of students who embody the values that underpin our student mission and school rules: Aim High (Ambition and communication), Work hard (Resilience and responsibility). Be Kind (Kindness and respect).
We strive to nurture responsible, compassionate individuals who lead with kindness, respect, and a strong moral compass. We envision students who are not only academically proficient but also socially responsible, ethical decision-makers, and lifelong learners committed to making a positive impact in their communities and beyond.
Click here to view the Character and Community MPD Lesson overview.
This lesson content is supplemented by our wider co-curricular programme of theme days/events, trips and clubs, assemblies and guest speakers and work with external organisations such as Votes for Schools and First Give.
Wellbeing
We are dedicated to fostering a culture of holistic wellbeing—where mental, emotional, physical, and social health are prioritized. Through a compassionate and inclusive approach, we empower students with the resilience, self-awareness, and skills needed to navigate life's challenges with confidence.
By integrating wellbeing into our curriculum, activities, and community initiatives, we strive to create a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where students can flourish both academically and personally. We ensure that all students are aware of the Five Ways to Wellbeing, feel supported, and understand how to keep themselves safe.
Recognizing the importance of both mental and physical self-care, we guide students in developing personal traits and virtues that will help them thrive in society with confidence and resilience. This includes equipping them with the knowledge to maintain their digital wellbeing, stay safe online, and use technology responsibly.
Our goal is to shape individuals who act with integrity, cooperate effectively with others, and possess the knowledge and strength to maintain their overall wellbeing.
Click here to view the Wellbeing MPD Lesson overview.
This lesson content is supplemented by our wider co-curricular programme of theme days/events, trips and clubs, assemblies, work with external organisations such as Votes for Schools and external speakers. For example, in 2025, the Oli Leigh Trust delivered a mental awareness challenge day for all Year 9 students.
Relationships & Health Education
At Marriotts, we envision a school community where every student develops the knowledge, skills, and values to build healthy, respectful, and meaningful relationships. Our Relationships Education fosters emotional intelligence, empathy, and confidence, equipping students to navigate friendships, family dynamics, and wider social interactions with integrity and care.
We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where students learn about mutual respect, consent, and diversity. Through open dialogue and age-appropriate learning, we empower students to make informed choices, communicate effectively, and cultivate positive connections that enrich their personal and social well-being.
Additionally, we ensure students have the necessary knowledge and skills to protect themselves in various situations, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, harassment, and abuse, as well as understanding the risks of unintended conceptions and sexually transmitted infections. We aim to equip all students with the confidence and awareness to navigate relationships safely and responsibly.
Click here to view the Relationships and Health Education MPD Lesson overview.
This lesson content is supplemented by our wider co-curricular programme of theme days/events, trips and clubs, assemblies, work with external organisations such as Votes for Schools and external speakers. For example, presentations on County Lines and relationships education from Herts Youth Homelessness.
Careers & Employability
At Marriotts, our vision is to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate their career journeys with purpose and ambition. We strive to provide a dynamic and inclusive careers curriculum that fosters a growing awareness of the world of work and helps students identify their goals as they prepare for adulthood and post-16 transitions.
Our Careers Programme is designed to raise aspirations, equip students with the skills to achieve their full potential, and offer meaningful opportunities to explore diverse career pathways. Through real-world experiences and a broad range of opportunities, we enable students to build their own future pathways, make informed career choices, and develop the professional and personal skills needed to thrive in an ever-evolving global workforce.
Click here to view the Careers MPD Lesson overview.
This lesson content is supplemented by our wider co-curricular programme of theme days/events, trips and clubs, assemblies, work with external organisations such as Votes for Schools and external speakers and visits.
Visit our Careers section to find out more about our approach to Careers and Enterprise education at Marriotts.
Equality & Diversity
Our School is committed to anti discriminatory practice, to promote equality of opportunity and valuing diversity for all staff, students and families regardless of their race, gender, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation.
We aim to be a beacon of excellence, in showing how people of different faiths, convictions, ability, gender, heritage and ethnicity can form a successful, cohesive and happy community that draws from the best in each of our traditions. Our students will develop a deep appreciation for diversity, recognizing that individual characteristics make people unique and that differences should be seen as positive contributions rather than barriers.
We are dedicated to challenging discrimination, bias, and inequality by equipping our school community with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to advocate for justice and inclusion. Through ongoing education and meaningful engagement, we ensure that all voices are heard, represented, and respected.
By working together, we will cultivate a future grounded in fairness, respect, and mutual understanding, where every individual has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.
Click here to view the Equality and Diversity MPD Lesson overview.
This lesson content is supplemented by our wider co-curricular programme of theme days/events, trips and clubs, assemblies, work with external organisations such as Votes for Schools and external speakers.
Financial Literacy
We strive to foster financial independence and lifelong success for every student by empowering students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed financial decisions, cultivate responsible money management habits, and build a secure financial future. We envision a generation of financially literate individuals who understand the value of budgeting, saving, investing, and ethical financial responsibility, enabling them to navigate the complexities of the modern economy with confidence and resilience.
Click here to view the Financial Literacy MPD Lesson overview.
