At Oaks Primary Academy, our mission is to inspire lifelong learners who want to make a difference in the world they live in. By interweaving aspirational National Curriculum objectives with the International Baccalaureate, we are able to challenge children to think critically about life on earth and how to drive positive change.
As such, it should be no surprise that Personal Development is at the heart of what we offer at Oaks. Our three booklet model, called the Profile for Success, targets key milestones as the children progress through Oaks and develops their ability to reflect and grow as individuals, it packages our co-curricular offer, ambitious curriculum and opportunities afforded to classes to promote a love of learning.
Whilst progressing through Oaks Primary Academy, each child will go on their own personal development journey, which will be documented through the Profile for Success booklets, detailing their experiences. Each personal booklet focuses on a core principle of the IB – The Learner Profile Attributes, Approaches to Learning and Taking Action. These areas of development are accompanied by our three core priorities, Community, Charities and Careers. Our curriculum intuitively plots opportunities to learn more about each of these domains so that children can learn how to make a difference and become a good global citizen.
Firstly in Years 1 and 2, the Learner Profile Attributes create a vision of what makes a great learner and are a fantastic point of reference at Oaks; we challenge our young learners to tap into these ten values to be the best they truly can be. Our young learners spend dedicated time reflecting on their experiences at Oaks against both the Learner Profile Attributes and communities which they are a part of.
Upon progressing into Years 3 and 4, the children of Oaks engage with Charities that mean something to them whilst mastering the Approaches to Learning. This is a vital step in becoming a well-rounded IB learner who can think critically, research, self manage, communicate clearly and adapt to social settings comfortably.
Finally, in Years 5 and 6, children get the opportunity to engage with aspirational Careers networks and get a taste for life beyond education, inspiring them for the future. By reflecting on their ability to make change, children learn about Action and the steps they can take to improve the lives of others. Such self awareness accompanied by a myriad of personal and educational skills (e.g. proficiency in multiple digital platforms) creates a learner equipped for lifelong learning.
Listen to our pupils talk about Community and Charity when they speak about our link school with Sele School in Salima, Malawi.