Our Personal Development Offer
marsden infant and nursery school personal development curriculum 2026 27.pdf
Extra Curricular Clubs - Discovering New Talents
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, our after-school clubs form an important part of our Personal Development curriculum, helping children to broaden their experiences, discover new talents and develop confidence beyond the classroom. Through opportunities such as Dance Club, Mini Professors Science Club, Sports Stars and Arty Explorers, children build creativity, resilience, teamwork and curiosity while developing their individual interests. We are committed to ensuring that all children can access these enriching experiences and, to support this, we offer children eligible for Free School Meals one club per half term free of charge. This helps to widen participation, increasecultural capital and remove barriers to opportunity.
Educational Visits - Learning Beyond the School Gates
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, educational visits play a vital role in our Personal Development curriculum, providing children with rich, first-hand experiences that bring learning to life and broaden their understanding of the world. Over the past 12 months, children have enjoyed visits to Skipton Castle, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Lytham St Annes, Marsden’s National Trust Centre and Tropical World, each offering unique opportunities to deepen learning, develop independence and build confidence. These experiences help children make meaningful connections between classroom learning and the wider world, while fostering curiosity, respect for nature, local heritage and different environments. Through our programme of educational visits, we aim to enhance cultural capital and ensure that all children access memorable experiences that support their personal growth, aspirations and readiness for future success.
Community - Giving Back and Belonging
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, active participation in community events is a key part of our Personal Development offer, helping children to develop a strong sense of belonging, responsibility and pride in their local area. Throughout the year, children contribute to community life by taking part in Marsden's Cuckoo Day Parade, performing at the village Christmas Light Switch-On with our school choir, and visiting the local Community Café to build relationships across generations. Our School Council has also worked with Kirklees Council to discuss safe walking routes around the village, enabling children to have a voice in local decision-making and understand how they can make a positive contribution to their community. We encourage children to demonstrate compassion and social responsibility through events such as our Macmillan Coffee Morning, and our support of Children in Need and Mental Health Awareness Day while our annual Summer Fayre brings together children, families, grandparents and local musicians in a celebration of community spirit and partnership. These experiences help children develop confidence, citizenship, leadership and social skills.
Visitors - Inspiring Futures
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, we enrich our curriculum through a wide range of carefully chosen visitors who help children connect their learning to the real world. Over the past 12 months, we have welcomed National Trust Rangers to share how we can protect and care for our local moorland environment, Rev Graeme Blackwell from St Bartholomew's Church to support children's understanding of faith, values and community, and representatives from The Welcome Centre to highlight the importance of helping those in need. Children have also benefited from workshops and performances delivered by musicians from the North of England Centre for Music, inspirational Paralympians who shared messages of resilience and perseverance, and Sublime Science, who led a whole-school Science Day designed to spark curiosity and a love of learning.
Our visitors also play an important role in promoting children's health, safety and wellbeing. Through sessions with Reading Friends, children enjoy one-to-one reading opportunities that foster confidence and enjoyment of books. Visits from Police Officers, Doctors and Dentists help children understand the important roles people play within our community and how to keep themselves healthy and safe. The Canal & River Trust has delivered water safety workshops, particularly relevant in Marsden's unique landscape, which is surrounded by canals, reservoirs, rivers and streams. In addition, CORAM Health has supported children in understanding how to look after their physical and mental wellbeing. These experiences broaden children's horizons, raise aspirations, develop cultural capital and strengthen their understanding of the diverse contributions people make to society. Through exposure to a wide range of professions, organisations and life experiences, children develop the knowledge, confidence, resilience and character needed to thrive both in school and beyond.
Performance - Shining on Stage
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop confidence through performing and presenting in front of others. Throughout the year, children regularly showcase their learning, talents and achievements to a range of audiences. Each class leads an assembly where they share their learning journey with families and the wider school community, helping to develop speaking, listening and presentation skills. Children also perform at our annual Harvest Festival in St Bartholomew's Church, sharing songs, prayers and class work, while our Christmas production at Marsden Mechanics Hall gives every child the chance to shine on stage in a professional theatre setting.
As children move through school, opportunities to perform continue to grow. Our Year 2 Leavers' Assembly celebrates children's individual talents, personal achievements and memorable experiences, providing a fitting finale to their time with us. Beyond the curriculum, our Dance Club proudly represents the school each year at the Strictly Pennine Dance Festival at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield. Often one of the youngest dance groups taking part, our children consistently perform with remarkable confidence, enthusiasm and smiles, demonstrating the courage and self-belief they have developed. These varied opportunities help children build resilience, communication skills and self-confidence, while encouraging them to take pride in their achievements and celebrate the successes of others.
Marsden Enrichment - Skills for Life
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, our Marsden Enrichment Programme is a valued part of school life and is built into our weekly timetable to ensure that every child benefits from a broad range of enriching experiences. Through activities such as sketching, sewing, baking, gardening, smoothie making, Makaton, coding, board games, outdoor games, dancing, crafting, scooting, bushcraft and singing, children have opportunities to develop new skills, discover hidden talents and explore interests that extend beyond the National Curriculum. These practical, hands-on experiences promote creativity, communication, teamwork, problem-solving and independence, while encouraging children to embrace new challenges and develop a lifelong love of learning.
The programme is designed to ensure that all children, regardless of background or circumstance, have access to meaningful enrichment opportunities that enhance their cultural capital and support their personal development. Whether learning to communicate through Makaton, developing strategic thinking through board games, creating digital projects through coding, cultivating and harvesting in the garden, or expressing themselves through art, music and dance, children gain valuable experiences that help them grow in confidence and resilience. Through the Marsden Enrichment Programme, we nurture well-rounded learners who are curious, capable and eager to contribute positively to their school and wider community, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive both academically and personally.
Sporting Participation - Compete and Celebrate
At Marsden Infant and Nursery School, we are committed to developing children's physical skills, teamwork and confidence through a wide range of sporting opportunities. Throughout the year, our children proudly represent the school in competitions against other local primary schools, including Year 1 and Year 2 Football, Mini Olympics and Sports Hall Athletics events. These experiences encourage children to demonstrate determination, resilience, fair play and respect whilst developing the confidence to perform as part of a team. Our annual Sports Day also provides every child with the opportunity to participate, challenge themselves and celebrate personal and collective achievements.
We are equally committed to ensuring that children experience the breadth of sport available to them. Each year, some children take part in a Boccia competition, introducing them to Paralympic sport and promoting understanding of inclusion, equality and perseverance. This learning was further enhanced by a visit from Paralympic tennis player Andy Cotterill, who inspired children through his personal experiences of overcoming challenges and achieving success in sport. Our children also had the privilege of supporting Sir Kevin Sinfield's 7 in 7 Challenge, with members of the School Council lining the streets of Marsden to cheer him on as he passed through the village. This memorable experience helped children understand the values of determination, compassion and fundraising for important causes, while providing a powerful real-life example of how individuals can make a positive difference to others.
Our sporting provision supports our children by developing fundamental movement skills, coordination, balance and agility, while encouraging children to work cooperatively, compete with fairness and understand the importance of regular physical activity. Through participation in a range of competitive and inclusive sporting experiences, children build confidence, resilience, leadership skills and a lifelong appreciation of the benefits of sport and physical wellbeing. Experiences such as meeting elite athletes and celebrating community sporting achievements help children to understand the importance of perseverance, aspiration and personal challenge, inspiring them to achieve their very best both in sport and in life.
