Personal Development and Enrichment

Personal Development, Wellbeing and Enrichment at Excelsior Academy

Everybody All Together – High Expectations, Transformational Teaching, Limitless Life Chances

At Excelsior Academy, we believe education is about much more than academic qualifications. Our ambition is for every pupil to leave us with the knowledge, skills, confidence, character and experiences needed to succeed in life. Our vision, Everybody All Together, is central to everything we do, ensuring that every pupil, regardless of their background, starting point or individual needs, feels valued, develops a strong sense of belonging and has access to opportunities that broaden their horizons. Through our Extraordinary Me / Extraordinary Us programme, enrichment activities, pupil leadership, careers education, educational visits and community partnerships, we encourage pupils to discover their talents, develop resilience and independence, and recognise the positive contribution they can make to the world around them.

Personal Development – Extraordinary Me / Extraordinary Us

Personal development is an integral part of everyday life at Excelsior Academy. Through our dedicated daily entitlement and Extraordinary Me / Extraordinary Us programme, pupils develop an understanding of themselves, their relationships, their responsibilities and the wider world. Built around The Ripple Effect, our curriculum encourages pupils to recognise how their choices and actions can positively influence their academy, community and beyond. This is supported through PSHE, careers education, Skills Builder, British Values, safeguarding education and digital literacy, helping pupils develop the confidence, resilience, independence and interpersonal skills needed for successful futures. Further information about our taught personal development curriculum can be found on our curriculum, PSHE and careers pages.

Enrichment Clubs – Discovering Talents and Building Confidence

We believe every pupil should have opportunities to discover new interests, develop existing talents and experience success beyond the classroom. Our enrichment programme offers a wide range of activities, including football, badminton, table tennis and multi-sports, alongside performing arts opportunities such as choir, orchestra and instrumental ensembles. Creative, social and wellbeing activities, including crochet, board games, gaming, Quiet Club and our LGBTQ+ group, provide further opportunities for pupils to develop friendships, confidence, teamwork and a sense of belonging. Inclusion is central to our approach, and we work to remove barriers to participation so that enrichment opportunities are accessible to as many pupils as possible. Our programme continues to develop in response to pupil voice, ensuring that pupils help shape the experiences available to them.

Pupil Leadership – Making a Difference

At Excelsior Academy, we believe pupils should have a meaningful voice in shaping their school and wider community. Through opportunities such as Sports Leaders, Young

Interpreters, Wellbeing Ambassadors and School Councillors, pupils develop leadership, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills while taking responsibility and making a positive contribution to academy life. Our commitment to inclusion and belonging is also reflected through initiatives such as our School of Sanctuary work, which celebrates diversity and promotes respect, understanding and acceptance. By encouraging pupils to share their views, represent others and contribute to positive change, we help them develop into confident, responsible and active citizens who recognise that their actions can make a difference.

Enrichment Opportunities, Partnerships and Careers

We are committed to providing opportunities that broaden pupils' horizons, raise aspirations and introduce them to experiences beyond their everyday lives. Our enrichment offer includes fully funded instrumental music tuition, our Football Academy, creative partnerships with organisations such as New Writing North, visiting speakers and participation in local and national initiatives, including the Young Green Briton Challenge, Young Dreamers and Smart Cities projects. Our annual school production also provides an opportunity for pupils to celebrate their talents and develop confidence through the performing arts. Careers education is an important part of our commitment to limitless life chances, with opportunities for pupils to engage directly with employers, universities, colleges and training providers through our annual Careers Fair and wider careers programme. This begins with our younger pupils, including engagement with local feeder schools, helping children understand the opportunities available to them and develop ambitious aspirations from an early age.

Educational Visits and Residential Experiences

Educational visits and residential experiences play an important role in broadening horizons, developing independence and bringing learning to life. Pupils benefit from opportunities including university and college visits, theatre performances, outdoor learning through Forest School and language-learning experiences such as Fútbol Lingo, part of the North East Festival of Languages. Residential opportunities have included visits to the University of Bath and the University of St Andrews through our Year 10 LAE/LST Futures programme, alongside Robinwood and an international visit to Spain through the Turing Scheme. These experiences enable pupils to explore new environments, develop confidence, build positive relationships and recognise future possibilities they may not previously have considered. We remain committed to ensuring that pupils' backgrounds or individual circumstances do not unnecessarily limit their access to these valuable opportunities.

Our Community – Everybody All Together

Excelsior Academy is proud of its diverse community and the strong relationships we continue to develop with families, local organisations and partners across Newcastle and the wider North East. We believe that working together creates opportunities for pupils to develop pride in their community, understand their responsibilities and

recognise the contribution they can make to society. Our community partnerships include engagement with Newcastle City Council's youth projects, collaboration with New Writing North at venues such as the John Marley Centre, and relationships with regional employers and organisations that help connect pupils with the world beyond school. Through these experiences, we encourage pupils to celebrate diversity, value others, develop a sense of belonging and recognise that they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Our Commitment

At Excelsior Academy, personal development, wellbeing and enrichment are not additional activities but an essential part of the education we believe every pupil deserves. Our commitment is to provide inclusive, ambitious and meaningful opportunities that help pupils discover their strengths, develop their character, build positive relationships and prepare confidently for their futures. We want every pupil to leave Excelsior not only with strong academic qualifications, but also with the resilience, independence, experiences and ambition to succeed and make a positive difference in the world. Everybody All Together – High Expectations, Transformational Teaching, Limitless Life Chances. The EA Way, Every Day!

EA Foundations Enrichment Programme 2026-27

EA Horizons Enrichment Programme 2026/27