As a school, everything we do is guided by our core values of the ARCH:
Aspirations, Resilience, Commitment and Harmony.
Abingdon ARCH: Armour for Life
At Abingdon, we believe that personal development is about equipping every child with the knowledge, skills, confidence and experiences they need to thrive both now and in the future.
Our ARCH: Armour for Life programme provides a progressive journey through school, built around our four core values: Aspirations, Resilience, Commitment and Harmony. These values are woven into everyday school life and developed through a carefully planned range of practical experiences, responsibilities and opportunities from Nursery through to Year 6.
Aspirations
We encourage children to believe in themselves, develop confidence and look positively towards their future. As children progress through school, they develop increasingly ambitious goals, from becoming independent learners to developing career aspirations and understanding possible routes towards them. By Year 6, pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own skills, qualities and experiences and articulate these through a personal statement.
Resilience
Children are supported to become increasingly independent and resilient. The programme develops practical life skills alongside the confidence to tackle challenges, persevere and take responsibility for themselves. This includes developing independence with personal care, managing belongings, learning practical skills such as cycling and swimming, and responding positively when things are difficult.
Commitment
Children learn the importance of taking responsibility, making positive contributions and following through on commitments. Across the years, pupils develop increasing independence and responsibility, from looking after themselves and their belongings to caring for the school environment, fundraising and contributing to charitable causes.
Harmony
We want every child to understand the importance of positive relationships, kindness, respect and inclusion. Pupils learn to listen to others, share and take turns, give compliments, understand that people may hold different opinions, and participate confidently in discussion and debate. This helps children develop the interpersonal skills and understanding needed to contribute positively to their community.
Learning through experience
A key feature of Armour for Life is that personal development is not simply taught through lessons; children experience it. Each year provides opportunities for pupils to broaden their experiences and develop their understanding of the world around them.
These experiences include visiting places of worship and local areas of interest, travelling on public transport, visiting the beach and university, attending live performances, trying new activities and foods, and developing practical skills such as basic first aid, swimming, shopping and fundraising.
The programme becomes progressively more challenging as pupils mature. For example, younger children develop independence through everyday routines, while older pupils develop skills such as expressing and justifying opinions, accepting different viewpoints, debating, understanding career pathways and taking greater responsibility for themselves and others.
Preparing children for life beyond Abingdon
Armour for Life ensures that pupils leave Abingdon with more than academic knowledge. They have opportunities to develop practical independence, confidence, resilience, communication skills, social awareness and an understanding of their responsibilities to others.
Our aim is that every child can look back on their time at Abingdon and recognise the experiences, skills and qualities they have developed, while looking forward with the confidence and aspirations to embrace their next stage of education and life.
