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Pupil Charter

Our Academy promises to encourage:

Each year all students will:​

  1. take part in at least one enrichment club, within or outside of school, attending for the duration of the club (or for a minimum of one term across several clubs).​

  2. represent their tutor group class in individual and team activities for example UNICEF Soccer Aid.​

  3. share their views on the school through student leadership panel and voice discussions. ​

  4. self-reflect on their aspirations with an adult in the school and document this log weekly in their reflective character journal signposting signs of success through-out their personal development journey. ​

  5. interaction between students and an inspirational guest speakers.

In Key Stage 3, all students will:
  • have the opportunity to represent the school in a sporting, cultural or academic event.​
  • have the opportunity to perform in a class production to an audience.​
  • watch a theatre production.​
  • volunteer time to serve the local community.​
  • have the opportunity to stay away from home and bond with classmates on a residential.​
  • have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership.​
  • deliver a presentation to an audience.​
  • celebrate people, cultures and cuisine from a foreign country.​
  • visit a Top Third university.
In Key Stage 4, all students will:
  • be offered the opportunity to take part in Bronze/ Silver Duke of Edinburgh award​
  • watch a live professional performance, production, sporting or cultural event.​
  • volunteer time to serve the local community.​
  • demonstrate leadership to the wider school.​
  • apply for or elect students to senior leadership positions.​
  • deliver a presentation to an audience as part of the speak out challenge.​
  • experience a professional workplace.

At Barnsley Academy, we are unapologetically ambitious for our students. While academic outcomes open doors, it is character that keeps them open. Our core purpose of developing character is both planned and active.

Being of good character means having the integrity to do the right thing, even when it is difficult or no one is watching. It involves prioritising ethical choices over self-interest or social pressure.

Having character is about showing grit, resilience, and resourcefulness. It means persisting in the face of adversity, doing your best even when success seems unlikely, and helping others to do the same. A sports team that falls apart when losing may be said to lack character in this sense.

Being characterful involves having a range of interests, being curious, knowing who you are, what matters to you, and being able to express these things. It means having tried and experienced enough to discover your passions and interests.

Our learning opportunities are designed to help pupils discover and shape their personal qualities, which are explicitly taught each week.

 

Full of Character

Having Character

Good Character
Interests and Passions Resilience Integrity
Oracy Leadership Positive Relationships
  Teamwork Service

Co-Curricular

At Barnsley Academy, we aim to nurture pupils into kind, honest, curious, and principled individuals, equipped with the resilience and perseverance to make wise choices and do what’s right. Our character education curriculum, 'taught, caught, and sought,' is enriched with opportunities that allow students to practice virtues such as courage, service, and gratitude. This enrichment programme is essential in helping pupils develop a strong work ethic and prepare for life beyond school. We offer Period 5 enrichment activities that foster a sense of belonging across various subjects. Our broad educational offerings include Coding, Musical Percussions, Dungeons and Dragons, Horrible Histories, Axiom Maths, Girls Football, and Friday’s Social Space.

In Year 7, every pupil receives a musical instrument and learns to play both classical and contemporary music as part of an orchestra, in collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber's Music in Secondary Schools Trust programme. Students have the chance to participate in overnight stays at The Gresham Boarding School and perform at prestigious venues like The Royal Albert Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Barbican, and The Roundhouse in London. Additionally, many Year 7 students are invited to join The Grammar Stream, where they study Latin, Maths, and Music during Period 5 lessons each week. A five-night residential trip to The Lake District, funded by DEFRA and organised by The Outward Bound Trust, is also available to all Year 7 students.

For Year 9 and 10 pupils, we offer the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Awards programme, a nationally recognised award that combines outdoor activities, social action, and personal development. Some students may choose to pursue higher awards thereafter. From Year 9 to 11, students can participate in the Access to Sheffield University programme, designed to encourage interest in STEM fields. Selected students attend university taster sessions and an overnight residential.

What does Climbing the Character Mountain look like at Barnsley Academy?

Intellectual Virtues Moral Virtues Civic Virtues Performance Virtues
Character traits necessary for discernment, right action and the pursuit of knowledge truth and understanding. Character traits that enable us to act well in situations that require ethical response. Character traits that are necessary for engaged responsible citizenship, contributing to the common good. Character traits that have an instrumental value in enabling the intellectual, moral and civic virtues.

Autonomy​​

Critical Thinking​

Curiosity​​

Judgment ​​

Reasoning​

Reflection​​

Resourcefulness

Compassion​​

Courage ​​

Gratitude​​

Honesty ​​

Humility​

Integrity​​

Justice ​

Respect

Citizenship​

Civility​

Community​​

Awareness ​​

Neighborliness​​

Volunteering​​

Service

Confidence ​

Determination​​

Motivation​​

Perseverance​

Resilience​​

Leadership​​

Teamwork

A Sense of Belonging

What this looks like at Barnsley Academy; ​

  • Active Participation: Students represent their university tutor group in various team activities.
  • Student Leadership: They share their perspectives through established student leadership structures.
  • Personal Development: Students reflect on their aspirations and personal goals with a supportive adult.
  • Inspirational Engagement: Hearing from motivational speakers or coaches.
  • School Representation: Students represent the school in sporting, cultural, or academic events.
  • Creative Expression: Performing in class productions or performances.
  • Cultural Exposure: Watching professional theatre productions, performances, or cultural events.
  • Community Service: Volunteering time to serve the local community.
  • Future Planning: Visiting universities or apprenticeship providers.
  • Residential Experiences: Staying away from home and bonding with classmates during residential trips.
  • Cultural Celebrations: Celebrating diverse cultures and cuisines through themed events.
Ks3 & Ks4: Represent their University tutor group in individual team activities

Internal competitions and non-competitive activities for all students through;

  • Student performances and celebrations highlighted in weekly form time headlines slide.
  • Sports Leaders team arrange an annual form time charity event UNICEF Soccer Aid sport competition.
  • Sparx Maths, Science, Reader, Language Nut Leader boards recognised in Head of Year messages assemblies.​
  • Outstanding achievers receive weekly Top of the Character Mountain certificates in assemblies that recognise and celebrate individuals and team achievements for all year groups.
  • Rewards are linked to nine-character virtues and students are recognised for achieving in the chosen field.
  • Show appreciation shown every morning in form demonstrating how to show gratitude graciously in victory and defeat.
Ks3 & Ks4: Represent their tutor group in individual team activities

Share their views on the school through student leadership structures;

  • Provide termly opportunities for the whole student body to feedback on the school in school council or student voice structure.
  • Student voice to identify five core UN CRC Articles to represent the Academy from the twelve selected for Silver Rights Aware Visit. Pair up each Article with a University Form to build scholarly UN habits in Character across the Curriculum.
  • Share the outcomes from student voice in form time and assemblies with all contributors through ‘You Said, We Did’ models.
Hear from an inspirational speaker or coach
  • Reoccurring external visits from Christan Foley Poetry Rap Author and Karim Al-Abass memory man on revision study skills about their passions, specialisms or inspiring stories.​
  • Guest speaker Kathryn Burn from ‘The Apprentice’ including opportunities for Ks4 Business Studies students to take part in a workshop.​
  • At whole school themed events such as Soccer Aid ex-professional footballer Kevin X from the Arsenal football club judges University Forms looking for two players of the match in each Year group. University Form Winners attend reward events such as Soccer Aid at Old Trafford and International Games to watch the women’s Lionesses at Norwich. ​
  • - assure the quality of talks by sharing speaker guidance with visitors, including context of the students; desired outcomes; suggested structure and delivery advice.​
  • - prepare students to receive the talk in advance by informing them of the purpose of the talk and sharing expectations about prior knowledge and audience participation. Classes reflect on the talk afterwards and signpost students to relevant places to find more information.
Represent the school in a sporting, cultural or academic event
  • Meet the Ambitious Minimum Expectations for Music and PE at Barnsley Academy.​
  • For each sport that the school offers to students consistently throughout KS3 and KS4, make arrangements for local external competition. Ideally this would provide opportunities for all students to play against another school team at least once each year, alongside opportunities for the students in co-curricular sports teams to play regular fixtures and local cup competitions.​
  • Create strong links with local music Hubs and other local schools. Participate in local festivals, concerts and events through these connections.
  • COP28 Simulation William Hulme’s Grammar School – UL debate
Perform in a class production or performance
  • ​Provide at least one opportunity for all students in KS3 to perform their work to an audience outside of their classroom (The Speakers Trust Challenge)
  • Include regular performance opportunities in the Music curricula for students to perform their work within the classroom.
  • Produce at least one annual co-curricular Performing Arts production / show that every year group can participate in.
  • Organise music concerts and performances for each year group to participate in at least once a term. (Orchestra practice Form Time)
  • Orchestra feature music as a core part of school celebrations and events – ‘The Last Post’ Remembrance Day.
  • Barnsley Academy Orchestra and Choir – Worsborough Miner Club
Watch a professional theatre production, performance, sporting or cultural event
  • for each sport that the school offers to students consistently throughout KS3 and KS4, provide at least one opportunity for students in each Key Stage to see the sport played professionally or at a high amateur level for example Soccer Aid Old Trafford.​
  • provide at least one opportunity each year for all students to see live music performed professionally or at a high amateur level (Autumn, Spring, Summer Concert)​
  • organise at least one trip for all students in KS3 year group to a local or national theatre venue to see a professional production ( for example. The Lion King on Broadway in New York)
Volunteer time to serve the local community
  • organise discrete volunteering or community service activity within the local community for all students in a KS3 year group and a KS4 year group. ​
  • hold regular fundraising and charitable events within the school, using student voice to identify the charitable cause.​
  • provide an enriching co-curricular offer for students in every year group that gives them further opportunity to participate in and learn about social impact and sustainability projects. (Eco-Ambassadors)​
  • complete a community asset mapping process to identify societies, charities, and organisations within their local community that the school may work with.
Stay away from home and bond with classmates on a residential
  • Attend a residential trip Year 7 The Outward Bounds Lake District bonding trip, Music in Secondary Schools Trust residentials
  • DEFRA funded Outward Bound five day residential offer targeted subsidy to remove barriers to attendance
  • Attend the Lille Christmas Markets overnight residential
  • Attend the Skiing Overnight residential
  • Sign up for Duke of Edinburgh and complete Bronze and Silver
  • Attend the Main Hall school ‘Lock In’ overnight residential
Demonstrate leadership
  • have a range of student leadership roles and teams for each year group. These leadership teams are representative of the student body and should include at least:​
    • student representatives to feedback on behalf of their classmates, such as a school council​
    • student ambassadors who work with visitors to the school​
    • sports leadership roles​
    • leadership within co-curricular clubs​
    • senior student leadership teams​
  • Leadership opportunities for all students in KS3 through roles which can be filled on a rotational basis such as student voice panels, student receptionists, or student tour guides. Use a large annual events such as open evenings to provide leadership opportunities for many students.​
  • provide leadership training and remind students of the expectations for each leadership position. For senior student leadership roles, this should be a more formal training programme which focuses on developing specific skills required for the role. (Pioneer Leadership Ltd Workshop)​
  • Apply as part of a rigorous application process for senior student leadership positions. This involves a democratic election process where students and staff can cast a vote and will include an interview with a senior member of staff.​
  • monitor participation and the impact of students in leadership roles by linking each student with a designated member of staff on the senior leadership team.
Celebrate people, cultures and cuisine from a foreign country
  • enrich the Modern Foreign Language curriculum with academic and co-curricular opportunities, trips, and food tasting menus.​
  • provide students with experiences of the culture and cuisines of the relevant countries.
  • build relationships with people and schools abroad, form links with universities departments, and, where possible, organise international trips. (African Adventures pairing with School in Kenya)
Visit a university or Apprenticeship Provider
  • attend one visit to a local university as early as possible in KS3 or KS4, ideally a Russell Group University.​
  • attend a visit for all Y12 students to either a Russell Group University or an Apprenticeship Provider related to the field of work/study that they are considering entering.
Deliver a presentation to an audience
  • build opportunities in each Key Stage through the academic curriculum or tutor times for all students to deliver a presentation to their classmates. This presentation will often involve research and is more substantial than a regular piece of class or homework. (PSHE Active Citizenship Project) ​
  • explicitly teach the skills needed to be an engaging presenter and model what they expect to see from the students.
Experience the workplace (Gatsby Benchmark 6)
  • develop deep and sustained links with a few employers across a range of industries and offering insights into a range of job roles. ​
  • use these employers and others to provide meaningful workplace experiences for all students in KS4. This will include workplace visits and skills workshop. It may also include mentoring or traditional work experience​

Education with Character