At Birkdale, we are dedicated to nurturing the personal growth of every student.  Our belonging ethos goes beyond academic achievements, focusing on developing individuals who are considerate, resilient and knowledgeable, ready to face the challenges of the future. 

We aim to: 

• Develop lifelong passions and interests and a sense of curiosity. 

• Foster connections with others that are safe and meaningful. 

• Provide the resources, guidance and care needed to support student wellbeing.  

• Encourage students to find their voice and contribute positively to their community and beyond. 

• Equip students to take their next steps with optimism and enthusiasm. 

We achieve our aims through: 

• An excellent and contextual RSHE programme that students actively engage with. 

• The house system which fosters a sense of belonging and identity as well as providing many opportunities to develop character and celebrate success. 

• An extended programme of events that cultivate a sense of belonging and pride in our community helping our students to contribute positively. 

• An extensive and varied enrichment offer 

• Routine opportunities to develop leadership skills. 

• A comprehensive careers programme that equips students for a successful future. 

• The continual professional development of staff. 

We aim to raise aspirations, challenge stereotypes and encourage students to consider a wide range of careers. Young people’s careers are forged out of their experience, progress and achievements in learning and work. All young people will benefit from a planned programme of activities to help them make curriculum choices that are right for them and to develop the personal resources and readiness that will enable them to manage their careers throughout their lives. 

In particular, we intend all our students to: 

• Develop a broad understanding of their education training, employment and other progression opportunities, 

• Develop the skills they need to plan and manage their own personal development and careers progression, 

• Make and maintain individual progress plans to help them improve their prospects of success, 

We are continuing to work towards the Gatsby Benchmarks 

We recognise that the process of making career decisions is a lengthy one and that most of our students will make their final choices only after completing their higher education course. 

Schools have a statutory duty to secure independent and impartial careers guidance for students in Years 7-13 (Statutory Guidance, DfE, March 2015, Education Act, DfE, 2011).