At Todmorden High School it is our intent to develop engaged, active and well informed young citizens. Our school vision: enabling individuals to unlock their unique potential, and our core values: Ambition, Respect, Care and Honesty lend themselves perfectly to this ongoing agenda and Personal Development threads through our school curriculum like lettering through a stick of rock. Students are rewarded for their engagement with these values on a day-by-day basis, leading to the development of character and grit in all learners. Every learning opportunity, be it in a classroom, on a trip, in an assembly or focus session, in an after school club or within the wealth of additional provision offered, is designed with each student’s personal development in mind. Our curriculum is ambitious and goes beyond the limits of the National Curriculum in our desire to allow each student in our care to develop their knowledge skills and understanding through exposure to the best of what has been thought and written. It is the ambition of our school that every student leaves us ready for the next phase of their education, having secured the best outcomes for themselves that they possibly can so that they are ready to play an active role in the contemporary adult world.

The school values of ‘Ambition, Respect, Care & Honesty’ are how we drive SMSC in our school, by encouraging our students to embrace the fundamental British Values.

• Democracy.
• The rule of law.
• Individual liberty.
• Mutual respect.
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.

The ‘Prevent’ strategy

The prevent strategy is nationwide and forms part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy.  ‘Prevent’ aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism and each police force within the country has a unit which is focussed on the ‘prevent’ strategy.

West Yorkshire Police’s Prevent unit have been into school to deliver training and to raise awareness to both students and staff.

ARCH days are formulated based upon Government directives and local needs which are identified through the eHna survey (completed in Year 7 and Year 10), student voice and staff voice. ARCH days take place 6 days a year and allow students to cultivate our ARCH values and become fully formed citizens to successfully and harmoniously participate in society.

Topics include:

• Online Safety
• Voting and Democracy
• Sexuality and Development
• Community Cohesion
• Drugs and Alcohol

All work is collated into 6 volumes (ARCH day booklets) and the students then keep these for future reference.