Wise Owl Trust show some RESPECT

Wise Owl Trust have launched their new RESPECT curriculum across the Trust to great delight of the children.

Wise Owl Trust have worked with Commando Joes to overhaul their curriculum and bring it into the 21st century to prepare their pupils for life beyond school. The RESPECT curriculum focuses on the character traits and life skills that a young person will need to draw upon as they go through life.

A combination of educational expertise from Wise Owl Trust and the military knowledge and approach from Commando Joes has resulted in an outstanding curriculum that enthuses and engages children.

Lessons have been transformed into missions, and now no mission is impossible across the Trust! Resilience is key and is taught to children across all year groups. Pens and pencils have been made redundant as the children venture through their missions using cargo nets, barrels and a host of other equipment.

Working in teams, the children must use their creativity and problem solving skills to complete a series of missions, putting their character to the ultimate test. The missions have been designed specifically to test and develop seven key behaviour traits: Resilience, Empathy, Self-Awareness, Positivity, Excellence, Communication and Teamwork. “The missions give you a chance to develop your ability to work as a member of a team. You really have to work together to be successful in them! You need to be resilient too, which means you need to keep going when it gets tough!” explained a Year 5 pupil from Old Hall Drive Academy.

The children embark upon inspirational journeys of explorers such as Ed Stafford, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and many more. A Year 6 pupil, who attends Seymour Road Academy, explained, “Learning about Amelia Earhart has taught me that if other people don’t think you can do something, you should use their opinion to inspire you and go ahead and prove them wrong!”

Acting Principal of Seymour Road Academy, Debbie Frater, believes that the new approach to the curriculum will have a huge impact across all classrooms.

Sophie Murfin, Executive Principal of the Trust said, “Children that have previously been disengaged in their learning have been reignited and inspired. Mondays have become Mission Mondays- the perfect start to the learning week, not just for the children but also the staff!”

Chris O’Shaughnessy, CEO of Wise Owl Trust described the new RESPECT curriculum as, “Transformational to the life chances of our children, preparing them for future challenges.”

Read more about learning at Wise Owl Trust on the RESPECT page of their website.