At The Hyndburn Academy we are committed to equipping our students with essential life skills through our Personal Development Days. These dedicated drop-down days, held five times each academic year, allow students to engage in valuable PSHE lessons tailored to their age group. Our most recent Personal Development Day in March provided a wide range of insightful sessions across all year groups.

Year 7 focused on understanding finances and tackling stereotypes, helping students develop financial awareness and a broader perspective on social expectations. Year 8 participated in important discussions on drugs and alcohol, attended a session from the Mental Health Foundation on why kindness matters, and welcomed the Prevent Team for an informative lesson on radicalisation and extremism.

Year 9’s sessions centered around careers, featuring a visit from Future U to guide future pathways. They also received a crucial road safety session from Lancashire County Council’s #YOLO campaign. Meanwhile, Year 10 explored the realities of gang culture, managing risks and staying safe. They also delved into the topic of substance use, assessing risks and managing external influences in their drugs and alcohol sessions.

For Year 11, the day was dedicated to intervention sessions, ensuring they had valuable preparation time for their upcoming GCSE exams.

Personal Development Days continue to be an essential part of our curriculum, offering students the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that extend beyond the classroom. We look forward to our next session and the important lessons it will bring!