Developing Character Alongside Academic Excellence 

At Alder Community High School, we believe that outstanding grades open doors, but character is what carries pupils through them and beyond. Our pupils leave with a set of experiences and values, not just a set of results.  

The Alder Elevate Journey is our comprehensive character development programme for Years 7-11, designed to ensure every pupil has the same entitlement to personal growth, regardless of background or starting point. 

Why Character Matters 

The government's Character Education Framework encourages a planned, whole-school approach to character development, and Ofsted's personal development judgement looks for exactly this: a coherent, intentional offer beyond the curriculum. The Elevate programme makes the hidden curriculum explicit: planned, tracked and celebrated.  

Our ALDER Values 

The programme is built around five core values that shape everything we do: 

  • Altruism – caring for others and contributing to our community 

  • Leadership – taking responsibility and representing our school with pride 

  • Diversity – celebrating difference and understanding our world 

  • Resilience – bouncing back from challenges and stepping outside comfort zones 

  • Excellence – striving for our best in all areas of school life 

 

The Five-Year Journey 

Our pupils progress through five distinct stages: 

  • Year 7 – Base Camp (Discovery): Pupils arrive, explore and try new things 

  • Year 8 – The Ascent (Development): Building skills, habits and independence 

  • Year 9 – The Ridge (Direction): Pupils begin to choose their path and specialise 

  • Year 10 – The Summit Push (Commitment): Deepening involvement and taking on responsibility 

  • Year 11 – The Peak (Legacy): Leaving a mark and preparing for the next climb  

 

How It Works 

Character develops in three ways at Alder: 

  1. Caught – from the culture around us and how staff model behaviour and values every day 

  1. Sought – pupils actively choose to stretch themselves through our menu of activities and experiences 

  1. Taught – explicit teaching of values through assemblies, tutor time and our Ambition Week  

Pupils work towards three achievement tiers: Apprentice, Practitioner and Master – by completing a range of activities across all five ALDER values, alongside compulsory experiences like our 'We Are Alder' days and Ambition Week. 

Access for All 

Every activity can be completed, start to finish, inside school. We provide dedicated support through our Brunch Elevate Club, run by student Elevate Ambassadors, ensuring all pupils can participate fully regardless of their circumstances.  

Celebrating Success 

Pupil achievements are celebrated through end of term assemblies and our annual Celebration Evening, recognising those who demonstrate High Standards, High Aspirations and High Achievement