PSHE & Ofsted Personal Development Framework

Help pupils develop the knowledge, values and confidence they need to understand themselves, relate well to others and participate in society. Lyfta supports PSHE and pupils’ wider personal development through real human stories, structured reflection and ready-to-use resources for lessons, assemblies, tutor time and whole-school values work.

Personal development sits at the heart of what schools do, supporting the development of pupils' character, resilience and readiness for life beyond school. It's one of the areas schools are evaluated on under Ofsted's inspection framework, built through the interplay of PSHE and RSE, careers guidance, pastoral support and school culture. Both PSHE/RSE and Ofsted's framework saw significant updates in 2025: new statutory RSE guidance from the DfE (mandatory from September 2026), and a revised Ofsted framework, including how it looks at personal development.

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Lyfta supports relationships, health and wellbeing, and living in the wider world through real human stories, immersive Storyworlds and ready-to-use classroom resources. It works best as part of broader PSHE provision, alongside dedicated teaching for the health, safeguarding and biological content schools also need to cover. Pupils encounter different lives and viewpoints, then reflect on what they notice, what they assume and how their thinking changes, building the enquiry, empathy and critical thinking skills at the core of personal development, enrichment and broadening horizons.

Personal development

PSHE · wellbeing · adult life

PSHE curriculum coherence

Sequencing · planning · whole-school consistency

Belonging and identity

Representation · self-understanding · dignity

Real human stories

Lived experience · authenticity · connection

Personal development

PSHE · wellbeing · adult life

PSHE curriculum coherence

Sequencing · planning · whole-school consistency

Belonging and identity

Representation · self-understanding · dignity

Real human stories

Lived experience · authenticity · connection

Structured reflection

Metacognition · assumptions · changed thinking

Enquiry-led discussion

Curiosity · questioning · classroom dialogue

Empathy and perspective-taking

Multiple viewpoints · human connection · compassion

Respectful relationships

Respect · inclusion · healthy connection

Health and wellbeing

Mental health · resilience · support

Character and values

Courage · responsibility · compassion

Active citizenship

Community · responsibility · social action

Cultural capital

Wider worlds · rich encounters · shared reference points

Critical digital judgement

Online safety · media influence · judgement

Pupil voice

Reflection · evidence · student perspectives

Evidence of growth

Progress · reflection · visible development

Show all concepts

Insights

Articles & perspectives

Transforming student outcomes through human stories at Pontefract Academies Trust

February 19, 2024

4 min read

As our world changes and becomes ever more interconnected, the ability to connect with diverse cultures and ideas becomes increasingly critical for both personal development and professional success. In this blog, first published on CST in February 2024, Tom Fay, Director of School Improvement at Pontefract Academies Trust, talks about how the trust is using Lyfta to help create a curriculum that truly engages and stimulates all students, where they can seek truth and beauty in the world around and beyond them.

Transformative learning through Lyfta

December 13, 2023

5 mins

Every educator wants learning experiences to be impactful and authentic. In our increasingly complex, interconnected world, it’s also what young people are asking for and need. At Lyfta, we harness the power of learning from life, for life, through cinematic, immersive human stories to cultivate meaningful connections, understanding of others, self-discovery and action for positive change.

How to Meet Ofsted's Personal Development Expectations with Lyfta

June 29, 2023

5 min read

Personal development plays a crucial role in nurturing well-rounded individuals who are prepared for the challenges of the future, as well as being one of the key areas inspected by Ofsted. In this blog, we will explore the inspection framework for personal development and highlight how Lyfta's immersive storytelling platform can help schools and trusts excel in this area.

PSHE scheme of work: broadening horizons and embedding values

August 25, 2022

6 min read

Providing a broad range of experiences for young people is important to broaden their horizons . This blog explores the PSHE scheme of work created by Lyfta with a suggested sequence of lesson plans focussed on broadening horizons and embedding values.

Bringing PSHE to life through human stories part II

December 10, 2020

4 min read

This blog is part two of a three part series looking at how the Lyfta platform and resources can bring PSHE to life for your students. This time we will be looking at how to discuss and understand families sensitively and how to help pupils to believe they can achieve, and persevere with tasks.

Bringing PSHE to life through human stories part I

November 25, 2020

4 min read

This blog is part one of a three part series looking at how the Lyfta platform and resources can bring PSHE to life for your students. This time we'll be looking at characteristics of positive relationships and how to treat each other with kindness, consideration and respect.