Personal Development

Subject/Curriculum Leader: Miss J Pettitt 

Personal development is at the heart of promoting childrens’ welfare, helping them to understand their place in the world and helps to prepare them to lead informed and successful lives. The curriculum we offer covers all 3 key strands (Health & Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the wider world) of PSHE, in addition to the RSHE requirements and those of Citizenship and Careers. Our curriculum is planned to develop keen and active citizens who can make well informed choices regarding their health, emotions and future careers. Students comment that we cover ‘stuff’ you need know for life, that you don’t always get taught as part of other subjects.

The PD Department is enthusiastic, ambitious and creative, staffed by three main teachers who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to their classes. There are an additional 9 Staff who also teach PD as a second subject. It is our aim to promote learning in an exciting and engaging way that combines facts and necessities with fun and time for exploration of current concepts and ideas. We are well resourced and work alongside guidance from the PSHE association to make sure our curriculum offer is relevant, timely and as up to date as possible.

The delivery of the curriculum also encompasses the new statutory RSHE framework and content, with all students having timetabled RSHE time within each school year as part of their PSHE curriculum. To further develop students’ passion for self-care, careers and finding their place in the wider world we link with the College’s careers advisor Mrs Medley to provide careers meetings and workshops and also supplement our curriculum with some in depth ‘curriculum drop down days’ to address some of the more key and important topics. We offer a range of opportunities as a wider school, for students to engage in their own Health and Wellbeing through links with the PE extra curricular clubs. Further extra-curricular provision is linked to in terms of involving students with the Student Leadership team and charity and volunteering opportunities.
PD curriculum Offer – LEARNING JOURNEY

Key Stage 3

In Key Stage 3, students study PD for 2 hours per fortnight, and will study 2 units per term, as shown on the learning journey above. These lessons help students to transition effectively from Primary to Secondary concepts and skills, and the curriculum is formed using a cyclical approach where topics and themes are re-visited in each year group. This allows development of a greater depth of knowledge and understanding of everyday concepts.

Each scheme of learning includes a range of different teaching approaches and strategies to address topics in exciting and student centred ways. We provide ‘taught’ lessons alongside group work, leadership tasks and presentations to harness as many skills students can develop as possible. We regularly update and review our provision to include the most up to date real life examples and concepts to ensure students can place their learning in the most appropriate situations. We complete student voice activities termly to ensure learners are engaged and receiving information on topics and scenarios they value and give importance to.

Year 7
Autumn term 
TERM 1 - UNIT 1 - Health & Wellbeing – students develop knowledge of what it means to be physically, emotionally and socially healthy and look at strategies to enhance each aspect of their own wellbeing.
TERM 1 - UNIT 2 – CEIAG – Presentation skills – Students learn how to plan presentations, selecting relevant content, before they learn the skills needed to deliver and evaluate presentations.

Year 7 
Spring term 
TERM 2 UNIT 1 – Relationships / RSE – students acquire knowledge about types of relationships and characteristics within relationships. They look at skills and qualities needing in relationships and cover consent and safety or a range of different relationships.
TERM 2 UNIT 2 – First Aid – students learn the basics of first aid to enable them to address both CEIAG and Health education requirements.

Year 7
Summer term 
TERM 3 UNIT 1 – Living in the wider world / Citizenship– students look at the skills and qualities needed for employment and in society. They investigate possible career pathways, alongside different types of employment. They also address fundamental British values and how they link to careers.
TERM 3 UNIT 2 – CEIAG – Oracy for employability – students look at the impact of their literacy and oracy skills on the development of employability skills.

Year 8
Autumn term 
TERM 1 UNIT 1 - Health & Wellbeing – students refer back to the concept of health as being socially, emotionally and physically constructed and look at factors which can impact on health. They discuss hygiene, exercise, and mindfulness and also look at the impact of factors such as gambling and illegal substances on wellbeing. 
TERM 1 UNIT 2 – CEIAG – Employability skills – students cover a range of presentation, communication and problem solving skills.

Year 8
Spring term 
TERM 2 UNIT 1  – Relationships / RSE – students develop knowledge of diversity and expectations in relationships. They address discrimination and peer pressure, before exploring consent and risky relationships.
TERM 2 UNIT 2 – First Aid – students learn the basics of first aid to enable them to apply health education to possible ‘workplace’ scenarios.

Year 8
Summer term
TERM 3 UNIT 1– Living in the wider world – students cover SWOT analysis, career profiles and employment skills and qualities, they also address child rights and responsibilities alongside the impact of social media and financial choices on employment.
TERM 3 UNIT 2 – CEIAG – Career profiles – Students will begin to research a range of possible careers of interest and will develop knowledge and understanding of financial concepts and planning.

Year 9
Autumn term
TERM 1 UNIT 1 – Living in the wider world – students develop knowledge of job applications and personal statements in preparation for future employment. They look at factors effecting employment and career choice and learn to challenge stereotypes.
TERM 1 UNIT 2 – CEIAG – Options  - students will develop knowledge and understanding of the options process within school and investigate the content and benefit of a range of subjects when linked to future careers and pathways

Year 9
Spring term 
TERM 2 UNIT 1 - Health & Wellbeing –students develop knowledge on further factors that can impact on social, emotional and physical health and look in greater depth at coping strategies. They discuss the impact of unhealthy lifestyle choices on themselves, families and the community and the look at ways to keep themselves safe in person and online.
TERM 2 UNIT 2 – CEIAG – Interview skills – students will develop knowledge of interview skills, before planning for and undertaking mock interviews and job seeking activities
STRAND 3 – 

Year 9
Summer term
TERM 3 UNIT 1 - Relationships / RSHE – students cover topics of marriage, emotions and intimacy in relationships. They cover the law on sexual relationships and look at the influences of peer pressure on relationships and prejudice based language.

TERM 3 UNIT 2 – CITIZENSHIP – Studnets will develop knowledge and understanding of democracy, government and the right and importance of the voting process within the British constitution.
Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4, students continue to study all of the key themes of PSHE through PD (Health & Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the wider world) alongside RHSE, Careers and Citizenship. Provision tales place in 1 hour of taught  curriculum time per fortnight alongside drop-down days and mentor activities.

Year 10 
Autumn term
UNIT 1 – Relationships / RSE  - Students have drop down day provision for contraceptives alongside taught mentor sessions on exploitation and risk in relationships, consent and the effect of substances on risky behaviours within relationships

Year 10 
Spring term
UNIT 2 – Health & wellbeing – Students develop knowledge of factors affecting health, and ways to be physically, emotionally and socially healthy. The impact of media and diet on health is addressed alongside body confidence and self-help strategies. Concepts of blood and organ donation are also investigated.

Year 10 
Summer term 
UNIT 3 – Living in the wider world & Citizenship – Students discuss a range of issues evident in the wider world such as terrorism and extremism, before focussing on personal SWOT analysis in preparation for letters of application for employment and further study. Students look at the British values and rule of law in underpinning government in the UK.

Year 11 
Autumn term 
UNIT 1 – Health & wellbeing – Students study a range of scenarios focussing on health, choices and consequences of actions. Cosmetic and aesthetic procedures are evaluated and their effect on health. Cancer screening is investigated and self-help and help strategies are covered.

Year 11
Spring term 
UNIT 2 – Relationships / RSE  - Students experience drop down day provision around STI’s and prevention and treatment, alongside mentor sessions on exploitation, consent and abuse in relationships. Behaviours in teen dating and the appropriateness and risk involved in online apps and websites.

Year 11 
Summer term 
UNIT 3– Living in the wider world – Students look in greater detail at writing personal statements and job and higher education applications. 

Key Stage 5 

PD continues to be delivered in KS5 through assemblies, mentor periods and through core enrichment.
The 3 main strands of PSHE are delivered as in Key Stage 3 & 4 to enable students to continue to develop as well rounded and well informed young adults. The provision for key stage 5 again includes RSHE and citizenship requirements.

Year 12
Autumn term 
 STRAND 1 – Health & Wellbeing – Students look into effective transition between life phases and strategies to assist with this. They look into the effects of ‘outside influences’ on all aspects of health. They discuss personal safety and the purpose and benefit of self health checks and screening procedures

Year 12
Spring term 
STRAND 3 – Living in the wider world  - students investigate career choices and formulate action plans for FE / HE and employment. They look into employment rights and responsibilities and also look at financial implications of lifestyles.

Year 12
Summer term 
STRAND 2 – Relationships – Students cover consent in relationships and issues surrounding sexual health such as contraceptives and STI’s. Students look at signs of abuse in relationships and where to gain help with issues arising.

Year 13
Autumn term 
STRAND 1 – Health & Wellbeing – Students cover issues such as the perception of body image and mental health, and strategies to improve health. Students investigate personal safety both domestically and internationally.

Year 13
Spring term 
STRAND 3 – Living in the wider world  - students develop knowledge of job applications and UCAS applications including CV’s. They look at career choices, locally, nationally and internationally and evaluate their social media presence in supporting their future career aspirations.

Year 13
Summer term 
STRAND 2 – Relationships – Students re-cap sexual health and look at the benefits of delaying pregnancy. The look into conclusion of relationships and dealing with this respectfully including online.