Personal Development at KS4

Overview

Our Personal Development curriculum is essentially a combination of PSHE (Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education) & Citizenship. The aim is to equip the students with the knowledge and skills that they will need as they move through school to become young adults. We hope to provide them with the information that they need to make informed choices regarding health, relationships, careers, etc.  Students will learn to understand themselves physically, emotionally and socially and understand their relationships with others.

Learning PSHCE helps all students develop as individuals in a wider society; helps keep them safe and healthy; teaches them effective ways to deal with different situations.

Citizenship is a statutory requirement and although PSHE is non-statutory the DfE expect that schools make provision for personal, social, health and economic education, drawing on good practice.

KS4 course content

Students are taught once a fortnight by a specialist team. In addition we run a number of workshops and trips to raise awareness of careers and post 16 choices.

Year 10

  • Careers (Citizenship) – Post 16 choices, career paths, careers research, changing labour market, desirable skills
  • Economic wellbeing (PSHE & Citizenship) – How much does it cost? (salaries & outgoings), managing money (borrowing & lending)
  • Healthy lifestyles & relationships (PSHE & Citizenship) – Physical & mental wellbeing, drugs & alcohol, friendships & relationship (positive & negative qualities)
  • British citizenship (Citizenship) – What does it mean to be British? (rights, attitudes & expectations), Human rights, visit by Police liaison officer: ‘the court room’.
  • Diversity (Citizenship) – Immigration & community cohesion, racism, press portrayal of minority groups

Year 11

  • Careers (Citizenship) – writing a CV, ROA, careers research, interview skills, first impressions
  • Relationships (PSHE) – Parenting, pornography, sexting, visit by Police liaison officer: ‘exploitation’
  • British citizenship (Citizenship) – Europe & the EU, the UN & NATO, involvement in world affairs
  • Diversity (Citizenship) – Disabilities & prejudice, equal opportunities
  • Healthy lifestyles (PSHE) – Dealing with stress