In Years 7 to 9, Students are taught in two regular lessons per fortnight taught by a specialist teacher. To ensure a broad and ambitious Curriculum, we follow a themed approach to Life Skills lessons, which fit with the statutory requirements but also align with our school’s ASPIRE ethos. These themes are repeated each year, but the breadth and depth of each topic explored develops year on year.
The personal skills that we value are developed through opportunities to discuss ideas with peers, as well as learn from experts. Students are encouraged to explore a range of perspectives and outlooks, maintaining their respect and acceptance of different viewpoints, and reflecting on their own personal views as well.
| Year 7 |
|
|
| Autumn Term |
Spring Term |
Summer Term |
Health and Wellbeing
“Mental health and wellbeing: getting to know yourself and how you succeed.” (Focus on transition to secondary school, mental health and wellbeing).
Healthy Relationships
“Changing bodies; changing relationships.” (Focus on puberty and the impact it has on our bodies, feelings and relationships).
|
Living in the Wider World
“Who am I and where do I belong? Citizenship, communities and self-awareness.” (Introduction to careers education at KS3 and British Values: living in modern Britain).
Health and Wellbeing
“Healthy lifestyle choices: diet, drugs and social media.” (focus on healthy and unhealthy lifestyle choices relating to diet, legal and illegal drugs, and social media use).
|
Healthy Relationships
“Understanding and accepting diversity in a range of relationships.” (Focus on family
relationships, gender diversity and promoting empathy and tolerance).
Living in the Wider World
“What’s it got to do with me? Economic wellbeing, enterprise and environmental impact.” (Focus on personal finance skills, how careers affect economic wellbeing, enterprise skills and our impact on the environment)
|
| Year 8 |
|
|
| Autumn Term |
Spring Term |
Summer Term |
Health and Wellbeing.
“The relationship between mental and physical health.” (Focus on emotional wellbeing, resilience and first aid training)
Healthy Relationships
“Relationships, consent and effective communication in a range of contexts.” (focus on online safety, your reputation, developing relationships and consent).
|
Living in the Wider World
“Understanding my rights as a British and global citizen; maximising my potential.” (Focus on global citizenship, human rights (including laws) and continuing personal careers education, including LMI).
Health and Wellbeing
“Recognising, managing and mitigating risks to our health.” (Focus on understanding community issues such as drugs, gangs and knife crime, and revising first aid skills).
|
Healthy Relationships
“Evaluating the importance of communication in relationships: getting the language right!” (Focus on developing understanding of consent, effective communication and diversity: LGBTQ+).
Living in the Wider World
“It’s not all about me! How can I affect the lives of others?” (Focus on understanding global issues such as FGM and coercion, online behaviour, and developing enterprise and employability skills for the future).
|
| Year 9 |
|
|
| Autumn Term |
Spring Term |
Summer Term |
Health and Wellbeing
“Managing your mental health – recognising mental illnesses and how to promote mental wellness.” (Focus on dealing with anxiety, depression and self-harm; building resilience and seeking help).
Living in the Wider World
“Looking to the future: personal potential, pathways and possibilities.” (Focus on researching career/subject options, LMI, personal strengths and goal setting).
|
Healthy Relationships
“What makes relationships work? Understanding the skills needed for different types of relationships.” (Focus on family relationships, family diversity, parenting skills and online relationships).
Health and Wellbeing
“Staying healthy: first aid, CPR, immunisations and the impact of unhealthy choices.” (Focus on healthy lifestyle choices around self-care, diet, exercise, vaping and alcohol).
|
Healthy Relationships
“What is a healthy intimate relationship? Understanding consent, intimacy, misogyny and the influence of pornography. (Focus on the laws around consent, preparing for intimacy and understanding the harms of pornography).
Living in the Wider World
“Analysing risks and opportunities.” (Focus on personal economic wellbeing and enterprise and employability skills). NB: in Term 6 of Yr 9, students begin their KS4 courses, so move to one Life Skills lesson per fortnight.
|
