Personal Development
At the Sky Academy the Personal Development curriculum is designed to equip students with essential life skills and empower them to become well – rounded individuals. The curriculum is inclusive of PSHE and Citizenship curriculum to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of life.
The curriculum focuses on various aspects of personal growth, including mental and physical health, relationships, cultural diversity, financial decision-making, career development, and self-awareness.
Implementation
Developed through the PSHE Association, we deliver our Personal Development teaching through a sequenced, spiral curriculum that builds on prior learning as students progress through school and have dedicated curriculum time for this across school each week.
It is not enough for us to teach our pupils, we provide time for them to explore values, attitudes and beliefs through open discussion, allowing them to develop skills and strategies to manage issues should they arise in their lives outside. We have carefully considered the needs of our students and consider Personal Development to be incredibly important to prepare our students for issues faced by young people today.
Intent
The intent of our Personal Development curriculum is to encourage our students to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society, who understand how they are developing personally and socially, and give them the confidence to tackle many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up.
Accreditation
AQA Unit Award Scheme
ASDAN Personal Development (Bronze/silver/gold)
Trips and Extra-Curricular Activities
Personal Development is at the heart of all trips and educational visits as they help enhance the social, personal and emotional development of all our students. They help teach life skills, build on social skills and improve independence and self- confidence.
· College Taster Days
· Visiting speakers from the world of work
· Visiting speakers from outside agencies
· Careers Fair
Personal Development: LONG-TERM OVERVIEW — THEMATIC MODEL
| Autumn 1
Health & wellbeing |
Autumn 2
Living in the wider world |
Spring 1
Relationships |
Spring 2
Health & wellbeing |
Summer 1
Relationships |
Summer 2
Living in the wider world |
|
| Year 7 | Transition and safety
Transition to secondary school and personal safety in and outside school, including first aid
|
Developing skills and aspirations
Careers, teamwork and enterprise skills, and raising aspirations |
Diversity
Diversity, prejudice, and bullying |
Health and puberty
Healthy routines, influences on health, puberty, unwanted contact, and FGM |
Building relationships
Self-worth, romance and friendships (including online) and relationship boundaries |
Financial decision making
Saving, borrowing, budgeting and making financial choices |
| Year 8 | Drugs and alcohol
Alcohol and drug misuse and pressures relating to drug use |
Community and careers
Equality of opportunity in careers and life choices, and different types and patterns of work |
Discrimination
Discrimination in all its forms, including: racism, religious discrimination, disability, discrimination, sexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia |
Emotional wellbeing
Mental health and emotional wellbeing, including body image and coping strategies |
Identity and relationships
Gender identity, sexual orientation, consent, ‘sexting’, and an introduction to contraception |
Digital literacy
Online safety, digital literacy, media reliability, and gambling hooks |
| Year 9 | Peer influence, substance
use and gangs Healthy and unhealthy friendships, assertiveness, substance misuse, and gang exploitation |
Setting goals
Learning strengths, career options and goal setting as part of the GCSE options process |
Respectful relationships
Families and parenting, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and relationship changes |
Healthy lifestyle
Diet, exercise, lifestyle balance and healthy choices, and first aid |
Intimate relationships
Relationships and sex education including consent, contraception, the risks of STIs, and attitudes to pornography |
Employability skills
Employability and online presence |
| Year 10 | Mental health
Mental health and ill health, stigma, safeguarding health, including during periods of transition or change |
Financial decision making
The impact of financial decisions, debt, gambling and the impact of advertising on financial choices |
Healthy relationships
Relationships and sex expectations, myths, pleasure and challenges, including the impact of the media and pornography
|
Exploring influence
The influence and impact of drugs, gangs, role models and the media |
Addressing extremism and radicalisation
Communities, belonging and challenging extremism |
Work experience
Preparation for and evaluation of work experience and readiness for work |
| Year 11 | Building for the future
Self-efficacy, stress management, and future opportunities |
Next steps
Application processes, and skills for further education, employment and career progression |
Communication in relationships
Personal values, assertive communication (including in relation to contraception and sexual health), relationship challenges and abuse |
Independence
Responsible health choices, and safety in independent contexts |
Families
Different families and parental responsibilities, pregnancy, marriage and forced marriage and changing relationships |
