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Life

Our LIFE curriculum aims to provide all students with access to well-sequenced, high-quality lessons which are tailored to meets the needs of our diverse community.  ​

The curriculum focuses on four key strands: ​

  • Health and Wellbeing​
  • Sex and relationships​
  • Wider World ​
  • Careers​

These themes are knowledge rich, engaging and afford students the opportunity to debate in a safe environment, with clear ground rules promoting respect and compassion. 

Curriculum Intent

Our intent is to allow students to reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes as well as explore complex and sometimes conflicting range of values and attitudes they might encounter now and in the future. ​

We encourage our students to be enterprising and support them in making effective transitions, informed decisions, positive learning and career choices and in achieving economic wellbeing. In addition, we seek to ensure all students have the knowledge, skills and attributes to keep themselves healthy, safe and prepared for life and work as a citizen in modern Britain. ​

In essence, LIFE aims to empower our students with the ability to make good choices, report concerns with confidence and lead happy, successful lives.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Overview

Each unit of work will correspond to a Fundamental British value (FBV)​

  • Democracy​
  • Rule of Law​
  • Mutual respect​
  • Tolerance​
  • Individual liberties​

From Y7-10 Students knowledge and understanding of these concepts will progress at an age appropriate level and be demonstrated in assessment:

Y7

Y8

Y9

Y10

Recognize

Students will be expected to recognize the definition of an FBV from a selection of options

Define

Students will be expected to offer definitions of FBVs in their own words, either written down or verbally

Identify​

Students will be expected to identify which FBV is relevant in a given scenario

Explain​

Students will be expected to explain the importance of an FBV in given context

Year 7 Curriculum Content

Half Term 1: Staying Safe and Managing Change

Transition to secondary school, managing emotions and personal safety in and outside school.

Half Term 2: Health and Puberty

Healthy and unhealthy lifestyles, vaping, smoking, healthy routines, hygiene, puberty, unwanted contact and FGM.

Half Term 3: Building Healthy Relationships

Self-worth, romance and friendships (including online). Boundaries and consent.

Half Term 4: Diversity

Diversity, prejudice, stereotyping and bullying. Protected Characteristics and the Equality Act 2010.

Half Term 5: Digital Literacy

Online safety, digital literacy, media reliability, safer gaming and gambling hooks.

Half Term 6: Self-Awareness

Job families, skills, qualities and working as part of a team.

Year 8 Curriculum Content

Half Term 1: Drugs and Alcohol

Vaping, smoking, energy drinks, caffeine, alcohol, counter/ prescription drugs and county lines.

Half Term 2: Emotional and Physical Health

Mental health, healthy and unhealthy coping strategies, digital resilience and body image.

Half Term 3: Identity and Relationships

Protected characteristics, gender and sexual orientation, stereotypes, sexting and consent.

Half Term 4: Labour Market Information

Professional behaviour, health and safety, LMI.  Action planning.

Half Term 5: Citizenship

What is democracy? Parliament and Government, the law and how laws are made. Local government.

Half Term 6: Financial Decision Making

Budgeting, saving and borrowing and making financial choices.

Year 9 Curriculum Content

Half Term 1: Peer influence, substance use and gangs

Healthy and unhealthy friendships, risky behaviours (ASB), substance misuse and gang exploitation.

Half Term 2: Respectful Relationships

Different families, positive relationships, parenting, conflict resolution and relationship changes.

Half Term 3: Opportunity Awareness

Decision-making, work motivation and challenging stereotypes.

Half Term 4: Intimate Relationships

Relationship and sex education including consent, contraception, the risks of STIs and attitudes to pornography.

Half Term 5: Employability Skills

Rights and responsibilities, first impressions, managing your online presence.

Half Term 6: Healthy Lifestyles and Summer Safety

Diet and exercise.  Vaccinations. Safety including, sun safety, water and railway safety.

Year 10 Curriculum Content

Half Term 1: Mental Health

Looking after your wellbeing, impact of drugs and alcohol, managing pressure and benefits of sleep.

Half Term 2: Securing a job

Applying for a job, interview techniques, action planning for the future.

Half Term 3: Healthy Relationships

Relationships, consent, sexual harassment, sexual pleasure and challenges, including the impact of the media and pornography.

Half Term 4: CORE RE

Christian Belief and practice

Half Term 5: Respectful Britain 

Multi-cultural Britain, Equality Act and promoting tolerance.  Gangs, hate crime and challenging extremism.

Half Term 6: Keeping finances secure

Gambling, debt, cybercrime, fraud and the importance of keeping your details safe online.

Year 11 Curriculum Content

Half Term 1: Building for the future

Self-efficacy, stress management, mental health and future opportunities.

Half Term 2: Post 16 Transitions

Writing CVs, different types of employment and apprenticeships.

Half Term 3: CORE RE

Christian Belief and practice

Half Term 4 and 5: Self-Examination and Sexual Health

Sexual health and self-examination.  Pregnancy outcomes. Routes to parenthood, fertility and the menopause.

Our Relationship and Sex Education policy can be found under Policies and Key Information.