Personal Development

We have a comprehensive programme of study designed to cover economic wellbeing, careers and enterprise education, and education for personal safety, including assessing and managing risk. This is regularly reviewed and adapted to local, national and global developments.

Sessions are planned under each of the Core Themes below:

 Core Theme 1

Health and Wellbeing

Core Theme 2

Relationships

Core Theme 3

Living in the Wider World

 

  • Self-concept
  • Mental health and emotional wellbeing
  • Healthy lifestyles (KS3)
  • Health-related decisions (KS4)
  •  Drugs, Alcohol and tobacco
  • Managing risk and personal safety
  •  Puberty and sexual health (KS3)
  • Sexual health and fertility (KS4)

 

  • Positive relationships
  • Relationship values
  • Forming and maintaining respectful relationships
  • Consent
  • Contraception and parenthood
  • Bullying, abuse and discrimination
  • Social influences

 

  • Learning skills
  • Choices and pathways
  • Work and career
  • Employment rights and responsibilities
  • Financial choices
  • Media literacy and digital literacy

At Key Stage 3, students build upon previous knowledge and understanding, skills, personal attributes and values. This curriculum addresses the changes that young people experience during the secondary phase of their education: KS2-3 transition; the challenges of adolescence and increasing independence. They are equipped with the knowledge and skills to prepare them for later life.

At Key Stage 4, students deepen their previous knowledge and understanding; develop their skills and further explore personal attributes and values to ensure they are fully prepared for life beyond school as an adult, and to ensure they are independent, productive and positive contributors to society.

From September 2020, PSHE became statutory for all schools under the Children and Social Work Act (2017). This includes Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. The content that we deliver is based on the Department for Education (DfE) Statutory Guidance for Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education in June 2019. 

Personal Development covers statutory Relationships and Sex Education [RSE], Personal, Social, Health and Economic [PSHE] education and Careers Education, Information Advice and Guidance [CEIAG].

At Carrington, RSHE (Relationships, Sex and Health Education) plays a vital role in supporting children’s personal development, wellbeing, and readiness for life beyond the classroom. National guidance makes clear that schools must provide a curriculum that supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development and prepares them for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter as they grow.

Children today are growing up in a world where they face a wide range of social pressures, digital influences, and emotional challenges. The Department for Education highlights that young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their personal and social lives in a positive way. This is why elements such as health and well-being, relationships and living in the wider world, help them develop healthy relationships and cultivate safety online and offline. These are central components of the RSHE curriculum.

We recognise that some RSHE topics, particularly those relating to health and well-being, relationships, or personal safety, can bring about a range of emotional responses, and this is entirely normal. The latest Ofsted‑aligned RSHE guidance emphasises that RSHE education is essential for developing pupils’ confidence, resilience and knowledge to support their health and well-being and to help them understand both online and offline risks. RSHE is therefore not only about information; it is intentionally designed to help children name, explore, and safely navigate feelings that may arise.

Our lessons are planned carefully to:

·       provide age‑appropriate, supportive discussions

·       help students develop strategies for managing difficult emotions

·       encourage them to seek help when needed

·       and ensure they know where to turn if something is worrying them

 This aligns with national guidance for teaching RSHE, which stresses the importance of lessons that help pupils develop the knowledge and attributes they need to keep themselves mentally healthy and safe in the wider world.

We will be providing you with an overview for each year group so that we can work together to try and recognise where topics may be sensitive for some young people.  Of course, we understand that some children may have personal circumstances that could make certain topics more challenging. In such cases, working together with families is essential, and we always endeavour to ensure the right support is in place.

If you are aware that an upcoming topic may be difficult for your child, whether due to bereavement, anxiety, past experiences, or anything else then do please contact us. This allows us to plan appropriate support, make adjustments where needed, and ensure your child feels safe, prepared and well supported.

We are committed to delivering RSHE in a way that is inclusive, sensitive, and aligned with the most up‑to‑date national guidance, ensuring that all children feel valued, supported and able to thrive.