Personal Development

Curriculum Overview

Year 7 – Personal Development Foundation: Understanding Myself & Others

Relationships & Wellbeing

• What is  PSHE/RSHE?
• Why positive relationships matter
• Families and friendships
• Healthy/ unhealthy relationships
• Understanding abuse
• Coping with bereavement
• Respect in school & society
• Bullying & cyberbullying
• Sexism and stereotypes

Citizenship & Society

• Political parties, Parliament & MPs
• Rights, liberties & freedoms
• How citizens can make change
• School-based citizenship projects

Online Safety

• E-safety basics
• Harmful online content
• Online behaviour & staying safe

Physical & Mental Health & Aspirations

• Mental wellbeing
• Puberty & personal hygiene
• Careers: types of work, education routes

Year 8 – Respect, Identity & Growing Independence

Relationships & Identity

• Healthy relationships
• Marriage and legal rights
• Consent in friendships
• Boundaries and respect
• Gender rights & Gender Identity
• Speaking out against sexism

Equality & Citizenship

• Protected characteristics
• British Values
• The justice system
• Raising awareness of racism

Online Safety

• Banter vs bullying
• Sharing/receiving content safely
• Laws around online behaviour

Health & Wellbeing

• Mental health: anxiety, depression, lifestyle
• Sleep & healthy habits
• First Aid (CPR)

Careers & Finance

• Career pathways
• Apprenticeships
• Finance, budgeting & money skill

 Year 9 – Choices, Safety & Personal Responsibility

Relationships & Safety

• Healthy relationships
• Stereotypes (race, religion, gender, disability)
• Abuse & peer-on-peer harm
• Consent and the law
• Reproduction, contraception & STIs
• Managing pressure
• Sexual harassment

Citizenship

• Democracy, elections & government
• Protected characteristics & British Values
• Police & courts
• Rights of children
• Identity and diversity

Online Safety

• Sexting
• Online responsibility
• Unrealistic online portrayals of relationships

Health & Wellbeing

• Mental health conditions
• Improving wellbeing
• Healthy eating

Careers & Finance

• Choosing GCSE options
• Linking subjects to jobs
• Apprenticeships
• Wages, budgeting, living on a budge

Year 10 – Healthy Lives, Respect & Work Preparation

Relationships & Safety

• Healthy relationships
• Coercive control
• Consent & the law
• Managing sexual pressure
• Grooming
• Sexual harassment & violence
• Reproductive health
• STI testing
• Laws on sharing images

Health & Online Safety

• Mental health concerns & support
• Alcohol, drugs, smoking/vaping
• Online gambling & advertising
• Lifestyle choices and wellbeing

Citizenship

• Democracy & government
• Elections
• Human rights
• UN, Commonwealth & global citizenship
• Animal rights

Careers Education

• Identifying skills & strengths
• Future of work & future skills (NESTA)
• Planning for work experience (Unifrog)
• Local job market information
• Choosing a career
• Applying for jobs
• CV writing
• Green careers
• NHS careers
• What happens after GCSE

Year 11 – Future Readiness, Responsibility & Independence

Relationships & Safety

• Healthy relationships
• Sexual harassment & violence
• Incel culture
• LGBTQ+ rights
• Grooming & CSE
• Consent refresher

Health & Wellbeing

• Contraception & reproductive health
• Online impact on mental health
• Drugs & alcohol
• Eating disorders
• Stress management & revision strategies
• Healthy exam routines

Citizenship

• Human rights
• Cultural & ethnic identity
• Environment & global responsibility
• Blood, organ & stem cell donation
• Immunisation & vaccination

Careers Education

• “Am I ready?” – pathways and choices
• Money Skills, Budgeting, bills, renting & mortgages
• Apprenticeships
• Careers Research
• Unifrog: skills, interests, CV building
• Destination goals: sixth form, college, apprenticeships, T-Levels
• Revision, reviews & next steps

Be Safe - During the year we also invite Be Safe into school to deliver sessions which give students practical strategies to stay safe in the community, online and in their relationships.

Topics include:

Year 7: Anti-Bullying & Upstander Training

• Recognising different types of bullying
• Speaking up safely
• Supporting peers and challenging negative behaviour

Year 8: Knife Crime & Staying Safe on the Streets

• Understanding risks and consequences
• Avoiding dangerous situations
• Situational awareness
• Safe travel and independence
• What to do in emergencies & where to seek help and support

Year 9: Cannabis Awareness

• Understanding effects, risks and the law
• Peer pressure and decision-making
• Accessing trustworthy information and support

Year 10: Consent, Personal Boundaries & Child Sexual Exploitation

• What consent means
• Respecting boundaries
• Recognising coercion or pressure
• Understanding grooming
• Identifying unhealthy or exploitative behaviour
• How and where to report concerns

Year 11:  County Lines & Criminal Exploitation

• How county lines operations work
• Spotting warning signs
• Strategies for staying safe

Students take part in Drop-Down Days during the year. These are dedicated days where normal lessons are replaced with workshops, talks, and interactive activities led by expert organisations. These days give students the tools, knowledge and confidence they need to stay safe, make positive choices and prepare for adulthood. Drop Down days support the wider curriculum in PSHE & RSHE, Citizenship, Careers (Gatsby Benchmarks), Safeguarding & Wellbeing as well as understanding of Protected Characteristics and British Values.

What Happens on Drop-Down Days:

Expert Speaker Sessions

We invite charities, youth organisations, emergency services and specialist educators to deliver engaging, age-appropriate sessions that support personal growth and wellbeing. We also deliver extended Personal Development Lessons where students explore important themes such as:

• Respect and positive relationships
• Risk-taking behaviours and how to manage them
• Equality, inclusion and celebrating diversity
• Emotional wellbeing and resilience
• Online safety and digital responsibility
• Communication, problem solving and life skills

What Students Gain

• Confidence to make safe, informed decisions
• Understanding of how to contribute positively to society
• Resilience and strong emotional awareness
• Skills to recognise and avoid risky situations
• Respect for themselves and others
• Knowledge of where to get help and support

Organisations & Charities We Partner With

We collaborate with a range of local and national organisations, including:

• Mental health and resilience charities
• Anti-bullying and equality organisations
• Online safety specialists
• Drug and exploitation awareness charities
• Emergency services
• Sexual health education providers
• Careers and apprenticeship ambassadors

At Longbenton High School, we celebrate students’ achievements across lessons, personal development, attendance, and leadership. Students can earn recognition in multiple ways throughout the year, culminating in end-of-year award.

House Points

Students can earn House Points and recognition in every lesson through the following:

HERO - HERO is awarded in every lesson and during tutor time to students who are Here, Equipped, Ready to learn and On Time.

KIDMAP - Students can also earn House Points for demonstrating our core school values:

• Kindness – Recognition for acts of kindness in class and around the school
• Integrity – Demonstrating honesty and integrity in learning and personal development
• Determination – Effort, resilience, and personal achievement in lessons
• Manners – Showing respect and courtesy in lessons and around the school
• Ambition – Demonstrating initiative, goal-setting, and a passion for learning
• Positivity – A positive attitude, resilience, and positive contributions in lessons

Extra-Curricular Activities - Students are also awarded House Points for participation and achievements in extra-curricular Inspire Clubs.

Assemblies

Students are regularly recognised in assemblies for their excellent attitude and achievements, including:

• Top HERO
• Top KIDMAP
• Inspire and Personal Development Achievements
• Tutor Group and Individual Recognition for attendance, punctuality, uniform, homework, leadership, and personal development

House Points can also lead to Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum KIDMAP rewards.

Every half term, students are recognised by their tutors as Most Successful or Most Improved, or by curriculum areas as Students of the Term.