Citizenship and PSHE
Curriculum Maps can be found here
Head of Department: Miss G Pike
Departmental Verse: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 15 verse 12)
Key Stages 3 & 4
Intent
At Trinity School, we recognise that citizenship and PSHE education underpins the wellbeing of our pupils and that the links between personal wellbeing and academic achievement are intrinsic.
Through our citizenship and PSHE curriculum, we aim to provide pupils with accurate and relevant knowledge about issues in the local community they live and learn in and the wider world. Pupils will become equipped with effective strategies and a skills set that will enable them to live a healthy, happy, fulfilling, balanced and safe life.
Our engaging lessons are delivered using a spiral curriculum which helps pupils to build on prior learning, revisiting themes, whilst increasing challenge, broadening their scope of issues and deepening pupils’ thinking. Opportunities are provided to explore, clarify and if necessary challenge, their own and others’ values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities.
We strive to inspire and nurture aspirational individuals who are equipped with a repertoire of skills including resilience, collaboration, and critical thinking. Not only will such skills be essential in further education after school, but they will also allow pupils to access positions in areas of employment that do not currently exist. Citizenship and PSHE enables pupils to learn skills and strategies for life.
The citizenship and PSHE curriculum has been carefully designed to ensure that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is holistic. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in numerous activities within the classroom, through extra-curricular activities and in their own time. Pupils have previously enjoyed fundraising for WE Villages, exploring the consequences of poverty through simulation activities and benefiting from a wide range of external visitors including Fix Up motivational speakers, the University of Greenwich and business professionals.
We seek to actively promote and nurture the fundamental British Values that underpin our common British identity. British Values include the concepts of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs that sit at the core of being British. We promote political literacy through the curriculum and through our new Student Parliament to ensure that participation in society is habitual for all of our pupils.
Alongside challenging values, attitudes and beliefs, we seek to embrace and embed the Christian values of compassion, forgiveness and hope which underpin the ethos of Trinity School and form our distinctive character. Our distinctive Christian values coincide with the essential life skills such as empathy, aspiration and tolerance which we seek to promote within the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum. These values instil a sense of personal responsibility and engagement as citizens in both the Christian community but also in wider society.
Citizenship and Personal, Social, Health Education is studied by all students in Key Stage 3 and 4. Every pupil has one Citizenship and PSHE lesson per fortnight with a specialist teacher. The assessment descriptors for this subject at KS3 are available here.
Key Stage 3:
Year 7:
• Getting to Know You – Identity, multiculturalism and friendship.
• Active Citizenship – Children’s rights, poverty, fundraising and charities.
• Puberty – Emotional and physical changes.
Year 8:
• Personal Wellbeing – Self-esteem, body image and bullying.
• Democracy – Political parties, election systems, role of MPs. Pressure groups and making laws.
• Risky Behaviour – Smoking, alcohol and internet safety.
Year 9:
• Crime and Justice – Knife crime, gangs and joint enterprise, courts and prison system.
• Healthy Relationships – Positive qualities, sexting, consent, sexuality and contraception.
Key Stage 4:
Year 10:
• Drugs – Cannabis, class A drugs and binge drinking.
• Mental Health – Mental health disorders and stigma.
• Healthy Relationships – Domestic abuse, consent and pornography.
Year 11:
Delivered through a drop down day.
• Next Steps – Career options, CV writing, interview skills, team building and employee rights.
PSHE TOPIC RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
YEAR 7
Topic 1: Getting to Know You -
Identity, Multiculturalism and Friendship
A website that explores ways to encourage children to form their own identity, with some supportive tips to parents on how to encourage personal identity.
A helpful website that discusses ‘British life’ and how to stay culturally connected, encouraging children to share their experiences.
Aimed at parents with younger pupils but could be useful if talking about diversity is difficult.
https://raisingchildren.net.au
Great tips for parents on how to discuss what makes a good friend, ‘frenemies’ and how to make new friends.
More tips on how to talk with daughters in particular about toxic friendships.
https://www.familylives.org.uk
Advice for parents on talking about peer pressure and how it may affect children. Links to the Family Lives support network.
YEAR 7
Topic 3: Puberty -
Emotional and Physical Changes
A range of articles, focused on discussing menstruation, mood swings and puberty in general with girls. Explore the whole website though for a range of information and details about products and offers.
Ann informative leaflet with information on changes (both physical and emotional for girls and boys) that take place during puberty, the effects of puberty, top tips for parents and where to get support.
A range of questions and answers specifically about boys and puberty.
More information on the changes experienced during puberty and its impact on education. Also includes a video by Robert Winston.
YEAR 8
Topic 1: Personal Wellbeing -
Self-Esteem, Body Image and Bullying
A very informative website that explains how to increase self-esteem, giving practical suggestions for what your child can do and where you can go for support.
More helpful tips on raising self-esteem, what causes low self-esteem and where to go for further support.
A wide selection of information aimed at parents supporting their children to have confidence, positive images of their bodies and dealing with bullying.
Great information about how to talk to children about bullying, how to spot the signs and what to do, why children bully and how bullying can affect children. Many useful links to get further support.
Detailed information on what cyberbullying is, the effects of cyberbullying, how to stay safe online and dealing with dangerous websites.
YEAR 8
Topic 3: Risky Behaviour -
Smoking, Alcohol & Internet Safety
A website with information about the risks of smoking (including vaping), signs a child could be smoking and useful tips on how to prevent your child from smoking.
A wide range of information concerning underage drinking which includes; the effects of alcohol, the law, teenage drinking, why children drink alcohol, parties, how to answer your child’s questions and how to prevent underage drinking.
A range of issues are included on this website for parents including, how to keep your child safe online, reporting concerns to CEOP, online grooming, live streaming risks, gaming risks and online sexual abuse. It also has useful links for teenagers at the bottom of the webpage.
Tips on how to keep your child safe online, including social media.
Information includes how to have conversations about using the internet with your child and topics that affect children including social media, downloading, cyber bullying and online gaming, plus many more.
YEAR 9
Topic 2: Healthy Relationships -
Positive Qualities, Sexting, Consent, Sexuality & Contraception
Great advice for parents on having early conversations with teens about healthy relationships, what makes a healthy relationship, when feelings get hurt and what teens look for in relationships. There are also links to other areas on their website including consent, coming out and having sex.
Not specifically aimed at parents but clear information, advice (including the law) and videos related to sexting and consent, both studied in Year 9. The information on relationship abuse may also be useful as pupils look at what makes a healthy relationship.
Aimed at young people, but clear information on the 15 different types of contraception available and where to get free contraception.
YEAR 10
Topic 2: Drugs and Alcohol -
Cannabis, Class A Drugs and Binge Drinking
An excellent website that offers advice to parents but also gives extensive coverage about a wide range of drugs in their A-Z of drugs section.
A leaflet that explains the effects of alcohol and drugs, including addiction. It also has a number of links to access further support.
A wide range of information concerning underage drinking which includes; the effects of alcohol, the law, teenage drinking, why children drink alcohol, parties, how to answer your child’s questions and how to prevent underage drinking.
Advice for parents and guardians who are worried about drug and alcohol misuse.
YEAR 10
Topic 2: Mental Health -
Mental Health Disorders & Stigma
Moodzone – although not specifically aimed at parents this website has helpful tips on how to overcome common problems like anxiety, stress, anger and depression.
A movement concerned with reducing the stigma attached to mental health. Parent/carer guides can be ordered and there are stories to read that may support anyone with mental health problems.
Information about a variety of mental health problems, many of which pupils will learn about in this unit of learning.
YEAR 10
Topic 2: Healthy Relationships -
Domestic Abuse, Consent & Pornography
Great advice for parents on having early conversations with teens about healthy relationships, what makes a healthy relationship, when feelings get hurt and what teens look for in relationships. There are also links to other areas on their website including consent, coming out and having sex.
Not specifically aimed at parents but clear information, advice (including the law) and videos related to sexting, relationship abuse, consent and rape, which are all studied in Year 10.
A very frank website specifically aimed at teens and young adults. It deals with a range of issues including, pornography, consent, sex, contraception and people’s bodies. It may seem daunting to read but it may give an insight into issues affecting young individuals and answer some of their questions.
