Year Group

PSHE Unit of Learning

Unit of Learning Content

7

Getting to Know You

• Pupils will learn about what PSHE and Citizenship are as subjects as some may not have studied them before (or know them by those names).
• Pupils will explore what makes us who we are (our individual characteristics and beliefs) and what multicultural Britain is by looking at identity and diversity.
• Pupils will then look at friendship, what makes a good friend, before exploring their feelings and emotions as part of self-awareness.

7

Puberty

• Pupils will learn about puberty in general (most likely supporting prior knowledge from primary school and science) before delving into issues affecting girls and boys specifically during puberty. This topic of learning covers what changes they may experience, why and how to cope with them – personally and as a friend.
• Pupils will also consider how their attitudes may change and how to communicate with parents effectively. 

8

Personal Wellbeing

• Pupils learn about what self-esteem is and how it is affected both positively and negatively.
• Pupils explore issues related to body image and consider how the media can influence their thoughts and opinions.
• Pupils learn about different types of bullying, the effects and what they think should happen to bullies and why. Pupils get the opportunity through role-play to explore the role of the bystander and the impact they can have on bullying.

8

Risky Behaviour

• Pupils learn about why people may choose to drink alcohol or smoke (including vaping), the effects and the laws surrounding them.
• Pupils develop strategies to say no and feel confident in making informed decisions.
• Pupils also learn about some of the dangers of the internet, primarily focusing on grooming. Through a creative group task, they consolidate their learning on risky behaviour by developing their own board game.

9

Healthy Relationships

• Pupils develop an understanding through discussion of what are healthy and unhealthy qualities in a relationship.
• Pupils then learn about what sexting is, the law surrounding it and the consequences both short and long-term of sexting.
• Pupils use a range of methods to understand what consent is (legally and in practice), developing strategies to ensure they have consent and make it clear whether they give or hold back consent.
• Pupils also learn about assumptions in relation to consent.
• Pupils will develop knowledge on a range of contraceptives, evaluating the positive and negative aspects of each.
• Pupils will also understand what STIs are, the symptoms of some and how they can be treated.

10

Drugs

• Pupils explore relevant laws and the effects of a range of drugs including cannabis and Class A drugs.
• Pupils learn about the effects of binge drinking; explore different ways the problem can be tackled and the impact it has on the NHS.

10

Mental Health and wellbeing

• Pupils learn about a variety of different mental health issues that young people may experience, strategies to cope with them and where to seek help. This is done through group work using appropriate resources.
• Pupils develop an understanding of how individuals and society can breakdown the stigma that can be associated with mental health issues.

10

Healthy Relationships

• Pupils recap the qualities associated with healthy and unhealthy relationships, how to seek help when needed and the role of others (including the police and friends) to support those in need.
• Pupils recap their learning on consent and sexting by following a fictional court case. They again discuss the laws surrounding these issues.
• Pupils discuss what appropriate language and physical contact is between peers and how to report and raise concerns.
• Pupils explore issues related to pornography including the law, what messages it may convey and how these often do not reflect real world experiences.

11

Next Steps

• Pupils take part in a range of activities including; a CV writing workshop, interview skill role plays, team building, an employment rights team quiz and a careers fair where they get to talk to external visitors from a range of employment backgrounds.