Life Skills & Character Education
Curriculum Intent
Life skills is a subject through which students develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage their lives now, and in the future. These skills and attributes help students to stay healthy, safe and prepare them for life and work in modern Britain. From making responsible decisions about drugs to succeeding in their first job interview, Life skills lessons help students to manage many of the most critical opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities they will face growing up.
Life skills is particularly important as it covers all the topics that you want your children to know that are not a part of an exam subject. Mortgages, CVs, internet safety are just a few of the topics that are taught. Sunbury Manor wants to stay in line with requirements to prepare our students for all aspects of life. Life Skills and Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE) education to plug the gaps that are left by the exam subjects whilst working closely together with these subjects to ensure cross-curricular links.
In KS3 we cover relationship and sex education which includes the following topics: bullying, safety online, sexting and body image. We cover health and wellbeing with topics such as puberty, first aid and anxiety. Finally, we cover essential life administration skills including budgeting, payslips and criminal law.
In KS4 we continue to cover relationship and sex education but venture in more difficult topics with forced marriages, break ups and LGBT+. We cover financial topics like savings & pensions, social topics that include the UK legal system and electoral systems and many more.
Life Skills and PSHE are taught in an interactive manner. We believe that the sharing of experiences from teacher and student, and the exchange of opinions is paramount to teaching our students the essentials to be independent and in charge of their own future. Everything is based on resources that will engage students to take charge of their own learning and form well formulated opinions.
Numerous outside agencies are involved in Life Skills, from emergency services teaching First Aid, police officers raising awareness around crime to mental health professionals leading assemblies on anxiety. Throughout the year many topics that are taught in Life Skills will also be expanded on during tutor time for example short First Aid sessions.
Life Skills and PSHE will provide all students with the essentials they need to continue their life after school. It aims to prepare students in all the different aspects of life from managing finances to practicing safe sex. Life Skills will make our young people able to tackle the future with all its challenges.
Life Skills is taught by a variety of staff including several of the most senior teachers in the school. The experience or the staff provides a vast wealth of insight in sometime contentious topics and will help them navigate these easily. The subject is taught all over the school as it aims to provide as many perspectives as possible to our students and the choices they will make in their futures.
Curriculum Overview
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Year 7
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Relationship, Sex Ed 1. Keeping good friends and avoiding toxic ones. 2. Family relationships- the different types and why we don’t always get along. 3. Bullying or banter? Why do people bully others and how can we help stop this? 4. What is cyber bullying? Why do people bully online?
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Relationship, Sex Ed 5. How do we keep safe and positive relationships (on and offline). 6.Love and relationships – falling in love and dealing with new feelings. 7. What is my personal identity and why is diversity important?
Health & Wellbeing 8. Healthy Living – exercise & keeping active. |
Health & Wellbeing 1. What’s the big deal with energy drinks? 2. Puberty – what happens, when & why? 3. Periods what happens, when and why?
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Health & Wellbeing 4. The dangers of smoking & second hand smoke. 5. What are drugs & why are they dangerous? 6. Introduction to mental health issues – depression focus. |
Health & Wellbeing 1. Dental hygiene 2. What is FGM and why is it dangerous Living in the Wider World 3. How can we enjoy social media but keep our accounts safe and private?
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Living in the Wider World 4. What is stereotyping and prejudice? Racism focus. 5. What are wants & needs and why do we need to know the difference? 6. How can we budget our money.
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Year 8
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Health & Wellbeing 1. What is vaping & is this as bad as smoking? 2. Why do teenage parents have it so tough? 3. Cancer Awareness 4. Emotional literacy – Why is self-awareness in our actions towards others so important? |
Health & Wellbeing 5. How can we look after others and ourselves in an emergency? Personal safety & first aid. 6. How can self-confidence boost our achievements?
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Relationship, Sex Ed 1. What is sexting and why is it so risky to send personal images. 2. Safe Sex & different forms of contraception. 3. What are STI’s. |
Relationship, Sex Ed 4. What is consent & why is it important we know about it? 5. What is pornography & why can it be dangerous? 6. Domestic Conflict
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Living in the Wider World 1. Internet safety – what is online grooming and why must we be careful. 2. LGBT+ focus on Homophobia 3. Stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice. Teens and the media focus. |
Living in the Wider World 4. Finance – what is income and expenditure? 5. Finance – budgeting and saving personal finances. 6. Careers & Finance what are national insurance and income tax? Reading payslips.
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Year 9
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Health & Wellbeing 1. Why do people take illegal drugs and what does the law say about drug use? 2. What are the short & long-term consequences of excess alcohol drinking? 3. Responsible health choices – blood donation, stem cells, vaccinations (x2hrs) |
Health & Wellbeing 4. Why do people become selfie obsessed & consequences this can have 5. How are we protected from prejudice and discrimination? 6. Mental health – how can I deal with and manage anxiety?
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Health & Wellbeing 1. How can we foster Growth Mindset to succeed and achieve.
Living in the Wider World 2. What rights do we have as shoppers & consumers? 3. How can I stay financially savvy and avoid debt? |
Living in the Wider World 4. How can we be self-disciplined to achieve our aims at school and in the wider world? 5. How does knife crime impact our communities, why do teens get involved and what are the consequences? 6. How does the law deal with young offenders? |
Relationship, Sex Ed 1. CSE – how are children and young people lured into dangerous relationships and what do these look like? 2. Body image and the media - focus on girls. 3. Body image and the media – focus on boys.
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Relationship, Sex Ed 4. Body image and the media – does the media contribute to eating disorders. 5. What is peer pressure? How can we overcome this? 6. What are domestic violence and abusive relationships? Healthy & unhealthy relationships. |
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Year 10 |
FINANCING 1.1-Income/ Expenditure/ credit / debt 1.2-Savings &Pensions 1.3-How public money is spent 1.4-Financial products & Service 1.3.1 Public spend discussion Triangle
GAMBLING LESSON TBC
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RSE 1. How can we manage conflict Successfully?
2. What are forced and arranged marriages and what do we need to know?
3. Harassment and stalking – what are these things and what does the law say about it?
4. Revenge Porn – what is this and how can we prevent ourselves from being victims? |
LAW 3.1 - Human rights 3.2-International law 3.3 - Legal systems in the UK
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SOCIETY 4.1 - Identities in the UK 4.2 - Citizen contribution 4.3 - Life in Britain test 4.3.1 - Life/Britain Part 2 |
RSE 1. Do we have healthy or unhealthy relationships with our role models?
2. Same sex relationships (LGBT+)
3. Gender and Trans Identity LGBT+
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RSE 4. What is community cohesion and why is this important? (British Values)
5. Why do sexism, gender prejudice and stereotypes still exist?
6. Parenting, the different types and styles and looking after a child.
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Year 11 |
RSE 1. Bullying – Body Shaming
2. Why is it essential we know about consent, rape and sexual abuse?
3. What is a safe sexual relationship
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RSE 4. What is Chem Sex and what do we mean when we talk about safe sex?
5. Relationship Break Ups
6. How can we make ourselves and other people feel more positive and why is happiness important?
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PARLIAMENT & ELECTIONS 3.1 -Parliamentary Democracy 3.2 - Free Press 3.3 - Electoral systems 3.4 – The difference UK vs USA |
GOVERNMENT 4.1 - Forms of government 4.2 - UK’s relations with Europe 4.3 - United Nations & the wider world 4.3.1 - UN assessment |
EMPLOYABILITY 5.1 - What is Employability 5.2 - What is a CV 5.3 - Interview skills
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STUDY LEAVE FOR G.C.S.E EXAMS |