Personal Development
Personal Development Programme (PDP) lessons are central to the St Bart’s Curriculum. Our aim is to support our students to grow up healthy, happy, safe and able to manage the opportunities and challenges of life in modern Britain.
The PDP curriculum includes elements covering health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world. The latter aspect includes economic wellbeing and responsible citizenship, as well as the world of work. The requirements of the statutory framework for Relationships and Sex Education and Health (RSE&H) are covered by each student by the end of year 11.
There is one 30-minute designated PDP lesson per week, taught by the form tutor. Lesson plans provided by the PDP team include core content which must be covered so we meet statutory requirements. Lessons are designed to encourage students to discuss and debate a wide range of topical issues that directly affect their day to day lives. Topics are challenging and age relevant. Students become confident in articulating their own opinions and responding appropriately to the contributions of others.
The PDP curriculum is complemented and supported by National Curriculum subjects.
A weekly year group assembly also focuses on aspects of PDP alongside other matters. Visiting speakers and theatre groups add enrichment to our PDP related delivery.
Year 7
Lessons link to the PSHE statutory framework and are divided into three areas:
- living in the wider world
- relationships
- health and wellbeing
The first half term is designed to help students settle into life at St Bart’s, where ground rules are established. Students explore appropriate ways of working together within a community, how to develop positive friendships and the importance of being resilient in their learning. To conclude term 1, students explore topics linked to puberty and cover the more sensitive issue of FGM. Over the course of the rest of the year students cover aspects of health and wellbeing and managing risk by exploring healthy choices, road safety, online safety, smoking, healthy eating and basic first aid.
Year 8
Students cover a range of topics throughout the year that focus on health (including alcohol, and illegal substances), conflict and safe behaviour. Basic first aid continues with students learning to be able to put a casualty into the recovery position and to know when and how to give CPR.
In the final term, students explore the term community and look at groups that have been affected by discrimination. Students cover LGBTQ+, racism, extremism and the Equality Act 2010, which link to the statutory framework.
Year 9
Year 9 lessons finishing the health, wellbeing and relationship topics that link to the PSHE framework.
The first term looks at healthy relationships and managing risky situations and covers aspects such as; alcohol consumption, sending inappropriate images, consent, sexual health (contraception, STIs) and pregnancy. Pornography is also briefly discussed. Challenging topics return in the final term where students look at body image, eating disorders and healthy coping strategies are discussed.
In the Spring term students focus on GCSE option choices and explore potential careers through the use of an online career programme called Morrisby (formally known as Fast Tomato). Students look at employability skills and consider their attitudes towards managing money (including gambling and the law).
Students in the final term explore different political parties and have the opportunities to create their own laws, take on the role of a MP and debate current issues within their tutor group.
Year 10
Students start the year focussing on emotional wellbeing & mental health followed by careers, covering aspirations, and employability skills. This is to firstly help with the transition from KS3 to KS4 and to embed the importance of resilience, the development of healthy coping strategies and an understanding of the support networks available. Secondly, to keep career options open for the future which enables students to recognise the different career choices and study paths available to them.
During the Spring term, basic first aid is covered in detail to ensure students are safe and understand how to react in different situations, including topics such as CPR, recovery position, breaks, sprains, burns, choking and shock. Healthy lifestyle choices are also considered, such as the impact of addictions such as drugs and alcohol abuse.
The final unit of work during the Summer term will be primarily based upon sex and relationship education. This includes laws relating to honour-based violence and forced marriage and the changing nature of relationships, families, marriage and parenting. The programme of work also involves tough times and the challenges students can face such as grief & bereavement, break-ups and gambling and the different areas of support available to them.
Year 11
The focus for the Autumn term is careers and skills for life. Students work on preparing a CV, letter of application and research job choices (using Morrisby – formally known as Fast Tomato – an online career programme) and employment law. This is used in an interview skills day when each student has a practice interview with a professional and receives personal feedback. Post 16 options are considered to help with next steps.
A unit of work is devoted to ensuring students are exam ready and focusing on ways to reduce anxiety and stress, to support mental health and wellbeing. The importance of sleep and how to plan revision are also included.
The last unit of work covers positive relationships. This includes consideration of sexual health, sexual equality, controlling & coercive behaviour, consent, rape, grooming, pregnancy and sexual harassment. It also includes signposts on where to find advice and support networks and guidance on personal safety.
Sixth Form
Our Sixth Form Personal Development Programme builds on KS4 experience, and continues its development of the three core themes:
- living in the wider world
- relationships
- health and wellbeing
Each week, students engage with a different topic from the programme, led and facilitated by the Tutor. Students are given an opportunity to discuss the most important and relevant themes of the day which impact on their lives, from environmental concerns, to body image to issues of morality, social exclusion and equality.
The sessions look at skills essential to preparation for the world of work and higher education, such as strategies for independent study, UCAS/apprenticeship/job applications, financial awareness, dealing with exam stress, managing uncertainty and developing healthy routines. Two day-long workshops, one at a Higher Education conference, and one to explore business and enterprise issues, offer further depth and opportunities to explore future routes.
An additional weekly enrichment session offers further insight and often includes guest speakers from sectors such as business, sport, charity, politics and the arts.
