Personal Development
Here at the Howard, we strive to prepare students for life after formal education and give them the tools to be active and responsible citizens. Our Personal Development curriculum allows every student to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed for this.
The programme allows students to investigate the various relationships they form and contributions which they make, and covers topics such as:
- Citizenship and British values*
- Careers education, information, advice and guidance
- Digital citizenship and online safety
- Physical and mental wellbeing
- Relationships and sex education
These topics are covered across all five years and are taught in Personal Development lessons (years 7-9) and Learning for Life. As parents, you have the right to withdraw your child(ren) from RSE lessons in year 7 and 9 if you wish. This can be done by emailing the school.
Topics covered in Personal Development lesson by Year Group
Year 7
Positive Relationships: exploring friendships, peer pressure, supportive relationships and bullying
Relationship and Sex Education (RSE): learning about puberty, sexual relationships, children's rights and FGM
Drugs Education: learning about legal and illegal drugs, their uses and risks, caffeine, vaping, smoking
First Aid: learning how to respond to allergies, head injuries, asthma and bleeding
Year 8
Emotional Health: developing a range of strategies for identifying, discussing and coping with common mental health conditions
Positive Relationships: discussing long term relationships and signs of unhealthy relationships
Drugs Education: exploring attitudes towards, the effects of and the laws relating to drugs
First Aid: learning how to respond to emergencies including doing CPR and using an AED
Year 9
Relationship and Sex Education (RSE): discussing issues in sexual relationships, for example contraception, pregnancy and mutual respect
Drugs Education: evaluating consequences of using legal and illegal drugs and learning about addiction
Emotional Health: discussing common mental health disorders
*British Values include:
- Democracy
- Rule of the law
- Tolerance
- Mutual respect
- Individual liberty