Personal Development at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School incorporates the subject areas of Citizenship, PHSEE, RE and Careers Education. Students are taught in mixed ability groups and receive two lessons per fortnight. The modular based course builds over three years (Yr7 to Yr9) to equip the students with the necessary skills and knowledge to begin to play their roles as young adults in the community.
Year 8 Personal Development Curriculum- Citizenship
- Liberties and Identities- What does it mean to be British? Including: Exploring personal identity, beliefs and values, what is diversity? Stereotypes and prejudice, Immigration and Refugees, Anti-racism, talking about sexuality and gender, Equalities Act 2010, Dementia awareness and Holocaust education- choices and dilemmas and what was the Kindertransport?
- Crime and the Law – including: What is the difference between rules and laws? Age of criminal responsibility, law and ages, Juvenile crime and motivating factors, Knife crime, Role of the police/police powers, Youth Courts, Restorative Justice and local crime survey
- National Politics and Political Families– including: How politics affects us, what is democracy? Different political systems around world, History of the Campaign for the vote, Why vote? Voting systems and elections, An MP’s job and the work of Parliament, Introduction to political parties- names, logos and party policies.
Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education (PSHEE)
- Managing My Own Money– including: Part time jobs, Key words/definitions, where do young people get their money from and how do they spend it? basic budgeting task, getting advice about money and debt, Gambling and Young people
- Managing Social Relationships– including: Self-esteem, boyfriends/girlfriends- factors that make for healthy relationships, recognising harmful relationships, ‘Trust Me’- sharing information safely online
- Drugs and Alcohol Awareness– including: introduction to illegal drugs- focus on cannabis and legal highs, ‘county lines’ drug dealing, motivating factors for using illegal drugs and where to go to get advice, understanding alcohol strength and units, effects of alcohol on the body and social impact of alcohol.
Religious Education (RE)
- Islam Project– which includes: The life of the Prophet Muhammad, The Five Pillars of Islam, The Qur’an, at the Mosque, festivals, Islamic calligraphy and art
The Right of Withdrawal from Religious Education (RE):
Religion and belief have become more visible in public life in recent years, making it important that all pupils should have an opportunity to engage in RE. However, the parent of a pupil at a community, foundation, or voluntary school (or pupils themselves if they are aged 18 or over) may request that they be excused from all or part of the religious education (RE) provided.
Parents who wish to withdraw their children from RE should be aware of its aims and what is covered in the RE curriculum and that they are given the opportunity to discuss this if they wish. It should be made clear whether the withdrawal is from the whole RE curriculum or specific parts of it. No reasons need be given.
Important – limitations to withdraw
- If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching. A pupil may be required to work in another area of the school, such as library or break out area.
- Whilst parents or carers have a right to withdraw children from RE, they should note that children may also encounter religions and beliefs and wider aspects of faith in other areas of the curriculum from which there is no right of withdrawal.
- On occasion, spontaneous questions about religious matters are raised by pupils or issues related to religion arise in other curriculum subjects such as history or citizenship (PSHE). For example, schools promote community cohesion and help pupils to understand ideas about identity and diversity, feelings, and emotions within both religious and non-religious contexts.
Managing the Right of Withdrawal
If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Pupils will usually remain on school premises where it is feasible and appropriate.
Where a request for withdrawal is made, the school must comply and excuse the pupil until the request is rescinded. Though not legally required, it is good practice for a head teacher to invite parents to discuss their written request.
(Section 71(3), School Standards and Framework Act 1998).
Assessment arrangements
A formally assessed piece of work is marked on the 1-9 grade scale at the end of most topics. Students are given summative and formative feedback. For certain topics however, a formal assessment is not appropriate. Here an alternative way of measuring progress will be used- for example a quiz or other written/verbal knowledge check. In addition, regular self-review, peer review and informal feedback from teachers occurs.
Contact for further information – Mrs Sarah Bell
