Department vision
Our vision is to build our students into being confident, respectful, safe, and informed young people who value each other and the world. We want to ensure that all students are equipped to make the right choices in their individual lives and become valued members of the community. We pride ourselves on setting high expectations and promote a safe, secure and honest environment for students to learn and discuss in a safe setting. The CPSHE team is passionate about the broad curriculum on offer and strives to develop a range of transferrable skills, which will encourage students to be the best they can be in every aspect of their lives.
Our core aims are delivered by open and honest discussions with our young people. We ensure clear facts are taught, and help students build the skills to deal with varying situations in their lives. Students are set challenging questions to stretch and challenge them, and where appropriate we include active learning.
Our approach to teaching and learning is to make all topics as relevant and hard-hitting as possible, so students fully understand the key issues. We are open as staff, and allow students to ask relevant questions in order for them to get the best results from their learning. We remain as neutral as possible, so as not to impose our views and opinions onto students and allow them to make their minds up for themselves.
We ensure that topics are relevant to each individual year group and assess this at the end of each year and adapt where necessary. We value students’ feedback, and ensure that the development of the curriculum process is two-way, with both staff’s and students’ views taken into consideration.
We ensure retention and depth of knowledge by use of retrieval tasks every lesson, use of knowledge organisers throughout students’ studies, assessment for learning, effective homework, which is set regularly and links to the work we are covering. Some of the curriculum is based on a spiral approach where students build on from topics covered each year. We complete baseline assessments at the beginning and end of one unit per term, to monitor progress and retention.
Please note:
To embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life, pupils need knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships and to build their self-efficacy. Pupils can also put this knowledge into practice as they develop the capacity to make sound decisions when facing risks, challenges and complex contexts. Everyone faces difficult situations in their lives. These subjects can support young people to develop resilience, to know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support.
The Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019, made under sections 34 and 35 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017, make Relationships Education compulsory for all pupils receiving primary education and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for all pupils receiving secondary education. They also make Health Education compulsory in all schools except independent schools. Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) continues to be compulsory in independent schools.
Parents/carers have the right of to withdraw pupils from Sex Education (but not Relationships or Health Education). All requests should be made in writing to the Principal. Before granting any such request, the Principal will meet with parents and, as appropriate, the child to ensure that their wishes are understood and to clarify the nature and purpose of the curriculum. The school will document this process to ensure a record is kept
What will my son/daughter learn at Key Stages 3 and 4?
Are there any websites that will support my son’s/daughter’s learning?
Head of Department: Mrs M. Freer
