By the end of Key Stage 5, many young people will leave home for the first time and live independently, possibly in distant locations. There is a balance throughout our programme between preparing students to manage their current lives and laying the foundations for managing future experiences.
It is essential to provide a comprehensive PSHE education programme in Key Stage 5; this ensures students continue to learn about issues with real-life relevance to them, at a crucial transition point in their lives.
The learning opportunities at Key Stage 5 assume that students have already covered those in Key Stage 4. However, students entering Key Stage 5 from different feeder schools may bring a range of experience and understanding, so we also draw on learning opportunities in Key Stage 4.
This Key Stage represents the last opportunity to ensure that students have the knowledge and understanding, skills, strategies and attributes they need for independent living and the next stage in their education or career.
In order to plan our curriculum, we follow the PSHE association recommendations:
https://pshe-association.org.uk/guidance/ks1-5/planning/long-term-planning
There are 3 core aims to the programme:
1. Healthy living
2. Relationships
3. Living in the wider world
Students cover the PSHE content with their tutor group twice a week. The form tutor is not expected to be an expert in these fields but, as an informed adult, should be able to prompt lively and productive discussion. Students should start to appreciate some of the decisions that could face them now and in later life.
PSHE education addresses both pupils’ current experiences and preparation for their future. Unlike many other subjects, much of the specific knowledge taught in PSHE education changes regularly, for example as a result of legal changes, medical or technological advances. It is therefore important to ensure that all information used to develop pupils’ knowledge on any aspect of PSHE education is up to date, accurate, unbiased and balanced. We do this by using resources developed by Unifrog.
Assemblies are held once per week and delivered by the Lead Tutor, a senior member of staff or an outside speaker. Throughout the year there are a number of set themes that are linked to Moral, Spiritual or Cultural themes.
Outside speakers provide a wealth of specialist expertise and support covering a wide range of topics. Guests to the Sixth Form include:
- The Leicestershire Sexual Health Partnership Team, the Boobettes, the Odd Balls, Red Cross deliver resilience workshops and First Aid training, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, The Samaritans, Save the Children, as well as local Police, Fire Service and NHS professionals.
The students have access to our in house careers team that offer independent advice and guidance either to tutor groups, focus groups or individuals. This provides advice and guidance on the appropriate routes either during their time in the Sixth Form or for plans Post 18 including employment, Higher and National Apprenticeships and Further & Higher Education.
Students can access the School’s nurse team once a week, on Mondays from 12.30-3.10pm. Students can also receive additional guidance with regards sexual health as part of the Leicestershire ‘C’ Card scheme.
In addition, a variety of themes will be covered within Assembly slots on a fortnightly basis.
