Personal Development

All Year 7 students start their PD  journey with an introduction to secondary school, with lessons to put their mind at ease about transitioning to TGS and lessons designed to keep themselves safe as they navigate through smart phones and social media, as well as an introduction to TGS and the British Values.

Their second unit looks at discrimination by studying the 9 protected characteristics, following the links between the Human Rights Act, the 2010 Equality Act and how it helps protect us and specific groups.

They use this sense of equality and inclusion to help explain looking at their growing selves in the ‘Dealing with Changes’ unit, which includes lessons on puberty, self esteem, body image, mindfulness and the development of the teenage brain.

They end their year with a unit on careers, in order to familiarise themselves with the ‘Future Me’ careers programme at TGS, before key ‘Growing Up’ topics such as vaping,sleeping, LGBT and Friendships.

Students in Year 8 start learning about the health risks of things such as smartphones, alcohol, drugs and caffeine, before moving onto an introduction to mental health, ensuring that they can identify signs and symptoms of common mental health disorders whilst also being more comfortable in discussing their own mental health.

After Christmas students will have lessons in and a part of the ‘Future Me’ careers programme, looking at key skills that are relevant to work, and identifying potential jobs and careers of their own before moving onto a Citizenship focus, exploring ways in which young people can get involved with society in order to improve their local communities and learning the basics of politics and government.

After Easter they start their  Relationships unit which features focused lessons on topics such as consent, realistic vs TV relationships, Female Gential Mutilation and Harassment, before finishing off their year by looking at a short sequence of First Aid lessons to ensure all students are aware of Primary Surveys, Basic Life Support, CPR and the use of AEDs.

Year 9 lessons are designed to build upon students’ existing knowledge and understanding from their previous KS3 lessons. Students start by examining the legalities of substances such as alcohol, drugs and vapes, before taking a step back and looking at the wider picture of addictive behaviours and gambling.

To assist with their GCSE choices, they have a unit on careers and the world of work, before  examining ways to stay safe as a 21st century teenager; healthy relationships, managing influence, effective communication, gangs, knife crime and county lines.

They move onto expanding their understanding of politics, before students then examine case studies of how domestic and international issues link into politics, specifically homelessness, and migration and immigration.

Students learn about more serious, mature issues such as consent, grooming, county lines and knife crime.

In the Summer Term students will have their Relationships and Sex Education lessons, covering elements such as consent, ‘red flags’ within relationships, shared positive values, an introduction to contraception and the consequences of unsafe sex. They finish their year by looking at some financial literacy, including key terms such as budgeting and debt.

Year 10 PD is a course that all students take alongside their GCSE option subjects. The course is designed to highlight wider societal issues and allow exploration of moral and societal viewpoints.

They start with examining influences and influencers upon young people, including the pros and cons of AI; online misogyny; and radicalisation (following the ‘Prevent’ guidance.

Students turn their attention to making responsible health choices. Topics such as risk taking, forms of cancer, donations and surgeries are taught through the concept of ‘personal responsibility’, fostering independence and informed decision making.

In the new-year, complete their statutory Healthy Relationships and Sex Education topics, studying topics such as consent; abuse; body image; red flags; pornography; and assertive communication; STIs and forms of contraception.

Students finish their year with an in-depth study of Mental Health including common illnesses, negative and positive coping strategies, and how to maintain positive emotional wellbeing.