Personal Development

PD at DGS: striving to develop Healthy, Empowered and Highly Employable Individuals

PD covers the statutory and some non-statutory aspects of PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education), Citizenship and CEIAG (Careers Education, Information and Guidance) including the fulfilment of the Gatsby Benchmarks.

The content and delivery is designed to provide students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to make informed choices in all aspects of their lives.

Themes

The PD curriculum covers; Careers, Employability, Option Choices, Relationships and Sex, Physical and Mental Health, Personal Finance, Friendship, Safety (including Online), Substances, British Values, Democracy, Identity, Rights and Responsibilities and current affairs. Students will develop their knowledge about these important life topics, including managing risk.  They will improve their understanding of when and where to seek reliable help and information.  They will become empowered to stand up for what they know is right and to become more actively involved in their communities and in our democracy.

PD lessons are enhanced and built upon through assemblies, drop-down-days, the use of reputable guest speakers and organisations and provision of opportunities such as Work Experience.

Design

The PD curriculum has been designed around the following three core themes: HEALTH AND WELLBEING; LIVING IN THE WIDER WORLD and CAREERS AND OPTIONS

PD is designed around a spiral curriculum, meaning that students regularly revisit the core themes across each key stage. This allows knowledge and understanding to be consolidated, as well as allowing themes to be re-addressed in an age-appropriate manner and in different settings and contexts.

PD Themes and Outcomes

Health and Wellbeing (H)

Living in the Wider World (W)

Careers and Options (C)
  1. Pupils understand the potential harms or positive outcomes that could occur in situations
  1. Pupils understand their rights and responsibilities in their communities. They are interested in, and committed to, forms of responsible social action
  1. Pupils have ambitious career goals because of increased awareness of jobs that exist and are excited about their future
  1. Pupils can assess how much risk there is in situations; how likely the harms or benefits are to occur
  1. Pupils understand, think critically, and debate topical and current issues and what can be done about it
  1. Pupils feel informed and confident to research and apply for future careers and Work Experience placements successfully
  1. Pupils understand the factors that might influence how we respond to a potentially risky situation

 
  1. Pupils understand how the UK is governed, its political system, the rule of law and can outline aspects of the criminal justice system
  1. Pupils feel informed and confident about making decisions on future progression routes such as GCSE’s and Further Education
  1. In a potentially risky situation pupils can identify ways to respond and of the possible consequences of any actions

 
  1. Pupils understand how to manage money on a day-to-day basis and for future needs
  1. Pupils have a positive attitude towards work, their career and work experience
  1. If harms occur, pupils know what to do, including when to ask for help and what advice they could give to friends and family and others if they are affected

 

5. Pupils know how people can participate actively in the UKs democracy

 
  1. Pupils develop common Employability skills, including communication, problem solving, time management, teamwork, leadership and organisation
  1. Pupils know where to go for reliable information and advice inside and outside of school
  1. Pupils know where to go for reliable information and advice inside and outside of school
  1. Pupils can identify and access appropriate careers, work experience and options help, advice and support

Informed by: Dept for Education Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education statutory guidance, Dept for Education Citizenship Programme of Study aims and the Dept for Education Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers statutory guidance inc the Gatsby Benchmarks

 

Personal Development Programme

Year

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

7

Friendship

Mental Health

Human Rights & Responsibilities

Online Safety

First Aid

 

Growing Up

7

 

Nutrition and wellbeing talk

Anti-bullying week

 

Guess The Employer Event - pre and post event Unifrog session

 

 

Spotlight Lessons including:

Diversity (inc. sexual harassment)

First Aid

Calculating risk

8

Substances (Smoking, Vaping & Alcohol)

Mental Health

Careers and GCSE Options inc. Unifrog

Personal Finance

 

Democracy in and Beyond the UK

8

 

Nutrition and wellbeing talk

Anti-bullying week

Wellbeing Carousel day

World of Work event followed by Unifrog

 

 

Spotlight Lessons

Eg.

Diversity

First Aid

Calculating risk

9

Once a fortnight

Online Safety

Relationship & Sex Education

 

Physical Health & Mental Wellbeing
 

9

Nutrition and wellbeing talk

Anti-bullying week

Takeover Challenge followed by Unifrog

Year 9 Tutor Time Delivery – First Give

followed by Unifrog.

Chelsea’s Story - Performance

 

World Religions Values Day

10

Substances (Illegal Drugs)

Work Experience: CV Preparation inc Unifrog

First Aid

Identity and Diversity

Spotlight Lessons

    inc. First Aid & Alcohol,

Mental Health, Calculating Risk

Law

 

 Work Experience Prep and Review including Unifrog

10

Nutrition & Wellbeing Talk

Anti-Bullying Week

School of Sexuality Workshop

 

Big Questions Day

Work Experience

11

Once a fortnight

Careers

inc Unifrog

Careers

inc Unifrog

Finance

including workshop from Young Money Financial Champion

The Economy &

Democracy

Revision & Exam Technique

Revision & Exam Technique
11 What Next? Careers Convention  Anti-Bullying Week Protective Behaviours Workshop      

 

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