Curriculum Intent
Principles and purpose of our PSHE curriculum
The Lowry Academy intends to provide students with a high-quality PSHE education that prepares students for life in modern Britain.
At Key Stage 3, pupils build on the skills, values, knowledge and understanding they have acquired and developed during the primary phase. PSHE acknowledges and addresses the changes that young people are experiencing, beginning with the transition to secondary school, the challenges of adolescence and their increasing independence. It teaches the skills which will equip them for the opportunities and challenges of life, and allows them to be more confident in addressing the challenges of effective learning and making a full and active contribution to society.
At Key Stage 4, pupils extend and enhance the skills, further explore attitudes and values, and deepen knowledge and understanding acquired during Key Stage 3. PSHE reflects the fact that students are moving towards an independent role in adult life, taking on greater responsibility for themselves and others and preparing them to become an active and responsible citizen of modern Britain.
The PSHE curriculum at The Lowry Academy is designed using the PSHE Association Programme of Study as a basis, along with external providers including Votes for Schools, and Life Lessons, supplemented by our knowledge of the needs of The Lowry Academy students. Each year group will look at a range of topics under the overarching themes of :
- Health and Wellbeing
- Relationships
- Living in the Wider World
Students are also taught a range of PSHE character skills. These include:
- Listening
- Contributing
- Debating
- Empathising
- Supporting conclusions
- Question assumptions
- Show fairness and consideration to others
- Working with others
- Explore issues, events or problem
- Recognising bias
PSHE lessons are also used as a opportunity to further improve the literacy and oracy skills of our students. All PSHE lessons will have an independent task based around reading, writing, or oracy, such as speeches and debates.
Our curriculum is not fixed, but constantly evolving. It is responsive to the needs of our students, and also tackles current issues and challenge that they will face.
Our curriculum progresses to reflect students developing maturity, for example, in Year 7, our students are taught about romantic relationships, and what can constitute health and unhealthy relationships. In Year 8, relationship education progresses to a dedicated lesson on the topic of consent, including the different stages of consent, and what the law says about consent. In Year 9, relationship education progresses further as our students are taught about CSE (child sexual exploitation), including what can constitute CSE, what the warning signs are, and what a to do if you suspect CSE is taking place.
Our curriculum teaches students the British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance. British values are taught across KS3 and KS4, in PSHE lessons, but also in other subjects. For example, the History curriculum teaches students the evolving role of Parliament in Britain, and how the fight for Female suffrage was won. Our curriculum also ensures students have the opportunity to develop the social, moral, spiritual, and cultural aspect of themselves.
Our curriculum covers all of the statutory guidance from the Department for Education relating to the teaching of Relationship and Sex Education. This is taught in Spring term 1 and Summer Term 2 during PSHE in Key Stage 3/Key Stage 4.