Pathways School

Pathways School Curriculum Vision

A curriculum to develop confidence, independence and healthy relationships. 

Intent 

"Our curriculum is designed to provide our students with the confidence to access the world around them including the world of work; live independently; form and develop healthy relationships. They will develop a toolkit of strategies including the ability to risk assess threats and opportunities to self (e.g. the healthy use of social media); understand themselves including knowing and applying adaptations and skills that will support them beyond Pathways School.” (Pathways School curriculum intent). 

All students at Pathways School have dedicated PSHE and RSE lessons that are carefully planned and sequenced to cover a breadth of issues and challenges including: health and wellbeing; relationships;living in the wider world; rights and responsibilities. Every topic is handled sensitively and with great care, but very few things are avoided. This creates an environment of trust between staff and pupils and between staff and parents.  We work hard to deepen the knowledge delivered within our curriculum by ensuring that contextual safeguarding themes are woven into our day to day curriculum thus safeguarding and empowering our students with the knowledge to support themselves in the world beyond Pathways School. 

Our high expectations and aspirations 

PSHE and RSE lessons are delivered in a safe and trusting environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, explore different perspectives and feel safe. When suitable, lessons will be delivered using an “I do, we do, you do” lesson structure which allows us to: 

• Be explicit with the knowledge that we choose to teach 

• Ensure that all of our lessons support the delivery of the intended curriculum 

By the end of KS2, students will have the knowledge required to make informed choices in regard to their personal health, safety, wellbeing, relationships and financial matters. They will be supported on the first steps of their journey to become confident individuals and active members of society. This includes how to use the internet productively and safely. Students will be given the tools to form and develop healthy relationships with each other and those around them. Including,  specific teaching on how to manage the physical and emotional changes that they will encounter during puberty. 

By the end of KS3, students will have a secure knowledge of what constitutes a healthy relationship and how to form healthy relationships with those around them. Specific teaching of how respect, identity, well being and awareness of behaviours and attitudes may affect the relationships that they are trying to build or sustain.  Students will explore a range of harmful factors such as discrimination, gambling, alcohol, drugs and pornography across a variety of different contexts and how they can impact upon their healthy relationships with themselves and others.  Consent, the consequences of becoming  sexually active and sexual health will be explored and applied to real life situations that are relevant  to the relationships that KS3 students are building and sustaining. Students will continue to learn about online safety including how to stay safe online and the impact of your online presence on your personal identity and how it can have an impact in the workplace. Students will learn about British values and the rights and responsibilities of themselves and others. 

By the end of KS4, students will have the knowledge to stay safe in online and offline relationships, and recognise how informed choices in regard to health can have an impact on life chances.  They will have a knowledge of consent and what a safe, healthy sexual relationship looks like.  Students will understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens within a broad and tolerant British and global society. All KS4 students will apply this knowledge through the separate study of Level 1 Certificate and award in Personal Development. Students will understand how to form and sustain healthy relationships with those in and outside of school and this knowledge will be carried into KS5 and their adult life.