Life

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‘Life’ at Wayland Academy encompasses the following topics;

  • Citizenship and British Values

  • Political awareness

  • Personal and social education (including staying safe)

  • Healthy living (physical, mental and sexual health)

  • Relationships and Family

  • Economics and managing finances

  • Careers education

These topics are delivered in a spirally organised curriculum which aims to deliver all subjects in a holistic way throughout different themes, allowing students to have the knowledge, skills and strategies to be a healthy, happy citizen. These themes run throughout content delivered in KS3 and KS4, allowing students to develop their understanding, knowledge and skills progressively. Careers education is also delivered through Life lessons with one half term each year designated to careers.

The intent of the curriculum is to build a core foundation of knowledge and skills so students have an understanding of the world around them, how society is structured and functions, as well as equipping them with the necessary skill set in order to stay safe. The Life curriculum also encourages cohesive working practices, independent thinking, discussion and presentation skills. Ultimately, the Life curriculum is about equipping students to live in the wider world post 16 and attempt to shape our students into informed, well-rounded, tolerant individuals. The curriculum also aims to reflect local and national issues as they arise, as well as meeting the national framework and statutory requirements. As such, it is re-mapped each year to ensure it is best meeting the needs of the students.

The structure of the KS3 curriculum is mapped against the statutory RSE requirements, and revisits each of the themes/topics each year to ensure the embedding and recap of knowledge. For example, in year 7, drugs and alcohol education begins with a basic introduction to the types of drugs and the effect of taking drugs and drinking alcohol, then builds up in year 8 and 9 to look at the longer term effects, addiction and the law.

Another key factor in the curriculum design is to ensure students' knowledge ties in with current circumstances. For example, the 'HPV vaccine’ is delivered before students are vaccinated. Transition, study skills and mental health are taught at the beginning of year 7 and year 11. Careers and options are taught to year 9 in the run up to option choices being made.

The Life curriculum sits within the wider school curriculum, supported in other subject areas including, but not limited to; healthy lifestyle in Food Technology, First Aid in Science, online safety in Computer Science and geopolitics in Geography.

At KS4, some students have fewer life lessons due to the GCSE timetable. Additional Life curriculum days are delivered to students in year 10 and 11 by specialist staff to ensure these students still have access to the required knowledge and support.

Assessment is carried out in a number of ways including the use of baseline style assessments in the form of mind-maps and quizzes which are created at the start of a lesson/topic and revisited at the end.  Assessment types will vary depending on content of the unit and appropriateness. Students do complete a progress check at the end of each lesson to note down new knowledge acquired.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

At our school, parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of the sex education provided as part of the statutory Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum. If you are considering exercising this right, we encourage you to contact us for a discussion to ensure that both your wishes, and where appropriate, your child's, are fully understood. This will also give us the opportunity to clarify the nature and purpose of the RSE curriculum.

Once these discussions have taken place, and except in exceptional circumstances, the school will respect the parents’ request to withdraw the child from sex education, up until three terms before the child turns 16. After this point, if the child wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school will arrange for the child to receive sex education during one of those terms.

This process also applies to pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). However, there may be exceptional circumstances where the Principal will need to consider the specific needs of the pupil arising from their SEND when making this decision.

Please note, there is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education or Health Education. These subjects are part of the statutory curriculum and are essential to students’ overall wellbeing and development.