Curriculum Intent
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
— Nelson Mandela
The core purpose of the Newark Academy Personal Development curriculum is to ensure that our students leave us well equipped with the knowledge, understanding and emotional literacy they require to participate actively, positively, safely and responsibly in today’s society.
We support and challenge all of our students to set high aspirations and personal goals and are committed to fostering within them the self-belief that they can make a positive difference and contribute meaningfully to their local and wider communities.
Our Personal Development curriculum is therefore designed to:
- Make serious and meaningful attempts to approach difficult stories and scenarios with compassion and expertise in dialogue with students.
- Equip students with core knowledge and understanding of vital social issues, such as racism and consent and the ability to challenge these.
- Teach and model tolerance of others’ beliefs, life choices, religion, sexual orientation, diversity and race.
- Build positive and respectful relationships with other people, regardless of their background.
- Develop students’ ability to assess individual risk and personal safety and how to respond appropriately, whatever context or situation they find themselves in.
- Engage students through a series of carefully sequenced, age appropriate, themes and activities.
- Develop the attitudes and attributes of a responsible and active global citizen such as how to help people in different countries and how to tackle issues such as climate change.
- Develop concepts that will unlock the content of other curriculum areas such as history, religious studies, English Literature and sociology.
- Enable students to confidently enter the work place, whatever their career path with advice and guidance
- Promote high level of oracy and literacy by encouraging students to think, speak and write with confidence and fluency.
The core content of our Personal Development curriculum is delivered through the following eight themes, and we have produced progression maps for each:
1. Positive Relationships
2. Physical health
3. Mental health
4. Media literacy and Digital resilience
5. Managing risk and personal safety
6. Bullying and abuse
7. Healthy sexual relationships
8. Careers
The Personal Development curriculum is also designed to support the core values of Newark