Skills for Life

Curriculum Intent: The Skills for Life programme is designed to support our students as they navigate through life, preparing themselves to be successful citizens that are ready for the world, for work and to support their own wellbeing.

Skills for Life promotes and explicitly teaches our Dorcan values and Character virtues, providing a safe environment for students to explore and discuss life issues which affect them, and supporting them, to take personal responsibility, which will lead to positive life choices.

Students are taught the importance of acting honestly and with integrity in all areas of life and learn to listen and respond with empathy and compassion towards others, who may have different perspectives to them. The Skills for Life programme develops the virtue of courage enabling students to consider the moral implications of the decisions they make and their impact on others.

In Year 7 and 8 some lessons are delivered through digital technology, to prepare students with the digital foundational knowledge required for local and national businesses; students learn to utilise the Microsoft suite whilst learning the importance of online safety and their digital footprint.

We recognise in the 21^st Century that it takes resilience and courage to tackle the social, moral and cultural issues, that are not just part of growing up, but are required to thrive as citizens. We aim to develop our students into healthy, safe, and confident members of society that contribute positively to the community in its wider sense. The curriculum comprises a blend of PSHE, SMSC and RSE and looks at a range of topics from citizenship, sex and relationships education, and a healthy approach to food and other substances.

What we study

Skills for Life

	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Year 7	Settling in and belonging	Health and well-being	Growing up (puberty and safeguarding)	Mental health and self-esteem	Relationships and respect	Future skills and aspirations
Year 8	Identity, respect and communication	Communication and online safety	Health and well-being	Mental health and harmful behaviours	Safe relationships and personal safety	Future skills
Year 9	Personal development and mental health	Mental health and relationships	Sexual health and consent	Risk, safety and the law	Wider world and citizenship	Preparing for GCSE studying and careers
Year 10	Mental health and well-being	Living responsibly	The wider world	Relationships	Relationships	Wider world/work experience
Year 11	Health and well-being	Healthy relationships	Healthy relationships	Wider world

Digital Skills

	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Year 7	Bullying (Including On-line and Internet Safety)	Bullying (Including On-line and Internet Safety)	Citizenship, Democracy & human Rights)	Citizenship, Democracy & human Rights	Employability – careers and the world of work part 1	Employability – careers and the world of work part 1
Year 8	Drugs Education	Drugs Education	Employability – careers and the world of work part 2	Employability – careers and the world of work part 2	British Values – Democracy	British Values – Democracy

Digital Skills content

Meet the Team:

Mr Dan Waldron – PE Teacher and Skills for Life lead

Mrs Wendy Craig – Head of PE

Mr Adam Shorey – PE Teacher and Head of House

Mr Jack Starkey – PE Teacher

Ms Amy Trigg – PE Teacher

Ms Alicia Pearce – Lead teacher for Digital Skills for Life, History Teacher

Ms Kerhys Lang – Assistant Headteacher Safeguarding and Attendance

Curriculum allocation:

All students will study Skills for Life throughout KS3 and KS4 at The Dorcan Academy, they will receive 2 lessons a fortnight, which include one lesson utilising digital skills.

Enrichment Opportunities:

These are through Growth mind set days.

Public Curriculum Map – Skills for Life

Download (docx)

ASPIRE TOGREATNESS