Health and Wellbeing

Year 7

In Year 7, students will focus on managing their mental health and will learn essential skills that they can put into practice when building their own resilience.  They will explore why people respond to situations in different ways, common unhelpful thoughts and the characteristics of depression anxiety, anorexia and stress. Alongside they will learn the importance of, and how to use, strategies to build resilience and maintain positive mental health and how to gain and access support for themselves or others.

Year 8

In Year 8 students will learn about the influences on both physical and mental health. They will learn how reframing setbacks and a healthy sleep pattern can have a positive impact on mental and physical health, whilst caffeine, nicotine and grief can have negative impacts. Students will consider a range of influences on viewpoints and actions, as well as the skills they need to manage influence and say no. Students will learn to recognise the signs of unhealthy coping strategies; including self-harm and eating disorders, and be aware of a range of healthy coping strategies to be used when mental health is low. Finally, students will learn how to gain and access support for themselves or others.

Year 9

Students will learn about reducing risks and the variety of influences on teenage behaviour, which in turn can affect physical and mental health. Students will learn about risks and potential health consequences associated with vaping, alcohol and illegal drugs, as well as how to manage influences related to these substances. Next, students will consider how grooming and exploitation can influence a person to become involved in gangs/country lines, knife crime or child sexual abuse and the consequences this ca. Finally students will learn the skills to spot the signs of grooming, criminal and sexual exploitation, how to escape situations that could become dangerous and why, when and how to access support for themselves and others. Students will also learn about sexual health and fertility, including STIs and how to reduce their transmission, healthy pregnancy and the factors affecting fertility. In addition, students will lean about the possibility of miscarriage and the support available to people who are not able to conceive or maintain a pregnancy, as well as help and support in the event of an unplanned pregnancy.

Year 10

As Year 10 move from KS3 to KS4, their focus is on maintaining positive mental health during periods of change. They will learn strategies to help them stay motivated, organised and focussed as well as focussing on how to manage stress and recognise the signs of mental ill health. Students will build on their prior knowledge of the personal and legal consequences of illegal drugs, by learning to recognise signs of dependency and how to gain and access support for themselves or others.

Year 11 - 2024/25

Year 11 continue to develop their understanding of self‑concept by identifying their strengths and areas for development and learning how to act on feedback. The current Year 11 programme explores risk‑reduction and the range of influences on teenage behaviour, and how these can affect physical and mental health. Students learn about the risks and potential health consequences of vaping, alcohol and illegal drugs, and how to manage pressures and influences linked to substance use.

Students also consider how grooming and exploitation can lead to involvement in gangs, county lines, knife crime or child sexual abuse, and the serious consequences of these behaviours. They learn how to recognise the signs of grooming, criminal and sexual exploitation, how to avoid and exit dangerous situations, and when and how to access support for themselves and others. In addition, students develop strategies for managing challenges in the modern world, reinforcing their understanding of diversity, inclusion and respect. They are taught how to recognise signs of extremism, understand the impact of disinformation, and continue to build the confidence to challenge discrimination.

Finally, students examine rights and risks in areas such as cryptocurrency, understand the impact of controlled and uncontrolled spending, and learn strategies to protect themselves from financial exploitation.