RADAR Values

Subject Leader: Mrs E Leverett

If you wish to learn more about our curriculum please contact the Subject Lead by clicking on their name above.

Curriculum Content

Year 7

Term 1: Health and Wellbeing - How can I transition safely into secondary school?

Pupils will discuss the transition from primary school to secondary school and consider the expectations and emotions they have for their next steps in life.
Pupils will learn about personal safety on the road and railway when travelling to school as well as basic first aid skills.

Term 2: RE - Believing - What made Jesus so radical?

Pupils will explore the origins and foundations of modern day religion.
Pupils will explore how Abraham played a role in Islam and Christianity.

Term 3: Relationships - What can make a relationship healthy or unhealty?

This topic will consider what makes a good friend and explores the differences between a supportive and a “toxic” friendship.
Pupils will explore romance and relationship boundaries.
Pupils will discuss ways to manage disagreements with friends.

Term 4: Health and Puberty - How do I feel about becoming an adult?

How to make healthy lifestyle choices including diet, dental health, physical activity, personal hygiene and sleep
How to recognise and respond to inappropriate and unwanted contact
About FGM and how to access help and support

Term 5: How can teenagers with varied values and beliefs live together in Britain today?

Pupils will explore the foundational ideologies of world religions and will apply these to a teenager living in today's society.
Pupils will explore the challenges of practising religion as a teenager in modern Britain

Term 6: Living - Should religious buildings be sold to feed the starving?

Pupils will explore how religions help the poor.
Pupils will explore the need for religious buildings to worship in, when they teach about helping the poor.

Year 8

Term 1: Health and Wellbeing (Drugs and Alcohol) - Can I choose how I fit into the world?

Pupils develop understanding of what identity means and what can influence it
Pupils will explore the negative impacts of stereotypes on the personal and cultural identity of a person.

Term 2: Spirituality - How can people express their spirituality through music and art?

Pupils to develop an understanding of what spirituality is
Pupils to appreciate how music and art can lead to people being more spiritual

Term 3: Relationships - What can make a relationship healthy or unhealthy?

The qualities of positive, healthy relationships forming new partnerships and developing relationships
Gender identity and sexual orientation
The law in relation to consent

Term 4: Health and Wellbeing (Emotional Wellbeing) - How can the choices I make now affect my future?

Attitudes towards mental health and how to challenge misconceptions
How to manage emotions
Unhealthy coping strategies (e.g. self harm and eating disorders) and healthy coping strategies

Term 5: Living - What influences does religion have on people being good?

To have an understanding of how humans make moral decisions and how religion helps people make moral decisions
Acquire knowledge of different moral codes of conduct from 10 commandments, to the Five Precepts.
To explore how Humanists believe humans make moral decisions.

Term 6: Believing - Can we ever understand life and death?

Pupils will explore the different religious views on the afterlife
Pupils will discuss whether or not there is an afterlife based on the teachings of different religions

Year 9

Term 1: Health and Wellbeing (Healthy Lifestyle + Peer influence and substances) - To what extent does the world I live in affect my identity?

Develop understanding of the dangers and influences around us.
Understand the importance of confidence and body positivity
Identify sources of help, advice and guidance available in relation to substance abuse, mental health and reporting bullying
Discuss choices which relate to risk taking behaviour, and why people take risks.

Term 2: Living/Believing - Do we need to prove God’s existence? Should happiness be the purpose of life?

Pupils explore Christianity, Islam and Buddhism to debate the existence of God
Develop understanding of multiple religious stories to discuss God's existence
Pupils will justify views which support or disprove God's existence
Pupils will develop an understanding of Humanism, Christianity and Buddhism in relation to happiness.
Pupils will discuss “heaven” and “hell” in everyday life, in relation to mood and experiences in life linking to religious views and beliefs.

Term 3: Relationships - How can families build and maintain respectful relationships that foster a sense of belonging and support? What is it important to understand about sex and consequences?

Pupils develop understanding and awareness of mental health and how the way we feel can impact our relationships with others.
Pupils need to understand that relationships are not just intimate or sexual they can be professional, social, friendships, acquaintances.
Discussing consent and misconceptions relating to this.
How the portrayal of relationships in the media and pornography might affect expectations
Pupils will discuss the various contraception methods and the needs for contraception in relationships
Pupils will discuss the consequences of unprotected sex.

Term 4: Living in the wider world - Is it ever too early to plan for the future?

How to manage feelings relating to future employment
How to work towards aspirations and set meaningful, realistic goals for the future
Pupils will learn what motivates them to do well and how this can help them choose a career
Pupils will learn how rejection and feedback can help them be more resilient.

Term 5: Believing - Are there any good solutions to suffering?

Pupils will have opportunities for spiritual development come from engaging with profound questions about evil and suffering in relation to human nature
Pupils will have opportunities for moral development come from asking and answering moral questions: can humanity reduce suffering?
What evil is caused by humanity? What does it mean, and does it make sense to ‘blame God’ for suffering and evil?

Term 6: Living - Is religion a power for peace or a cause for conflict in the world today?

Pupils will explore the difference between peace and conflict and how the two are interwoven
Pupils will explore some religious points of view towards peace and conflict.

Year 10

Term 1: Health and Wellbeing (Mental Health) - How can I promote positive mental health and wellbeing

How to reframe negative thinking
Strategies to promote mental health and emotional wellbeing
The signs of emotional or mental ill-health

Term 2: Living/Believing - How do people of Christian Faith view life before and after death?

Pupils will assess the creation story and be able to form a viewpoint on it.
Pupils will develop understanding of good vs evil and Christian views of heaven and hell
Pupils will be able to discuss the ascension and resurrection from a Christian viewpoint and begin to understand their significance to Christian faith.
Being to understand the Christian view that life does not end after death.

Term 3: Relationships (Healthy Relationships) - Is love all you need?

Relationship values and the role of pleasure in relationships.
Assumptions, misconceptions and social norms about sex, gender and relationships
The impact of the media and pornography on sexual relationships.

Term 4: Living in the wider world (Financial Decision Making) - Can all change be positive in some way?

How to be resilient in the face of change.
What types of change we can be faced with in life.
How to respond to those with different or extreme views.

Term 5: Believing - What are religious attitudes towards crime and punishment?

To reflect on what good and evil intentions mean
To understand the Christian attitude towards the aim of punishment
To understand the Christian attitude to how criminals are to be treated in prison

Term 6: Can religion be a force for good?

Pupils will explore the Islam religion and its teachings
Pupils will discuss the misconceptions between Islam and extremism.

Year 11

Term 1: Health and wellbeing - How can I prepare for the future?

Develop understanding of self care and its impact on mental health.
Explore how stress and worry affects their lives and strategies used to deal with these emotions.
Promoting emotional wellbeing in their lives.

Term 2: Living/Believing - Why is marriage and family so important to people of religious faith?

Pupils gain an understanding of what both Christians and Muslims believe about sex before marriage
Pupils to appreciate why marriage is so important to Christians and Muslims
Pupils understand what reasons divorce is granted.
Pupils explore religious world views on sex before marriage and contraception.

Term 3: Relationships (Families and Communication) - What are the challenges of starting and maintaining a family?

Different types of families and changing family structures
How to evaluate readiness for parenthood and positive parenting qualities
Pregnancy, birth, miscarriage, unplanned pregnancy options, including abortion
‘Honour based’ violence and forced marriage

Term 4: Living - What are the different religious attitudes towards conflict?

Pupils explore the meaning and significance of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation in modern society.
What pacifism is and its role in war and peace in modern society
What a protest is and what constitutes a non-violent and violent protest

Term 5: Living in the wider world (Next Steps) - How can I develop independence to make responsible choices?

How to use feedback constructively when planning for the future
Effective revision techniques and strategies
Application processes, including writing CVs, personal statements and interview techniques.

Year 12

Term 1: How can mental health impact our physical health?
Term 2: How can I better understand finances in my life and around the world?
Term 3: How can we manage challenging relationships?
Term 4: How do different cultures express their spiritual and religious identities?
Term 5: How important are religious, cultural celebrations and traditions in modern society?
Term 6: What are my responsibilities in the adult world?

Year 13

Term 1: What impact does mental health have on our physical health?
Term 2: How can we prepare ourselves for adult life?
Term 3: How can we fully function within society?
Term 4: How can the life choices I make impact my career path?
Term 5: What are my rights and responsibilities in the adult world?

Delivering Relationships and Sex Education

Throughout the Values curriculum, we aim to prepare students for the demands of today’s society, so they can positively contribute as well-rounded citizens.

Teaching Values develops pupils’ understanding of health, with an increased focus on risk areas such as drugs and alcohol, as well as introducing knowledge about intimate relationships and sex. Teaching about mental wellbeing is central to these subjects, especially as a priority for parents is their children’s happiness. We know that children and young people are increasingly experiencing challenges and are at particular risk of feeling lonely. The new subject content will give our young people the knowledge and capability to take care of themselves and the confidence to seek and receive support should problems arise.

At Westlands school we are very aware that today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.

For a more detailed look at the Relationships and Sex Education Policy of Swale Academies Trust please see the Policy below:

Relationships and Sex Education Policy of Swale Academies Trust Policy

This policy has been developed in line with DfE guidance including that specified within the following document:

Gov.uk RSE Guidance

Relationship, Sex and Health Education

At Westlands we are committed to the personal development of the young people in our care. As such, we want them to develop and grow up to be safe and to lead healthy and happy lives. In delivering a curriculum in which Relationships, Sex and Health Education is taught explicitly in line with the Department for Educations RSE Policy (2020), we aim to support students as they develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of these topics. Our overarching objective as we shape the RSE curriculum is that students explore and develop the skills not only to manage the challenges that they may face, but also become cognisant, empathetic and resilient young adults who will then go on to grasp the opportunities offered by modern Britain.

Values through the PSHE Association

Relationships and Sex Education will build upon the concepts students will have explored whilst in primary school. It aims to give young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds. The PSHE Association curriculum provides opportunities for students to revisit key themes throughout their years at Westlands and to study concepts and ideas surrounding the nature of healthy and unhealthy relationships; what makes a good friend or colleague and the attributes of a successful marriage or committed relationship. At an appropriate time, the focus of content will emphasise the emotional maturity required of developing intimate relationships. By the end of Year 11, pupils will have been taught content on:

Families.
Respectful relationships, including friendships.
Online media.
Being safe.
Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health.

Health Education

Health Education aims to give students the information they need to make informed choices regarding their own health and wellbeing, to recognise issues in themselves and others, and to seek support as early as possible should concerns arise. By the end of Year 11, students will have been taught content on:

Mental wellbeing.
Internet safety and harms.
Physical health and fitness.
Healthy eating.
Drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
Health and prevention.
Basic first aid.
Changing adolescent body.

Information for Parents

As parents and guardians, you will naturally be guiding and teaching your child about the importance of keeping safe and the impact of wellbeing, be that physical or emotional and the impact that this has on developing and maintaining healthy positive relationships. Your support is both respected and greatly valued under this new RSE curriculum which serves to complement and reinforce the guidance you provide as your child develops into a mature young adult. At Westlands, these policies are published in the Trust document attached above and are available for you to read and / or comment as you wish. Schools are required to ensure their teaching reflects the age and breadth of religious backgrounds of their pupils and so, at times, it may also be pertinent to reflect upon the developmental needs of each cohort of students and deliver additional non-statutory content.

Right to Withdraw Your Child

Under government guidelines, you may not withdraw your child from Health Education or the Relationships Education element of Relationships and Sex Education Curriculum. It is these elements, together with your parental guidance that are deemed to be pivotal in the development of emotionally mature, confident and responsible young adults If you do not want your child to take part in some or all of the Sex Education lessons delivered at secondary, you can ask that they are withdrawn. The Headteacher will consider this request and discuss it with you, and will grant this in all but exceptional circumstances, up until three school terms before your child turns 16. At this age, your child can choose to receive Sex Education if they would like to, and the school should arrange for your child to receive this teaching in one of those three terms (unless there are exceptional circumstances). By the Summer term 2021, the new RSE subjects will become compulsory and the new right to withdraw provisions will apply. The science curriculum in all maintained schools also includes content on human development, including reproduction, which there is no right to withdraw from.

Request for withdrawal from RSE

Secondary RSE Curriculum Outline

The subjects taught to specific age ranges and the key driving questions posed are all available to parents and visitors by clicking the year groups at the top of the page. It gives a breakdown of the content that pupils will explore throughout that topic. The topics that will expanded through the 5 years are:

Health and Wellbeing
Relationships
Living in the Wider World.

For more information on our values curriculum, please follow the link to our Curriculum Outline.

Religious Education

At Westlands we have adopted the locally agreed Kent syllabus for Key Stages 3,4 and 5 as the basis for our curriculum which is also delivered through Values lessons. Over the course of their studies, students will access a broad and balanced curriculum which develops breadth and depth of religious knowledge and acceptance of worldviews. The curriculum is built upon studying knowledge and developing understanding of religious concepts posed within the scope of three ‘types’ of questions. Questions involving ‘belief’ allow students to deepen their understanding of substantive knowledge (of religious and non religious worldviews) surrounding religious beliefs, teachings, sources and questions about meaning, purpose and truth. Within the realm of questions requiring ‘expression’, students will be able to answer questions regarding identity and diversity. Thus through the development of ‘personal knowledge’ students will be given challenging opportunities to develop the key skill to “disagree agreeably” and become "skilled cultural navigators”, able to navigate the differences of faith and belief around them, as well as establish their own sense of identity and belonging.

Finally, questions involving ‘living’ allow students to study religious practices and comment authoritatively on value systems and commitments. Students will appreciate and appraise varied responses to questions, as well as develop and extend their own ideologies.

Community Time Lessons

At Westlands, our school values underpin our teaching and learning ethos. The RADAR values are emphasised within all aspects of our curriculum, be that within the pastoral support systems, Values and Curriculum lessons or within the expression and development of everyday relationships. RADAR values, created in partnership with pupil and parent voice, form the focus of our Community Time Lessons, where we provide a supportive environment in which students can develop life skills and both form, challenge and express their aspirations and life aims. In providing opportunities to explore topical issues through the focus of RADAR values, we strive to enable our students to become thoughtful, respectful citizens and resilient learners who will go on to achieve their goals.

Westlands
School

Our Curriculum