ASPIRE
At Parkside Academy, our PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) programme is taught through our ASPIRE curriculum – a progressive curriculum tailored to be age appropriate and accessible for all students. Student learn about a range of topic throughout the year, building on their previous knowledge and preparing them for their next steps. We ensure that our lessons are taught at appropriate times during the school year to ensure maximum impact for the students. At the end of each lesson there is signposting for the students to ensure that they are supported when they leave the classroom.
Aspire Experiences at Parkside strive to provide students with opportunities that support their SMSC development, their understanding of British values and create links to CEIAG.
These experiences allow all year groups to participate in engaging activities that relate closely to their current needs and looking to the future. Activities are delivered by both academy staff and outside agencies.
The foundations of the ASPIRE curriculum are:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Living in the Wider World
- Citizenship
- Relationships – please find more information and our policy on Relationship, Sex and Health Education here.
Year 11 ASPIRE
When Year 11 begin in September, they have already completed over 150 hours of directed ASPIRE/PSHE sessions, not including Aspire experiences or tutor activities, and over 200 assemblies during their time from year 7 to the end of year 10.
Both the ASPIRE sessions and assemblies have been strategically planned so that students have been given the opportunity to develop into active citizens, equality of opportunity has been promoted, they have been given information to enable them to recognise online and offline risks, they have been supported through transition and been provided with unbiased careers information. These opportunities continue into year 11 through Aspire experiences, student safeguarding newsletters and assemblies. This ensures that our students will be aware of the changing world around them and be given access to support for their physical, mental and social health.
In year 11, ASPIRE time is directed specifically to support the students academically in small groups to help them develop their character traits of leadership, organisation, resilience, initiative and communication through both verbal and written work, to ensure our students are given the best support academically to achieve their goals.
Relationships Education
RSHE
Relationships and Sex Education is co-ordinated by Miss Cousins. Good quality relationships and sex education provides a consistent message, helps them understand themselves, negotiate relationships and prepares them for adulthood. This topic includes building relationships, identity and gender, respectful and healthy relationships. Please find more information on the topics and our RSE Policy below.
Looking after You
This topic gives pupils the opportunity to look at who they are as an individual, understand how their wellbeing plays a role in their development and how interactions with others leads to a greater understanding of positive relationships
Health Education
Safety
Based on the St Johns Ambulance students course, a range of activities that will help prepare students should they find themselves in an emergency situation. This includes leaning about how to report an accident, supporting someone using their asthma inhaler, how to recognise allergic reactions and what to do, and taking care of others in situations such as heavy bleeding and head injury. We also train the student to carry out CPR, using class sets of mini-Annie dolls – donated by the British Heart Foundation – and how to use a defibrillator.
Peer Influence, Substance Use, Gangs & Exploring Influence
This topic lets students discuss peer influence, and links very closely to the relationship topics, including healthy relationships. Students explore through a range of activitites, the short and long term effects of drug use with each session giving signposting resources.
Living in the Wider World Education
Citizenship (SMSC / British Values)
Citizenship education develops knowledge; skills and understanding that pupils need to play a full part in society as active and responsible citizens. Pupils learn about politics, parliament and voting as well as human rights, justice, the law and the economy. They also learn the skills of being an active citizen and how they see the world that they live in, how they can contribute to society.
E-Safety
E-safety sessions focus on different types of vulnerability through the realms of the internet and mobile technology. Students learn about social media, netiquette and safe sharing of information.
Further information on online safety can be found here
Careers
The careers programme will give pupils to oppurtunity to explore their options beyond Parkside and look at ways that they can progress into their chosen career, give them the skills to identify their interests and look for ways to increase their skill set.
Money Matters
This programme provides oppurtunites for students to learn about finances and financial security including budgeting, saving and financial decisions.
