Learning for life

What students learn this year:

Year 9 prepares students for the choices and pressures of the middle years. The year opens with mental health and wellbeing – talking about emotions, social media, coping strategies, self-esteem and body image – followed by a careers unit that supports GCSE option choices and helps students think about the life they want. In the spring students examine risk and the law, including gangs, gambling and cybercrime, and receive drug education covering vaping, alcohol and cannabis. The summer term addresses intimate relationships, consent, contraception and sexual health, and closes with navigating online harms: misinformation, extremism, deepfakes and misogyny.

This year fulfils the statutory RSHE content on mental wellbeing, intimate and sexual relationships, contraception and sexual health, and drugs and alcohol. Lessons on gangs, extremism and misinformation support the school's Prevent duty and contextual safeguarding responsibilities, while work on misogyny and deepfakes responds to national concerns around online harms and violence against women and girls. The careers unit meets Gatsby Benchmarks on personal guidance and linking curriculum learning to careers ahead of Key Stage 4.

Termly overview

Half term	Theme	What students will learn
Autumn 1	Mental health and wellbeing	What is mental health?; talking about our emotions; social media and mental health; managing distractions; developing coping strategies; self-esteem and confidence; an introduction to body image
Autumn 2	Careers and future choices	What are my interests?; careers and the future; creating the life you want; what is a work–life balance?; taking control of your career journey; showcasing strengths and online presence; decision making at Key Stage 4
Spring 1	Managing risk in relation to the law	Managing risk in unsafe situations; social influences, young people and gangs; gambling – the facts; gambling – risks, consequences and safety; cybercrime – causes; cybercrime – effects
Spring 2	Drug education	Vaping; exploring attitudes; the law and managing risk; alcohol and cannabis; managing influences
Summer 1	Intimate sexual relationships	Freedom and capacity to consent; the impact of relationships; relationship values; choosing and accessing contraception; sexual health; practising safe sex; managing the end of relationships
Summer 2	Navigating online harms	Misinformation and extremism; feelings about sharing nudes; deepfakes – motivations and consequences; tackling deepfakes; exploring harms and misconceptions; responding to misogyny