Personal Development

Personal Development at Queen Ethelburga’s

At QE College and QE Faculty, Personal Development is taught to Key Stage 4 students as a one-hour weekly lesson.

Personal Development is our name for personal, social, health and career education. The lessons follow from the curriculum in Key Stage Three.

Queen Ethelburga's senior school pupil in class

A one-hour weekly lesson that focuses on personal, social and health education.
Saying No To Bullying And Discrimination

Throughout the school year, pupils take part in awareness weeks to focus attention on social, moral, spiritual and cultural issues.

The Pastoral Team provides fun activities and whole school events, like Odd Socks Day for Anti-Bullying Awareness Week, or Chinese New Year for Cultural Awareness Week.

 

Year 10

Lessons in Year 10 cover topics on looking after your body, staying safe outside of school, the justice system and how mortgages work. As Year 10 students are at the beginning of their examination years, time is dedicated to introducing students to A Level and higher options.


Year 11

As Year 11 is the final year of learning Personal Development, the curriculum revisits topics covered in earlier years such as drugs, sexual health and relationships. Students learn how to budget, write a CV and how to prevent fraud. 

In the May half-term, Personal Development is switched to a revision lesson to help students revise for their GCSE examinations.

Queen Ethelburga's senior school pupil working with their teacher


Sixth Form

All Sixth Form students have General Studies lessons as a replacement for Personal Development. Visiting speakers from a range of occupations and universities are invited to speak about health and social topics such as relationships, sex education, substance abuse, driving skills and more. 

General Studies is also taken as an additional A Level to help with university applications. 


Actively Helping The School Community

We love to welcome students and new starters at our senior schools. Prefects volunteer to tour new families on our Open Mornings and welcome students to school at the beginning of the year. Other students can also volunteer to be Peer Mentors, Subject Ambassadors or to serve on the school council.

Also, all Key Stage 4 students take a First Aid and Restart a Heart course as part of Personal Development. The courses help students learn what to do in a medical emergency, whether inside or outside of school.