Social Studies

Continued from Front page…

Safer Internet Day 2024 will take place on the 6th of February, based around the theme ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’. In exploring this theme, we want to be able to focus on the positives and well as the negatives of being online, with it being a place to relax, communicate with others, share music, videos and pictures. We will be exploring steps that can be taken to ensure the experience of being online can be positive for all including: red flags to watch out for when speaking to people – especially those we do not know in the real world, reminders of reporting and blocking functions on social media and gaming platforms and who to go to when you may need to speak to someone in real life about something that has happened online. https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2024

“Over the years, Safer Internet Day has become a landmark event in the online safety calendar. Starting as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project in 2004 and taken up by the Insafe network as one of its earliest actions in 2005, Safer Internet Day has grown beyond its traditional geographic zone and is now celebrated in approximately 170 countries worldwide.
From cyberbullying to social networking to digital identity, each year Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns.”

INTENT

The intent of our Social Studies (incorporating PSHE, RSE and Citizenship) curriculum is threefold:

1. Safeguarding
We aim to ensure students are equipped with the knowledge to make their own choices and to understand the consequences of these choices, to promote safe and healthy relationships which allows students to be able to identify potentially dangerous or unsafe situations and consider actions that can be taken to remove or reduce the risks that may be posed to them.

2. Inclusion
We aim to create an inclusive environment around the school for every student, no matter their gender, race, religion, political ideas, sexuality or ability. Students will be encouraged to recognise and celebrate their differences and promote an inclusive learning environment, both in the classroom and around the school.

3. Meet statutory requirements
We aim to create a bespoke curriculum that enhances the learning experience of our students and covers the statutory requirements for PSHE, RSE and Citizenship in an engaging and age-appropriate manner.

IMPLEMENTATION

KS3

In Years 7-9, students will have one hour a week timetabled for Social Studies. The curriculum for this has been planned in line with statutory requirements, as well as aiming to meet the needs of our students.

An overview of this curriculum can be found below:

KS4

In KS4, students will be taken off timetable for an RSE Impact Day in Year 10 and Year 11, covering the following key areas:

Health

• Sexual health services
• Fertility and routes to parenthood

Relationships
• What makes a healthy relationship?
• Why do people have sex?
• Can relationships be intimate without sex?
• What does exploitation look like in relationships?

Sex in the media
• Impact of pornography on expectations about sex
• Is sex presented realistically in the media?
• Revenge porn- what the law says, what can be done about it?

IMPACT

The impact of this curriculum will be to encourage students to make positive choices in their relationships around them, whether that relationship be romantic, professional, friendship etc, both as they grow through the school and once they leave us to start their adult lives. Students will be able to recognise positive and negative behaviours in relationships and explain where to go to seek support. Students will be able to recognise discriminative behaviour and explain how the law protects against this. All of this is aimed at students leaving school equipped with the knowledge they need to be fully functioning members of society, who are able to keep themselves safe and weigh up the possible consequences of their actions to make decisions that are right for them.