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Why coordinate the PD curriculum?

The effectiveness of the personal development curriculum depends on:

• the quality of the component parts
• the effectiveness of the coordination and coherence between the component parts.

All areas of the personal development curriculum incorporate specific skills, knowledge and understanding that students must acquire. This is particularly true of citizenship, which is a national curriculum subject and requires knowledge and understanding of becoming an active responsible citizen, along with skills of enquiry, communication, participation and responsible action.

This guidance focuses on how to coordinate those aspects of the curriculum that contribute specifically to personal development. This does not diminish the integrity of any curriculum area but shows how effective coordination can enhance all of them.

Why focus on key stage 4?

At the age of 14, students:

• want their learning to be varied, motivating and challenging
• want to be valued for their individuality, to have their individual learning needs met, and to have their successes recognised
• are looking for a curriculum that is not just a series of subjects but has meaning for them and is relevant to their future lives and careers
• need support and guidance in planning their learning and recognising their achievement.

What work has already been done?

There has been considerable progress in developing the curriculum to provide these opportunities for young people. Key developments are:

• the introduction of PSHE (non-statutory) and citizenship (statutory) to the national curriculum in 2000
• national frameworks for careers education, work-related learning, sex and relationship education, drugs, alcohol and tobacco education
• the development of a non-statutory framework for RE, which will be added in September 2004

The introduction of the Progress File has enabled young people to better manage their own learning and career development. It helps them to review and plan their development and to record their achievements. It has an important contribution to make to a coherent personal development curriculum.

What will coherence in the personal development curriculum achieve?

A coherent approach to the personal development curriculum will result in:

• students and their needs being at the heart of the curriculum
• a more inclusive curriculum
•  a higher status for the personal development curriculum
• more effective teaching and learning
• clarity for students, staff and others about the aims of the personal development curriculum
• reduced competition for curriculum time
• clear progression
• focused staff development
• efficient use of resources, including teacher time
• subject specialists working effectively together and with group tutors
• clarity about the contribution of group tutors
• effective links with external partners.
  

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Page updated: Tuesday, August 10, 2004
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