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Components of the PD curriculum

At key stage 4 all students must be taught citizenship, religious education, sex and relationship education, careers education and physical education. From 2004, they must also have opportunities for work-related learning. Each of these curriculum areas is complemented by personal, social and health education (PSHE). These are key features of the personal development curriculum.

Outlined below are the relevant frameworks for each curriculum area.

• Citizenship
• PHSE
• Religious education
• Sex and relationship education
• Careers education
• Work-related learning
• Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• Physical education

Citizenship

Citizenship is a national curriculum foundation subject at key stages 3 and 4. The programme of study for citizenship is based on three interrelated strands: social and moral responsibility; community involvement; and political literacy. At the end of key stage 3, teachers are required to assess students’ attainment in citizenship, using the end-of-key-stage descriptors. There is no statutory requirement for assessment at key stage 4. However, the end-of-key-stage descriptor is a marker of students’ progress. GCSEs, both full- and short-course, are also available. Like other national curriculum foundation subjects, citizenship must be included in reports to parents at least once during the school year.

Framework

1. Programme of study for citizenship and attainment targets for key stages 3 and 4
2. Scheme of work consists of exemplar teaching units that can be combined in different ways to address the requirements of the key stages 3 and 4 programmes of study for citizenship. 

PSHE

Schools are required to provide drug, alcohol and tobacco education, and sex and relationship education. PHSE goes beyond that to fulfil the two broad aims for the school curriculum set out in The National Curriculum Handbook for Secondary Teachers in England (2000). There is a non-statutory framework for PSHE. It is taught alongside the national curriculum and complements the programmes of study for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Schools can therefore choose how they provide PSHE based on the national curriculum framework and guidance. A combination of different forms of provision is recommended.

Framework

Non-statutory framework for personal, social and health education (PSHE) at key stages 3 & 4, with learning outcomes.

Religious education

Schools must provide religious education (RE) for all students, although parents can choose to withdraw their children.

The legal basis for RE in schools, other than in faith-based aided schools, is the locally agreed syllabus. A new national non-statutory framework for RE is currently being consulted on. Most agreed syllabuses set out learning outcomes for each key stage and use, as with the national curriculum, an eight-level scale. The new national framework for RE sets out programmes of study for key stage 4 and post 16. These focus on students’ knowledge and understanding of questions of meaning, ethical issues and understanding diversity. The skills focus is on communication, expression and evaluation. Many GCSE short- and full-course syllabuses in religious studies focus on ethical issues and philosophical questions.

Framework

Consultation on a national non-statutory framework for RE

Sex and relationship education

Secondary schools must provide sex and relationship education (SRE) at key stage 4. This must include teaching about AIDS, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

An important aim is to encourage students to understand moral behaviour. Schools must teach the importance of marriage for family life and bringing up children. Materials must be appropriate to the age and cultural background of the students. There is guidance to help schools decide the detailed content and nature of SRE that should be provided as part of a broader programme of PSHE. Parents can choose to withdraw their children from all or part of SRE, with the exception of those aspects included in the national curriculum programmes of study.

Framework

1. Non-statutory framework key stages 1-4.
2. Ofsted report on sex and relationships in schools, 2002 (HMI 433), includes learning outcomes for SRE at each key stage, including national curriculum science requirements.

Careers education

All schools must provide a programme of careers education for students during years 9, 10 and 11 (years 7 and 8 from September 2004) and an appropriate range of careers information. Connexions advisers support students at key decision-making points.

Framework

Non-statutory framework for 11 to 19 year olds.

Work-related learning

From September 2004 all students must experience some work-related learning at key stage 4. Schools must provide opportunities for students to learn:

• about work – through opportunities and experiences to develop knowledge and understanding of work and enterprise
• for work – by developing skills for enterprise and employability
• through work – by teaching aspects of subjects in work-related contexts.

Framework

Non-statutory framework for key stage 4

Drugs, alcohol and tobacco education

Drug and alcohol education is a statutory requirement of the programme of study for science, where there is a requirement to teach the effects of solvents, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs on body functions. Many schools will reinforce this in their PSHE programmes.

Framework

1. Programme of study for science and attainment targets for key stage 4
2. Drugs: guidance for schools (DfES 2004).

Physical education

Physical education (PE) is a national curriculum foundation subject. All students are taught PE at key stage 4 and as part of the changes to key stage 4 from 2004 there will be an increasing emphasis on physical fitness, health and wellbeing.

Framework

1. Programme of study and attainment targets for key stage 4.
2. Non-statutory scheme of work consisting of units of work that can be combined at key stage 4.

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Page updated: Tuesday, August 10, 2004
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