At the Latymer School, students’ wellbeing and personal development (PDC) are at the forefront of everything that we do. We are extremely passionate about developing our student’s knowledge, values and feelings in relation to health, relationships and sex education (RSE). We truly believe the best place to receive this education is at school. The digital world has had a massive impact on the information young people can access, and we want to ensure they are receiving factual, realistic education surrounding these topic areas.

Students deserve high quality, age-appropriate education which establishes a safe environment to discuss and form an inquiring mind about a multitude of topics which are relevant to societal and community trends. Students are encouraged to be empowered to make informed decisions about their own behaviours and choices, with a particular focus on their own relationships, attitudes and behaviours in both school and the wider community.

Our Personal Development Curriculum, including our Relationships and Sex Education Curriculum, aims to develop our students’ skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, team working and critical thinking. We also want to give students opportunities to develop their understanding of democracy and justice, rights and responsibilities, as well as identities and diversity

The Personal Development Curriculum at Latymer (PDC)
PDC lessons and activities are designed to prepare our students for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences that come with adult life. Relationship, health and sex education enable us to promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of our students, at school and in society.

To embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life, pupils need knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships and to build their self-efficacy. They will need to apply this knowledge as they develop the capacity to make sound decisions when facing risks, challenges and complex contexts. Our students will develop resilience and know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support.

The curriculum includes:

• Delivery of topics in a variety of ways including timetabled lessons, form time activities and through other curriculum subjects such as Religious Education, Physical Education and Science – these all follow a spiral curriculum where topics are built upon over the years.
• Statutory government topics, as well as tailored sessions based on the needs of individual year groups.
• Staff support to ensure that the content and delivery is consistent throughout and that supportive environments are established.
• Partnerships with external agencies who are experts in the field to bring alternative and engaging insights into many different topic areas.

The impact on our students
We are committed to providing a first-class, liberal education where pupils achieve their full potential and show consideration for others. PSHE and Relationships and Sex Education is an integral part of this.

We aim for our students to develop into well-rounded individuals who are informed, considerate, and empathetic of others and:

• Have an inquiring mind and a desire to contribute towards the community and the world around them.
• Have an ability to think critically and work independently.
• Understand the consequences of their actions and behave responsibly.
• Have an ability to persevere and complete tasks and are adept at problem-solving.
• Participate fully with the opportunities presented to them.
• Respect others and the community around them.

Parents have a right to request that their child is withdrawn from sex education, but not from Relationships Education or any other further components of the PSHE curriculum.

Below is an outline of what the Latymer pupils do in their PDC lessons each year. However, Personal Development is not limited to these sessions and is delivered through other outlets such as form time activities, external speakers and across curriculum subjects.