The academy’s Personal Development/PSHE programme is our main vehicle for delivering safeguarding topics to the students. This is delivered discrete ‘drop down’ days across the year and through weekly specialist lessons within the curriculum.

We are keen that as many external providers as possible deliver sessions, to ensure that as much expertise as possible is on hand on the ‘drop-down’ days, and some on-going partnerships have been developed as a result.

Across Years 7-13, the following topics are examples of the kinds of issues we cover: cyberbullying, British culture, World cultures, sexual health, British values, homosexuality, homophobia, healthy relationships, globalisation, free speech, internet safety, drugs/alcohol education, the economy, the rule of law, government, multi-culturalism, human rights, the media, work-related learning, etc.

This programme ensures that our pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations and have a good understanding of the challenges they face growing up in modern Britain.

To assist in the teaching of these topics, we have worked with organisations such as the Counter Terrorism Unit, Loudmouth Theatre group, Tapestry Theatre Group, West Midlands Police, School Nurse team, Gangology etc.

Taken together with the safeguarding issues that are delivered through departments/subjects  this curriculum ensures that relevant safeguarding topics are covered well.