Personal and Social Development (PSD)
Head of Department: Miss N Stevens
This subject involves the presentation, often through role-play, of inter-related topics such as health, including drug use and misuse, school and family life, and adolescence.
PSD helps students to develop their social skills and build self-confidence. There is vast opportunity for discussion initiated by and concerned with the students themselves. The process of decision-making is examined closely since this is a major theme of the work carried out in Year 9. Students need to consider their options carefully at this stage, taking into account such matters as balance in the curriculum, eventual career requirements, and an understanding of themselves and their potential - all adult conceptions demanded from a young person.
Life Skills
In Years 10 and 11, students have the opportunity to engage in discussion, and obtain information which will equip them with a greater awareness of themselves and the world into which they will soon be entering.
During this time, speakers from colleges will be invited to give information about their particular courses, representatives from industry and commerce will also put forward their views and, at the same time, students will investigate their own particular interests. In July, at the end of Year 10, students also participate in a fortnight of work-related learning. This enables them to develop an understanding of the world of work, how to work as part of a team and learn new skills. Students are visited by a member of staff whilst they are on their placement.
Study skills will also be investigated in order to give students a greater understanding of their own time management and organisational skills.
We aim to give students a greater understanding of health issues, and use a range of audio-visual resources to illustrate the vast range of concerns that affects all aspects of our lives today. These lessons are followed by discussions where each student's viewpoint is listened to and respected, another essential skill for success in today's world.
Useful links
Some useful links for both students and parents may be found below:
Lifebytes - a new website which gives young people aged 11 - 14 facts about health in a fun and interesting way.
Talk to Frank - an informative and straight-talking advice site about illegal and harmful substances for both parents and students.
Raising Kids - an online parenting magazine offering advice, support and help to parents.
Youth Information from the National Youth Agency and includes a database of over 1000 information topics and holds contact details for more than 1200 national organisations, including hundreds of built-in web links.
Teenage Health Freak who aim to provide web-based, accurate and reliable health information to teenagers in a contemporary, cringe-free, entertaining and informative way.
