Personal Development & Ethics (PDE)

Staff and Responsibilities

Mr P Shelton – Deputy Headteacher – Destinations (CEIAG)
Mrs B Moss – Deputy Headteacher – Pastoral & Wellbeing
Mrs J Madden – Director of Learning – Personal Development Strategic Planning (including CEIAG)
Mrs R Ramsden – Assistant Headteacher – Designated Safeguarding Lead, PDE / GCSE RS Teacher
Mrs P Birchall, WRL Coordinator – CEIAG Coordination
Mr L Clarke, Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator & GCSE RS Teacher
Mrs J Dobson, Teacher – PDE / GCSE RS Teacher
All Subject Leads – Mapping of Cross Curricular PSHE
All Form Teachers – Delivering PSHE Focus Weeks

The vision of the Personal Development and Ethics (PDE) department is to deliver a curriculum through which learners are enabled to live healthy, safe, capable, productive, responsible and balanced lives. We encourage leaners to make effective transitions, make positive learning and career choices and in achieving economic well-being. A large part of our curriculum provides opportunities for learners to safely explore, reflect and clarify their own values and attitudes on the complex and sometimes conflicting range of ethical concepts, values and attitudes they encounter now and in the future. Throughout both key stages students will examine a range of different cultures and religions.

Bedford High School’s Personal Development and Ethics (PDE) curriculum has two strands, the first incorporates the Personal Social Health Education (PSHE), Citizenship, British Values, Character education, SMSC, Mental Health and wellbeing, Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) and the second strand incorporates Religious Education. PDE is taught across both key stages for 1 hour per week. In addition to PDE, Religious Studies is also offered as a GCSE option at KS4.

Our PDE model is designed to enable the development of students’ knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. We feel it is important that our students leave school with an understanding of culture and society; with the social and moral awareness to thrive in it.

Year 7 content

Introduction to Communities    

Physical health, fitness and healthy eating

Diversity and discrimination

Families

Healthy relationships, puberty and consent

Who was Jesus?

What does it mean to be Jewish?

Year 8 content

What does it mean to be Muslim?

Online and Media

Financial Choices

How do people respond to Ultimate Questions?

Identity, Stereotypes and Equality

Prejudice and Discrimination

What does it mean to be Christian?

Year 9 content

What does it mean to be Buddhist?    

Respectful relationships including friendships

Internet Safety and Harm

Animals and the Environment

Relationships, Sexual Health and Consent

Being Safe

Year 10 content

Crime and Punishment

Intimate Sexual relationships, including Sexual Health (1)

Drug Abuse

Contraception, STIs and Consent

Marriage and Relationships

Anti-Social and Criminal Behaviours

Intimate Sexual relationships, including Sexual Health (2)

Year 11 content

Work and Careers (1)

Work and Careers (2)

Intimate Sexual relationships, including Sexual Health (3)

Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco

War and Peace

Employment Rights and Responsibilities

A variety of delivery techniques are used to enhance learning in PDE. Typical PSHE activities include:

• Discreet PDE lessons (Religious Education, Living in the Wider World, Relationships and Health Education)
• Cross curricula activities
• Outside speakers / Theatre groups
• Form time ‘PSHE Focus Weeks’
• Enrichment days / Aspirations Week / Educational Visits
• Assemblies
• Targeted project work