Character Education

Subject Leader: Mrs R Quartey

Subject Leader Email Address: rebecca.quartey@swale.at

 

Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

Subject Overview

Character Education underpins the wider school curriculum so that our students can truly be ‘Empowered through Learning’. Students will deepen their own understanding of the six core character traits: love of life and learning, resilience, honesty, courage, self-discipline and kindness, and learn how to embrace and develop them so that they are ready, at the end of school, to move on to a happy and successful adult life. They will gain the knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships and to build self-efficacy.

Year 7

In Year 7, students will start to think about their own lives and their place in the world. They will study  relationships, healthy living, similarities and differences, and dreams and goals. They will begin to develop their reflection skills and learn how to use these in a variety of situations. To support wellbeing, students will also learn mindfulness skills.

 

Term 1

How do I fit into the world I live in?

Religious Education

Character Education

What is RE?

Freedom of faith in the UK

Religious belief and practice

Life of Guru Nanak

Identity

My influences

Peer pressure

Online identity

Media influences

British Values 

Mutual respect

Democracy

Individual liberty

 

Term 2

Do we need to feel the same to belong?

Religious Education

Character Education

Charity and worship 

What does it mean to be a teen Sikh?

What do Sikhs believe about God?

Who is the last Guru, Guru Granth Sahib?

Sikh attitudes towards equality

Prejudice and discrimination

Discrimination in school

Tackling discriminatory language

Attitudes and values

Challenging stereotypes

Bullying

Consequences of bullying

Cyber bullying - good communication

 

Term 3

How do my choices affect my dreams and goals?

Religious Education

Character Education

Sikhism and the Five K’s

What difference does it make to believe in religion?

Dreams and goals

Achieving my dreams and goals

Coping strategies

Responsibility 

Choices and consequences

County Lines - gangs

 

Term 4

Why is it important to take care of my health and well-being?

Religious Education

Character Education

Religious beliefs about resurrection 

Religious beliefs about reincarnation and rebirth 

Issues surrounding immortality

Evidence of immortality through religious accounts

What is meant by immortality?

What is a near-death experience

What does science and atheism say about immortality?

Recognising and describing emotions

Managing stress

Link between mental health and being active

 

Term 5

Why is it important to build strong, healthy relationships?

Religious Education

Character Education

Sikhism and marriage

Sikhism and arranged marriage

Sikhism and divorce

Positive qualities of healthy relationships

Supportive relationships 

Getting on and falling out 

Discernment and perceptiveness in relationships

Assertiveness

Treatment of men and women

 

Term 6

What changes are happening to prepare me for adulthood?

Religious Education

Character Education

Sikh celebrations

Sikh festivals - Diwali, Vaisakihi

Puberty

Periods and wet dreams

FGM and breast ironing

Healthy relationships - parents, media and self esteem

Year 8

In Year 8, students will build on the learning from Year 7, whilst also considering how their personal beliefs and actions can impact on others. There is a focus on resilience and how students can develop resilience in all areas of their lives.

Term 1

Can I choose how I fit into the word?

Religious Education

Character Education

What is religion?

Faith and beliefs

Parables - creative writing

Does living biblically mean obeying the whole Bible?

Does religion help people to be good? 

Expressing the spiritual through the arts in Islam

Expectations

Identity

My Family

Family factors

The power of first impressions

 

Term 2

How different are we really?

Religious Education

Character Education

Religious teachings about equality

Religious attitudes towards racism

Religious attitudes towards gender

The role of men and women - Christianity and Islam

Forgiveness and reconciliation

Religion and Injustice 

Why do we celebrate Christmas?

Who am I/ LGBT+

Bullying with particular focus on LGBTQ+ community

Understanding the term ‘Transgender’

 

Term 3

Can the choices I make now influence my future?

Religious Education

Character Education

Christianity and the use of money

Christianity and charity

Five Pillars of Islam

Islam and charity (Zakah + Khums) comparison with Christianity

Goals

What money can’t buy

Money and earnings 

Gambling

 

Term 4

How can I become more responsible for my health and happiness?

Religious Education

Character Education

What is so radical about Jesus?

Types of mental health

Self harm

Celebrities and mental health

Dealing with emotions 

Causes of mental health and links to poverty

 

Term 5

How do the terms ‘media’ and ‘relationships’ affect me? 

Religious Education

Character Education

Is death the end, does it matter? Islam and Christianity

Non religious views about the afterlife, 

e.g. humanists and atheists

Relationships with yourself

Developing the relationship with yourself

Puberty, changing bodies and genital changes

Consent and FGM

Upskirting

Pros and cons to the media

Being in control of social media

 

Term 6

What factors can make an intimate relationship happy and healthy?

Religious Education

Character Education

RE links throughout the term

What does it mean to be in love? 

Healthy vs unhealthy relationships

Coercion in relationships

Pornography and the dangers 

Unrealistic expectations on relationships, alcohol and related risks

 

Year 9

In Year 9, students will study different types of relationships in more depth. They will learn more about mental health, and how difficulties with mental health can affect young people and those around them. They will have the opportunity to develop empathy and critical thinking skills.

 

Term 1

To what extent does the world I live in affect my identity?

Religious Education

Character Education

Buddhism - What makes a person?

Love thy neighbour

Peer approval and County Lines

Consent, assertiveness and saying “no”

Exploitation

Inappropriate images

Reflection

 

 

Term 2

What value does learning about sex education have in my life? 

Religious Education

Character Education

Sex, family and religion, LGBT focus

Predatory behaviour

Porn - is it real and the dangers of pornography

Planning to have sex and contraception

Contraception demonstration

Consequences of unprotected sex and STIs

 

 

Term 3

What value does learning about sex education have in my life? 

Religious Education

Character Education

Buddhism/ Dukkha

Life of the Buddha

Equality Act

Discrimination 

Bullying and derogatory language

Positive language and affirmation

 

 

Term 4

How does social media affect our lives? 

Religious Education

Character Education

Amish and technology

Buddhism - no bad actions, linked to online trolling

Mental health and online media and low self-esteem

Media manipulation

Online risks including predators and online gaming

 

 

Term 5

How can the use of substances affect our mind and body? 

Religious Education

Character Education

Religious views on the use of drugs

Legal drugs and substances

Alcohol

Illegal drugs including the law and classification

How drugs affect the brain

 

Term 6

What factors can affect our happiness and well-being?

Religious Education

Character Education

Buddhism and refuge

Buddhism and happiness - balance in life

Effects of the body and mind

Careers and personal happiness

Year 10

In Year 10, students will look at equality in relationships and the workplace. As students begin their GCSE courses, they will focus on the impact of change and consider how they will manage the challenges ahead. In preparation for life beyond school, they will develop teamwork and communication skills.

 

Term 1

Is managing my online and offline world within my control?

Religious Education

Character Education

Alternatives to the afterlife

Liberty and safety

Bereavement

Social media

Decision making

Risks

 

Term 2

What does equality mean in the UK?

Religious Education

Character Education

Religion, British society and equality

Equality in the UK

Equality in the workplace 

Challenging inequality

 

Term 3

Is success only possible when physical and emotional needs are in balance?

Religious Education

Character Education

No religion and humanism

What does it mean to be happy?

What are the causes and effects of stress?

How to manage stress?

What does a healthy/ unhealthy relationship look like?

Domestic worth

 

 

Term 4

When it comes to health, to what extent am I in control?

Religious Education

Character Education

Religious beliefs entwined throughout - matters of life and death

Finance and pregnancy

Education and teen pregnancy

Young dads

Abortion

Alternatives to abortion

 

Term 5

Love is all you need?

Religious Education

Character Education

Religion, love and sex

What makes a happy relationship?

Parenting relationships

Relationship breakdown 

Social influences on relationships, e.g. stereotypes, pornography, media, peer perception

Friendships and peer support and connectedness

Challenging relationships, e.g. DV, coercive relationships, exploitation

 

 

Term 6

Can all changes be positive in some way?

Religious Education

Character Education

Religion and careers

Changing society and me

Managing change and decision making

Careers skills

Work experience week

Year 11

Year 11 is a difficult year for all students and the Character Education curriculum takes this into account. Students will receive guidance in their choices for the next stage of their lives; they will have support to help them deal with examination stress and personal mental health and well being. There is also a focus on practical knowledge, such as finance and living independently.

 

Term 1

What does it mean to be an adult?

Religious Education

Character Education

Becoming an adult

Bar/Bat mitzvah

Relationships and the law

The law and you

Me, the internet and the law

Emergency situations

 

Term 2

How can I maintain healthy intimate relationships?

Religious Education

Character Education

The existence of God debate

Intimate romantic relationships

Gender diversity and sexuality

Power in relationships: who holds the cards?

Honour-based violence, FGM, breast ironing and forced marriage

 

Term 3

How can relationships, sex and sexual health be discussed more openly?

 

RE and CE content for term 3:

Religious Education

Character Education

Religious views towards abortion

Healthy attitudes on sexual relationships

Abortion

Infertility, IVF, surrogacy

Breast, cervical, testicular cancer

 

Term 4

What are the links between drugs and mental health? 

Religious Education

Character Education

Religious attitudes to drug abuse and mental health

What are drugs?

Legal status and classification of drugs

Cannabis debate 

Issues surrounding social drugs

Why do people choose drugs?

 

Term 5

What are the issues surrounding crime and punishment?

 

RE and CE content for term 5:

Religious Education

Character Education

Religious attitudes to crime and punishment

What causes crime and the different types

The aims of punishment 

What is a young offender?

Prison and capital punishment

Summer examinations take place during term 6

Sixth Form

Year 12

Term 1

What skills do I need for my future?

 

Content for term 1:

Employability skills

Computer literacy skills

Researching different jobs

Apprenticeships

Plagiarism 

Personal presentation

CV writing skills

Interview and presentation skills

Term 2

How can I get ready for my future?

 

Content for term 2:

DWP - Intro presentation

CV writing

DWP - Employer interview

Religion and world views

Class A drugs

Class B drugs 

Class C drugs

Free speech vs hate speech

Term 3

What is a religious experience?

 

Content for term 3:

What is religious experience? Mystical, miracles, non-empirical, visions 

Accounts of visions - visions of Mary, Isaiah’s vision, visions of Mary in Medjugorje Bosnia, the prophet Muhammad’s vision of the angel

Cases against visions

Conversion experiences 

Near death experiences 

Miracles 

Evidence against religious experiences 

Find personal account of religious experience and look at and speak about 

Find film of religious experience and watch and speak about, comparing the film to the account — ‘man of steel’ church scene, ‘Evan almighty’ ‘Bruce almighty’, ‘What dreams may come’

Religious experience impact on people 

Psychology of religion – ‘Sane or deluded’

Personal experiences or knowledge of others experiences?

Term 4

What is death and the afterlife?

 

Content for term 4:

Afterlife - what might it be like, how is it explained in every religion, nirvana, heaven, hell, purgatory, non- religious views of death and afterlife 

Ancient religions, Egyptian, Greek, Roman 

Evidence for reincarnation and near death experiences 

How can people communicate from the grave? Will people really ‘meet again’? 

Grief and the importance of coming to terms with a death. 

Relaxation

Social justice

Careers in core subjects- Maths

Careers in core subjects- Science

Careers in core subjects- English

Work experience week - 27/03/2023

 

Term 5

How do my finances affect my future?

 

Content for term 5:

Finance

How can my actions affect my future?

 

Content for term 6:

Critical thinking skills

Cosmetic and plastic surgery

Gender and identity

Miscarriage and unplanned pregnancy 

Honour based violence

Feminism

Date rape

ASE Careers interviews

 

Year 13

Term 1

Who is responsible for my future?

 

Content for term 1:

Motivation and work ethic 

Initiative progression survey

Problem solving

Leadership skills

Online presence

Climate change

Toxic and positive masculinity

Emotional wellbeing

Culture wars

Media influence

Callout culture

Cultural appropriation

 

Term 2

How can culture and my finances affect my future?

 

Content for term 2:

Tolerating intolerance

Online subcultures and extremism

Personal statements

Finance: renting vs buying

Payday loans

Pension and retirement

Drugs, festivals and parties

Religion overview

Judaism & Christianity 

Buddhism & Hinduism 

Sikhism & Islam

 

 

Term 3

How is religion seen in the media?

 

Content for term 3:

Introduction to religion and media - Religious broadcasting through history ‘Sunday Service’ 

Deep Space Nine Odo, Cisko and Kai Winn - Fight between good and evil 

Good Omens - Battle between good and evil, the idea of angels and devils - Backlash from Christian community, how did it affect them? Why?

Lord of the rings - Is Frodo a religious figure? 

Unorthodox - Why does she turn away from her faith? Scene where she eats the ham, background to the show, scene where her husband leaves her maybe? Why is her husband chasing her? 

Bend it like Beckham - Why wont they let her play football? The family's treatment of her, how the family acts.

Schindler's list - Did Schindler do a good thing? How did this affect the Jewish people? Looking at the holocaust, is it a good representation?

 

Term 4

Can misconceptions affect how we see sex?

 

Content for term 4:

Religion and art

Introduction to religion and art 

Religious Art - Sculptures 

Religious Music

Religious Dance

Religious Drama

Religious Ritual

Religious Worship 

Sex Ed

Sexual heath: STIs

Healthy diets: BMI, obesity, food pyramids and eating well

Sex and media

Sex: readiness and encounters

Having good sex

Controlling relationships

 

How can I identify discrimination in the workplace?

 

RE and CE content for term 5:

Discrimination in the workplace.

 

Summer examinations take place during term 6