individual development (ID)

INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT (ID)

ID covers many aspects of personal, social, health and economic education and is designed to enable students to deal with both wider school life and life outside school.

The programmes of study include various modules aimed at the students’ particular stage in life. In Year 7 for example, students learn about how to cope with secondary school life and how to keep safe in the wider world. Year 9 students have a module based on making decisions and how to choose their options. Year 10 students learn about work experience and take part in mock interviews and Year 11 students consider the choices they have post-16 and how to go about making the right decisions for them.

As well as this all students take modules related to relationship and sex education, how to prepare for the working world, and how to keep safe from the effects of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. They learn about the risks involved and how to manage and minimise that risk. At all stages the content of the modules is appropriate for the age of those students. Dealing with bullying, including cyber bullying, what British values are, how to manage money and a basic introduction to politics are other topics which are covered.

ID is not an examined subject but its purpose is to prepare students for real life and so it is extremely important. Students are expected to work hard, and with pride. They are also encouraged to contribute, and reflect on, their own ideas as much as possible. Many of the lessons are discussion based and the students are encouraged, with guidance, to decide for themselves about how to manage the risks they may face in life.