Future4 curriculum

The Future4 curriculum at Redruth School supports students’ personal development as part of their wider Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural (SMSC) development, encompassing:

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education)

RSE (Relationships and Sex education)

Citizenship

Careers

 

Future4 intent:

To ensure that young people at Redruth School are provided learning for life to develop as healthy, safe, aware, and respectful citizens, prepared for their future life in modern Cornwall, Britain and the wider World.

 

Future4 lessons:

Delivered through a dedicated one-hour lesson per fortnight, students develop an awareness and understanding of a wide range of opportunities and challenges they will encounter as they move through school and beyond, and how to make informed choices, underpinned by the fundamental British Values and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

 

Future4 lessons provide a safe learning environment for students to sensitively explore different opinions and scenarios (see ground rules below). Lessons fit broadly into 4 over-arching key questions per year in Years 7 to 10, and 2 in Year 11, which re-visit and build upon prior learning in a spiralled curriculum. Lessons have been planned to be age-appropriate and to tackle issues which are relevant at each Key Stage. The curriculum has been contextualised to take into account needs arising within Redruth School and the local area, informed by student voice and outcomes from the Cornwall ‘Right On’ SHEU (Schools Health and Education Unit) survey. In addition to the fortnightly Future4 lessons, students also have assemblies, tutor activities, cross-curricular links, visits from key partners including the Police and Brook Advisory Service, Careers fairs and 1:1 interviews which support their personal development and SMSC education.

Future4 Curriculum Intent

Future4 Ground Rules

Key Stage 3

In Year 7 students reflect on themselves as a learner and how to set goals. Understanding positive friendships, how their bodies are changing and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They consider the importance of community (within Redruth School and beyond), the protected characteristics, consent, our rights and liberties and how these can be respected and strengthened.

Year 8 explores early career aspirations, safety online, such as grooming and sexting, and offline, including first aid and addiction (caffeine, tobacco/vaping and alcohol). Financial budgeting, the UK political system and the importance of mental health. Students also consider gender identity and sexual orientation, the dangers of stereotyping and different types of committed relationships.

Students in Year 9 learn how to maintain healthy wellbeing, such as the importance of sleep. They revisit consent and begin to develop an understanding of healthy sexual relationships, including contraception and recognise unhealthy behaviours such as sexual exploitation and domestic violence. They explore further dangers online such as gambling and media influence and strengthen their understanding of the fundamental British Values to appreciate multiculturalism in the UK and recognise extremism and radicalisation. Students are also supported to make informed choices for Key Stage 4 study.

Key Stage 4

Year 10 students learn how to manage risk and influence including explicit material online and illegal drugs, County Lines, knife crime and misogyny. They further develop their awareness of healthy bodies and develop understanding of self-examination, STIs and organ donation. Students explore the impacts and challenges of pregnancy, and abortion/miscarriage. They also prepare for adulthood by learning about household finances, workplace safety and the criminal justice system.

Finally, in Year 11 students learn about challenges such as illegal drug addiction, fertility, cosmetic procedures and the need for confidential support, as well as recognising and protecting themselves from harmful sexual behaviour, harassment  and violence.  They also consider how their achievements can be used in employment and different contractual models, as well as making informed choices for study Post-16.

Full breakdown of lesson coverage (including statutory content) can be found in the RSE/PSHE policy.

Future4 progress:

Students complete baseline activities in each unit to assess their current knowledge, understanding and confidence of the ideas covered in the Future4 topics. Students re-visit these to show how their knowledge, understanding and confidence has improved, and to identify any questions they still have relating to the topic. Students are not formally assessed in this subject.

 

Signposting support:

At the end of every Future4 lesson, students are provided with names and how to contact relevant organisations and external agencies for further support, and they are reminded that they can speak to a trusted adult or the pastoral team at Redruth School.

Posters of useful websites with QR codes can be found in Pastoral, Oasis and in toilets. This poster can also be found below, just scan the QR code to be taken to the organisations page.

How can parents/carers support the Future4 curriculum?

Talk to your child about what they are learning about in Future4 lessons. Consider the Future4 ground rules when tackling difficult topics.

The NSPCC has useful advice on how to talk to you child about difficult topics. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/talking-about-difficult-topics/

Cornwall Council has introduced a quick and easy way for parents/carers to contact Health Visitors and School Nurses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 

Parents/carers of children and young people aged 5-19: 07312 263 499

Users can send a message, anonymously if they wish, to Health Visiting and School Nursing to get confidential help and advice about a range of health concerns, including:

• Sleep

• Child development

• Support with behaviour

• Toileting

• Feeding and nutrition

• Keeping safe and healthy

• Childhood illnesses and support with medical conditions at school

• Emotional, mental health and wellbeing

• Relationships

• Smoking and vaping

• Drugs and alcohol

The messaging service is available Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) from 9am to 5pm. When a message is sent to the numbers, an automated reply confirms the message has been received. A trained healthcare professional will reply to the message during office hours within 48 hours.

Public Health Cornwall and Headstart Kernow have a number of multi-media workshops in their well-being series which can support parents and carers with some of the challenges their children may be facing.

https://www.headstartkernow.org.uk/parents--carers/

Headstart Kernow also run parent/carer and child workshops called SPACE (Supporting Parents and Children Emotionally) https://www.headstartkernow.org.uk/parents--carers/space/

Many of the website links for Future4 also have a parent/carer section too.

For further information or support please contact Mrs J King  jking@redruth.cornwall.sch.uk