Personal development
Our youth should receive personal development education that is both of high quality and suited to their developmental stage.
 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENTAt Moonstone Academy, we are dedicated to ensuring that young people receive personal development education of the highest quality, tailored to their age. We place a strong focus on relationships, health, and sex education throughout their time with us. We encourage students to explore various attitudes and values, helping them build essential skills that will enable them to make informed and positive decisions about their health, while also examining the dynamics of relationships within families, our school, and the wider community.
Our Personal Development and Relationships & Sex Education programs are carefully designed to nurture important qualities in our students, such as resilience, self-confidence, risk awareness, teamwork, and critical thinking. Additionally, we provide students with opportunities to broaden their understanding of topics like democracy, justice, rights and responsibilities, as well as identity and diversity.
Design of the Personal Development Curriculum (PDC)
The Personal Development Curriculum (PDC) is designed to prepare students for the responsibilities and opportunities of adult life. Along with Relationship, Health, and Sex Education, it supports their spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental, and physical development within the academy and beyond.
To thrive as adults, students need the knowledge to make informed choices about their health, relationships, and wellbeing. The PDC helps them develop resilience, manage risks, and make decisions in challenging situations, while also understanding when and where to seek support.
At Moonstone Academy, the Personal Development Curriculum is:
- Offered through a variety of methods: This includes structured form time, where a spiraling curriculum builds over time, dedicated lessons for years 7-9, and cross-curricular integration with subjects such as Religious Education, Science, and Physical Education.
- Tailored to our students: We cover all required topics while focusing on those that are most relevant and beneficial to the unique needs of our students.
- Backed by robust professional development for staff: Teachers receive continuous support and development through in-house expertise from department leaders and senior staff, as well as through ongoing INSET sessions and training from external experts.
The positive effect on our students’ personal growth :
We are devoted to offering a top-tier, liberal education that empowers students to achieve their highest potential while cultivating respect and care for others. Relationships and Sex Education is a vital component of this process.
Our objective is for students to evolve into compassionate, well-informed individuals who are considerate of others and:
- Cultivate a curious mindset and a passion for contributing to their community and the world.
- Possess the ability to think critically and work autonomously.
- Demonstrate perseverance and the drive to see tasks through to completion.
- Excel in problem-solving and creative thinking.
- Embrace all opportunities presented to them with enthusiasm.
Below is a summary of the activities Moonstone Academy students participate in during their PDC lessons each year. However, personal development goes beyond these specific lessons, as it is integrated across the curriculum, in form time, and through school-wide, key stage, and year group assemblies.
YEAR 7
Students are instructed in the following subjects:
1. What is PDC and how does it assist with the transition
- What is PDC?
- How is the transition managed?
- Secondary Transfer
2. Safety and bullying management
- Safety during my journey to school
- E-safety
- Think you know
3. Overview of citizenship and human rights
- What is citizenship
4. Mental health awareness & self-esteem development
- Developing confidence and self-worth
- Understanding mental health through the Stand Up Kid initiative
- Understanding perfectionism
5. Celebrating diversity and cultivating respect
- Combating prejudice and stereotyping
- Diversity and tolerance
- Overcoming intolerance
- Tackling social inequality
- Supporting transition and emotional health
- Friendships
- Respect and manners
- What is bullying ?
- Understanding cyberbullying
- Finding solutions to bullying and peer pressure
- Becoming responsible digital citizens
- Nurturing positive well-being
- Managing peer pressure
- Managing your emotions
- Disability awareness and changing attitudes
- Exploring learning disabilities and autism
YEAR 8
Students are taught the following modules (additional details will be provided as the modules evolve):
1.Healthy living and well-being
- Maintaining good dental hygiene
- How is the transition managed?
- Exercise and physical fitness
- Smoking, vaping, and their impact on health
2. The role of internet citizens in modern society
3. Managing stress
- Stress – What is it?
- Stress linked to body image concerns
- How alcohol affects your body and mind
- Understanding the risks of drugs and alcohol
- Exploring the impact of drug use
- The risks of recreational drug use
- Strength to overcome challenges and adversity
- Adapting to new circumstances confidently
YEAR 9
Students are instructed in the following subjects:
1.Wellbeing supports health; first aid assists.
- Health shaped by various factors
- Actions promoting physical and mental wellness
- Key signs of life
2. Relationships and sex education
- Overcoming discomfort in sexual discussions
- Changes during growth and development
- Clear agreement and mutual understanding
- Common injuries needing quick response
- Critical conditions requiring fast care
- Essential techniques for saving lives
- Media’s influence on perceptions of sex
years 10 - 11
The Personal Development Curriculum is delivered through pastoral sessions and enrichment days. Typically, enrichment days feature the following activities:
- Career discovery and networking event
- Financial planning and money management
- Team collaboration and leadership skills
- Mental well-being and coping strategies
- Relationship education and sexual health awareness
YEARS 12 - 13
The Personal Development Curriculum is delivered through pastoral sessions, incorporating activities during form time, year group assemblies led by the pastoral team, and guest speakers who are invited to share their expertise and insights, while addressing more delicate topics.
Some of the guest speakers who have conducted personal development sessions for students in Years 10 to 13 at Moonstone include:
- The RAP Initiative
- Sexuality Education School
- Jan Trust Organization
- Teenage Cancer Trust Charity
The Assistant Heads of Learning design the program in collaboration with the Head of Learning to ensure sessions are aligned with the needs of each year group. This flexible approach allows for a range of topics to be covered, including issues such as:
- Mental health awareness
- Exploring sexuality and identity
- Digital safety
- Building positive relationships
- Understanding and practicing consent
- Career planning and development
- Making informed decisions and cultivating ambition
- Civic engagement, including simulated elections
- Understanding extremism and radicalisation
- Fostering tolerance, equality, and respect
- Coping with stress
- Effective study methods and exam preparation
- The role of sleep and exercise in maintaining a healthy lifestyle
- Responsible use of social media
- Overcoming peer pressure
- Focusing on self-care and well-being
“At Moonstone Academy, we are dedicated to providing exceptional support to ensure our students have the opportunities and encouragement they need to thrive and reach their full potential, both academically and in the broader community.”