At My Best – Curriculum Adventure

At My Best – Year 7

In Year 7 all students have weekly “At My Best Lessons – AMB” delivered by the Designated Safeguarding Lead. The aim of AMB lessons is to provide students with the opportunity to develop their wider self, giving them the foundation to succeed both in school and into adulthood.

At My Best is key to a student’s personal development and supplements the character programme and DVA adventure which runs through the academy tutor programme in all year groups and throughout a student’s time at the academy.

At My Best in Year 7 is split into 6 main topic areas:

Unit 1	Unit 2	Unit 3	Unit 4	Unit 5	Unit 6
Transition from Primary to Secondary School	Culture of Kindness	Forming positive relationships	Keeping safe both online and off line	Keeping mentally and physically fit and development through adolescence	British Values, Inclusion and Team building

Unit 1 – Transition from Primary to Secondary School – This unit provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their move from Primary to Secondary school and explore some of the differences and similarities between the two and how they may impact their learning and development both academically and emotionally. By the end of the unit students will know how to manage these challenges and where and when to access support should they face challenges with this transition.

Unit 2 – Culture of Kindness – This unit allows students opportunities to reflect on their own behaviours as well as the behaviours of others. Students will consider the impact of both kind and positive behaviours as well as hurtful/harmful and negative behaviours and how both will make them and others feel as a result. We will explore what bullying is and how we can challenge this behaviour and not be a bystander. By the end of the unit students will know how to challenge negative behaviours, how to report these behaviours and ensure they don’t ignore them. They will also understand and know how positive behaviours can make someone feel and how random acts of kindness can positively impact both them and others.

Unit 3 – Forming positive relationships – In the third unit of the academic year students will explore what makes a good friend and consider the friendships they have formed. They will also consider how to manage friendships/relationships when they go wrong and consider techniques to resolve these challenges without adult intervention. Finally they will consider what FOMO might look like and how to not get drawn into this behaviour.

Unit 4 – Keeping safe both online and off line – This unit will build on in greater detail the information covered in the initial safeguarding assembly in September. By the end of the unit students will be clear and know more information about the dangers of carrying a knife, dangers of smoking and other risky behaviours. Student’s knowledge of who concerns should be reported to and why will be reinforced and explained in greater detail than previously. Having got to know the school well students will have the chance to give feedback on where they feel most safe and areas where they feel less safe, we will also consider this with respect to the local area.

Unit 5 – Keeping mentally and physically fit and development through adolescence – During this unit students will discuss both mental and physical health as well as discuss their changing body and gender stereotypes. By the end of the unit they will know what mental health and physical health are and have practical tools to support them should they face any challenges. Students will also be clear in their understanding that “we all have mental health”. The second part of the unit will allow students to reflect on their changing body and discuss the topic of puberty building on Year 6 knowledge and that within the Science curriculum. Finally students will discuss gender stereotypes, sharing their views and ways to tackle these within society.

Unit 6 – British Values, Inclusion and Team building – The final unit of the academic will ensure students are clear on the British Values and how we should treat others as well as setting them up for the AMB programme in Year 8. Students will learn about and know what the British Values are and how they impact them as young people within modern Britain. They will then explore discrimination with particular emphasis on Racism, Homophobia and SEND. The final element of the module will be team building activities which play a key part in the Year 8 AMB curriculum.

Assessment

Students understanding of what they have learnt will best be observed in their behaviours and interactions around the academy and in the community. In order to support identifying areas which require additional input and reinforcement students will be assessed three times per year to check their understanding of content covered.

Towards the end of the academic year all students will present to their peers on one topic to demonstrate their understanding in this area, this will including questioning and will be completed in small groups.