Show Racism the Red Card School Competition

In March, students took part in the school competition ‘Show Racism the Red Card.’ We ran this as a PGHS competition and received many entries that were creative and original. The best 7 were put to an anonymous staff vote and the school winners were:

1st place Year 9 – Emma C

2nd place Year 10 – Libby W and Maisie W

3rd place – Naomi S

Each school were allowed one entry per category to be put forward to the national entries. Emma C’s work was entered in to the Year 7-9 Artwork category and Maisie W and Libby W’s work were placed in the Year 10+ Creative Writing and Artwork category.

Maisie W and Libby W came second in their category overall. This was out of 25,000 entries across the country. They were invited to the awards ceremony at Anfield last week, where CBeebies presenters, Ben Cajee and Alex Winters presented the awards.  Other special guests included Liverpool legends, John Barnes and Alan Kennedy.

The prizes donated by the sponsors of the charity were outstanding. Both students received an England football shirt, a football shirt from the team that they support, a football, a FIFA 2023, 2 books, ASDA vouchers and other prizes.

The whole awards ceremony was very humbling and inspiring.  We listened to some of the entries from other students who had come from as far as Surrey to collect their awards. We will certainly be running this competition again in the next academic year.  On October 20th 2023, we will be wearing red in support of the charity.

All entries to the school competition and the national entries will proudly be shown on display in school over the coming months. 

Mrs Cahill

Life Skills Co-ordinator

Life Skills News

Life Skills has got off to a flying start this academic year, which started with sharing the results of the student voice survey with each year group.

This included many questions including whether students enjoy Life Skills, if students feel confident giving views and opinions and if they feel listened to during lessons. The results were very positive. Students also had the opportunity to suggest improvements.

With the new style exercise books (the logo was designed by Abi L in Year 11 last year), every student completed their first lesson about the various topics covered within Life Skills and how they feel about some of the content. This was also an opportunity to try out the new style baseline assessment.

The survey also asked for student volunteers for a focus group and the response was overwhelming to say the least. This group will be present at parents’ evenings to give out information and advice about their particular year group and inform parents about the opportunity to complete a parental questionnaire.

I am also still hoping to start a parent focus group. If you are interested, please contact me directly.

r.cahill@penworthamgirls.lancs.sch.uk

 

Mrs Cahill

Life Skills Coordinator

Life Skills – Summer Term 2022

Year 7 and 8 have spent several lessons looking at gender identity, sexuality and homophobia. They recognise the importance of equality and diversity and how to show respect towards the values, beliefs and opinions of others.

To tie in with Pride month, students had a look at the history of Pride and the different flags to represent inclusivity.  They then produced a display and included sources of support.

Year 9 have been busy looking at the topic of ‘Health’. They learned more about the vaccinations that they may have had as teenagers and the reasons why, as well as looking at herd immunity. They also got the chance to use the mini Annie resuscitation dolls to learn CPR, provided by the Heart Foundation.  They have then produced some information leaflets on what to do.

Year 9 have also been looking at health apps. Digitally Healthy Schools is a program designed to give young people access to trusted digital health apps to support a wide range of health areas. Students will be able to access the library within Digital Healthy Schools in the next academic year.

They have also had a look at some other apps and trialled an app for a week.  They then wrote about their experiences and the benefits of using health apps. The best write-ups have been entered in to the Digitally Healthy Schools competition for the chance to win a fitness tracker or a £30 amazon gift voucher. Maisie W, Charlotte R, Prisha P, Libby W and Molly T, plus many more submitted some great entries. We are currently awaiting the results.

Finally, every student had the opportunity to complete a survey on Life Skills this academic year. The responses were largely positive and this will be shared in the next newsletter. It was encouraging to see the students caring and actively involved in Life Skills.  They took full opportunity at having a student voice on the matter. I also have an army of volunteers ready for next year, who will be helping to raise awareness at parent meetings and parent voice, as well as other exciting opportunities. Watch this space!

Mrs R Cahill

Life Skills Co-ordinator

PREVENT and CHANNEL Question of the Week – Whole School

Last week, students took part in the ‘Question of the Week’ on the Prevent duty and Channel. This is to reinforce the messages already covered in Life Skills and other areas of personal development at PGHS. A short forms quiz was successfully completed to demonstrate understanding and how to report or access support. 

These are both important topics that are revisited regularly.  It is reassuring to know from the forms quizzes completed, that students here do know to tell a trusted adult in these situations. 

Mrs Cahill
Life Skills Co-ordinator

KS3 E-safety Drop Down Session – Thursday 10th March 2022

KS3 students recently spent an afternoon looking at certain aspects of e-safety. This is to compliment the work covered in Life Skills, computing, and other aspects of personal development at PGHS. Mark Naylor from Lancashire Constabulary joined students on Teams for a talk on current issues around e-safety and the reporting process. Students asked lots of interesting questions. This was followed by a session on healthy and unhealthy relationships online, including consent and coercion, live streaming, the sharing of images and other information online.  

This was continued in the Life Skills lessons with a forms quiz and a parentmail was sent should you wish to continue the conversation at home or gain more information. Below are some of the responses from Year 8 and 9.  The sources of support that have been shared with the students are:  

www.childline.org.uk  

www.themix.org.uk 

www.youngminds.org.uk 

www.childnet.com 

Mrs Cahill
Life Skills Co-ordinator

Wot Wud U Do

Years 9-11 are taking part in a pilot of resources produced by WOT WUD U DO. The resource is aimed at talking to young people with confidence by equipping staff with dedicated resources to facilitate lessons and open conversations around mental health, relationships, thoughts, feelings, and emotions. These resources have been designed to address several aspects of the relationships, sex, and health education curriculum (2019)

Overall there are resources for 15 topics.

Life Skills News July 2021

All of the students started the academic year in Life Skills with a reflection on their experiences and thoughts about lockdown. KS3 students then looked at some of the content that they would have covered in the spring and summer term last year before moving on to this year’s program.

Year 7

One of the lessons recently looked at the right to education. This is some of the work that Miss Hollier did with 7P.

The students completed an optional extra task to create a biography on Malala after learning about the right to education.

Katie T, Chloe E and Faye G were awarded a heads commendation for their in-depth work.

This academic year, KS4 students spent time in some of their form sessions looking at this year’s content. Year 10 also recently took part in a sexual health and sexual content online drop-down day, which included a session from Tania Cockcroft who is the Community Sexual Health Education Lead for Lancashire Sexual Health Service. Tania discussed the importance of the ‘3 C’s’ with students – Communication, Consent and Contraception. Other sessions included sexual content online, fertility and infertility, routes in to parenthood and student voice with a pride month quiz.

The day was very successful and feedback from students was extremely positive. Here are a few of their comments:

“It has been very informative and helpful.”

“I found it interesting and I learnt lots of new things.  I was unaware about STI information and their symptoms and the types of contraceptives.”

“I think it’s good to learn about it, since not everyone knows about these things and they might struggle if they are in one of the situations if they didn’t know what to do.”

There was also some extremely good feedback on the question about anything that the students would like to see in Life Skills lessons in the next academic year. The responses have been considered as part of the program of study for next year as student voice is important.

Finally, thank you to the parents/carers who completed the parental forms questionnaire on the RSE and Health Education Policy and also general questions about Life Skills. Again, the overall response was extremely positive. Your feedback is important to us and I look forward to working with you in the next academic year.

Mrs R Cahill

Life Skills Co-ordinator

Life Skills Update

KS3 Life Skills lessons are now being taught with the new Collins resources. The feedback has been extremely positive from both staff and students.

This half term, students will be exploring some of the more sensitive topics of RSE and health education. Here is the half-termly update with sources of further information and support should you wish to continue to conversation at home.

Year 7

L1 – You and bullying.

L2 – Cyberbullying.

L3 – Protecting your online identity.

L4 – The Right to education. (Linked with international women’s day and the rights of a child.)

L5 – UNICEF – Rights of the child.

L6 – Gender and your identity.

L7 – Exploring your sexuality.

https://www.bullying.co.uk/

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/bullying/

www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_13/

www.safetynetkids.org.uk/personal-safety/online-safety/

https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-guide-to-support-a-z/parents-guide-to-support-gender-identity-issues/

www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/sexual-identity/sexual-orientation

www.youngstonewall.org/get-support/coming-out-lgbt

Year 8

L1 – Your developing sexuality.

L2 – Understanding your gender identity.

L3 – LGBT+ rights.

L4 – Sex facts and myths.

L5 – Consent and contraception.

L6 – Sexting.

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-guide-to-support-a-z/parents-guide-to-support-gender-identity-issues/

www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/sexual-identity/sexual-orientation

www.youngstonewall.org/get-support/coming-out-lgbt

https://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/campaigning-global-lgbt-equality

www.healthforteens.co.uk/sexual-health/

https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics/sexting

Year 9

L1 – Money and mental health.

L2 – Credit and debit.

L3 – Gambling and online fraud.

L4 – Social media and body image.

L5 – Sexually transmitted infections.

L6 – Symptoms of STI’s and sexual health clinics.

https://natwest.mymoneysense.com/students/students-12-16/

https://www.bigdeal.org.uk/

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/body-image/

https://lancashiresexualhealth.nhs.uk/

https://www.healthforteens.co.uk/health/about-chathealth/

https://legacy.brook.org.uk/press-releases/new-sexual-health-services-for-lancashire

Mrs Cahill

LIfe Skills Co-ordinator

Life Skills

A big focus for Year 7 since our return has been looking at their values, opinions and worries. This has been completed using the new Collins resources. Here is a lesson on worries and anxieties with some of the work that 7G have been completing in class.

After the Easter break, students at KS3 will be continuing with their Life Skills course. There will be the usual topic update and sources of support and advice for continuing the discussion at home. This will be in the first newsletter after the Easter holiday.

Mrs Cahill

Life Skills Co-ordinator

Life Skills Update

Once again, here are the KS3 topics for the next half term with some sources of support.

Year 7

Students are looking at self-awareness through identifying core values. Strategies to deal with anxious feelings or worry, listening skills, dealing with difficult friendships and a revisit of personal safety online. They will also be completing baseline assessments on forms.

L1 –You and your values.

L2 – You and your opinions.

L3 – Feeling worried/anxious.

L4 – Rivalries.

L5 – Personal safety online revisit.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/skillswise/speaking-and-listening/zdfwgwx

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/conditions/anxiety/

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

Year 8

Students are looking at the facts about some drugs and alcohol as well as peer influence.

They will also be looking in to how they manage their time including internet gaming addiction and if they are addicted to their mobile phone.  Their baseline assessment will be on Forms.

L1 – Recreational drugs and new psychoactive substances.

L2 – Dangerous illegal drugs.

L3 – Impact of drugs.

L4 – The law and drugs.

L5 – How do you spend your time?

https://www.talktofrank.com/get-help/worried-about-a-child

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/49961887

https://nationalonlinesafety.com/guides/screen-addiction-guide-for-parents

Year 9

They will also be looking at the facts about drugs and how to make positive and informed choices relating to them. They will also start to look at money again, moving on to how it can affect your mental health. Their baseline assessment will be on Forms.

L1 – Health risks of drugs.

L2 – Legal risks of drugs.

L3 – Managing risk.

L4 – Long term effects of drugs.

L5 – Controlling money.

https://www.talktofrank.com/get-help/worried-about-a-child

https://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/drugs/

https://natwest.mymoneysense.com/students/students-12-16/

For KS4, Year 10 are moving on to different families. There is a video to show how the role of a woman has changed over the years and a description of all of the different types of family before a quiz on Forms.

Year 11 are exploring the website https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/looking-after-yourself/sexuality-and-mental-health/#what-is-sexuality?

They have some questions to answer on Forms and are invited to also have a look at the https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/ website in celebration of LGBT+ history month.

Mrs Cahill
Life Skills Co-ordinator

  • Arts Council England - Artsmark Gold
  • Lancashire Socio-economic Equality Badge
  • SMART
  • UNICEF
  • School Mental Health Award
  • Ofsted - Outstanding Provider
  • Arts Council England - Artsmark Gold
  • Lancashire Socio-economic Equality Badge
  • SMART
  • UNICEF
  • School Mental Health Award
  • Ofsted - Outstanding Provider