Personal Development Curriculum

At Harrogate High School, we promote personal development and wellbeing through a comprehensive Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Economic  education curriculum (known as Life Skills lessons), our CARES Character Curriculum, educational visits, extra-curricular clubs and other enrichment opportunities.  

Life skills is the curriculum subject that gives young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live safe, healthy, productive lives and meet their full potential.  It is a statutory requirement that schools teach Relationships and Health Education to all students, as well as the National Curriculum for Citizenship.  We can also meet emerging safeguarding and wellbeing needs through our Life skills curriculum, and we are always seeking to refine and tailor our offer to ensure our students are well-informed and prepared for as many life situations as possible.  Life skills is a discrete curriculum subject in all year groups and teachers meet regularly to receive training on planning and delivery.  In years 10 and 11 life skills also incorporates the delivery of our core religious education. This is taught through religious perspectives with relation to applicable content, or in discrete religious education units (see curriculum overview for details). 

Students are also supported to develop aspects of character through our CARES Character Curriculum, which is delivered as part of our tutor time programme through one session a week with form tutors. In years 7-9 students complete the CARES passport during designated lesson time once per fortnight as part of their Bedrock learning lessons. This is designed to support students in their personal development journey, through setting a series of age-related targets related to our CARES values and reflecting on successes and areas for further development. 

Personal Development Intent

We will, as a whole staff body, embody the culture and values of the school (Courage, Aspiration, Respect, Equality, Self-Control) so that are students are empowered to learn, grow, and develop into the best version of themselves. The Personal Development curriculum, particularly through the Life skills curriculum and CARES Character curriculum, aims to enhance students spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development as well as to equip students with the empathy and resilience required to be able to manage their emotions and communicate to succeed in the ever changing 21st century. We want our students to build their confidence, resilience, and self-esteem, to identify and manage risk, make informed choices, and understand what influences their decisions. Our curriculum will be continually responsive to our students, and we strive to equip them with the tools needed to understand boundaries and appropriate responses to a wide range of health, wellbeing, relationship, and other issues in the wider world. 

Curriculum Overview 2025-26