Humanities: LIFE STUDIES
Faculty Leader: Mrs L Jackson


Life Studies @ Marden Bridge

In Life Studies, pupils follow a programme of PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) and RE (Religious Education) throughout the school, with elements of the Citizenship curriculum added in Years 7 & 8.

Through their learning explorations and their resulting increased knowledge and understanding, children are encouraged to consider their attitudes and values as a continuing theme. Although the PSHE and RE elements are timetabled as separate modules, in reality many themes are common to both, enabling all statutory requirements to be met.

Pupils in all year groups receive input on the physical aspects of RSE (Relationships and Sex Education), from Puberty in Year 5 and 6, through to contraception, consent and it's  implications in Years 7 & 8.
Please see our RSE Policy for further detail.

In Year 7, the physiological aspects of human development and reproduction are addressed in science lessons, as part of a general topic on plant and animal reproduction.  At the same time, the pupils will follow complementary modules on human relationships in the PSHE component of Life Studies.

Elements of the PSHE curriculum are regularly covered within form-time and also in assemblies.

SRE Parent Focus Group presentation

RSE Parent Focus Group

In 2020 we sought views from pupils and parents in order to amend our programme.

We look forward to receiving further views from you in the future.

Religious Education

At Marden Bridge RE is taught through a multi-faith approach, reflecting the reality of diverse backgrounds in Britain today. Believing RE should now be made part of the National Curriculum, and that a multi-faith syllabus should become obligatory instead of advisory, Marden Bridge welcomes the new (although as yet non-statutory) guidelines, “A curriculum framework for Religious Education in England” published in October 2013 by the Religious Education Council (REC).

With the RE teaching framework, children and young people will develop:

Strong, core knowledge of religions and worldviews through varied experiences, approaches and disciplines including investigative teaching and enquiry.

Written and spoken skills to interpret and make sense of religion and belief, as well as to reflect on and express their own and others’ ideas with clarity.

A strong subject understanding: with an increasing ability to respond to religions and worldviews in an informed, rational and insightful way.

Whole school literacy focus

The RE department regularly and continuously teaches explicit literacy skills, in both lessons and within marking feedback.

Philosophy for Children

Experiential RE through mind, body, and spirit skills is a strong focus and in Philosophy for Children, all year groups receive sessions at intervals. In Key Stage 2, this takes the form of a Values lesson, unrelated to the current topic, whilst in Key Stage 3, the topic is explored through selected argumentative dialogues in a Philosophical Enquiry framework.

“Alongside the subject’s contribution to pupils’ mental, cognitive and linguistic development, RE offers distinctive opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. RE lessons should offer a structured and safe space during curriculum time for reflection, discussion, dialogue and debate. Lessons should also allow for timely and sensitive responses to be made to unforeseen events of a religious, moral or philosophical nature, whether local, national or global.”

Visits

In Year 5, Hillheads Community Church is visited, and we are currently developing other opportunities for Church leaders to come into school to enrich the teaching of Christianity. All pupils visit Whitley Bay Baptist Church for the Christmas Carol Service.

Year 6 visit the Whitley Bay Islamic Cultural Centre and Mosque where they are introduced to the Imam and receive a talk about how Muslims live their lives in Great Britain today. We are hoping to arrange a dual visit where we walk to both places of worship with both Muslim and Christian leaders accompanying us, intending to send a strong interfaith message to pupils and foster community cohesion.

Church visit

Church visit

Islamic centre visit

Islamic Centre Visit

 
Contact Us
MARDEN BRIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Lovaine Avenue
Whitley Bay
Tyne & Wear
NE25 8RW
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