Being Great Human Beings (BGHB)
The purpose of the Being Great Human Beings (BGHB) curriculum at Harris Academy Falconwood is to provide all our students, regardless of gender, sexuality, disability, or religion, with an aim to make our students great human beings.
Being Great Human Beings Overview
Our BGHB curriculum develops essential knowledge, skills and attributes that contribute to a positive and productive life experience. Through engagement in the BGHB curriculum, students will further their knowledge of contemporary issues and be equipped with the skills to unpack and understand increasingly complex and challenging scenarios. Students will develop skills that are highly prized in the workplace through discussion, teamwork and debate in a variety of situations. Throughout, students develop their self-confidence and esteem, raising aspiration and preparing them to take their place in society and make a difference.
Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) is a core part of the BGHB curriculum. When students leave us, we want them to understand what being in a healthy and respectful relationship entails and to respect the fact that relationships can take many different forms. For further information on our RSE provision, please see our RSE Policy.
How is the Human and Life Skills Curriculum delivered?
At Harris Academy Falconwood, we follow a thematic approach to aid the successful delivery of the BGHB curriculum. Across Key Stages Three and Four students have one 85-minute lesson per week on being great human beings. We both track and report our BGHB curriculum. We cover:
- Positive Relationships
- Online Safety
- Owning Your Body and Health
- Mental Wellbeing and Physical Health
- Staying Safe in The Community
- Communication and Careers
- Financial Education
These key themes are addressed sequentially, year on year and cover the RSE statutory guidance and topics highlighted by the PSHE Association. This approach mirrors the maturation of the students and enables complex and relevant issues to be tackled in more depth over time. Each key theme is broken down into discreet lessons that serve to inform students about the facts, legalities and different viewpoints of important issues. In lessons, students are encouraged to discuss issues with their peers, serving to break down barriers and build relationships of trust and mutual respect.
BGHB themes are also addressed during Focus Days. Focus Days are days in the school calendar that are set aside to focus on key aspects of the curriculum, best suited to be delivered over the course of a day. The curriculum focuses these days on careers, workplace skills and economic education.
Our assembly programme serves to address key contextual issues for our students and their communities. It enables assembly leaders to be responsive to the needs and challenges that occur throughout the lives of our students. It is a forum in which staff and external presenters can discuss notable dates such as Black History Month, Holocaust Awareness and others. Assemblies begin with a performance from our students, raising awareness of the talents and abilities of peers and giving students a chance to appreciate cultural capital.
We use the BGHB curriculum to respond to contextual matters within and around our school community. This dynamic response has most recently served to inform our students about mental health following the pandemic, sexual harassment and consent, and the conflict in Eastern Europe. This flexibility ensures that we are able to adapt to the needs of our students, thus ensuring that we support in the shaping of great human beings.
