Developing Links within the Health Curriculum

Create was commissioned by NHS Forth Valley to review and update the health education programme of three secondary schools within one local authority area.

This review differed from our previous work as the focus was to develop a curriculum with links across the topic areas of substance misuse, relationships and sexual health and mental health and emotional wellbeing. This was in response to teacher’s views that there is significant repetition across these topic areas.

The process involved reviewing the current programme in each of the three secondary schools against the experiences and outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence and meeting with representatives from each school. This enabled us to identify the current health education programmes planning, delivery and content, strengths and weaknesses and existing gaps.

The output for each school included:

- A review report with identified strengths and weaknesses and areas for action.
- New health & wellbeing curriculum overview with clear learning outcomes for S1 to S4 linked into existing guidance including CfE.
- New mental health and wellbeing ‘link lessons’. The lessons covered issues that cut across topic based inputs such as risk taking, decision making, peer pressure and influence, body image, feelings and emotions etc.
- New substance misuse lessons for S1 to S4 and new sexual health lessons for S1 and S4 (to complement the existing SHARE programme).

The above process has led to NHS Forth Valley commissioning further work with schools in other local authority areas within the NHS Forth Valley area.

If you'd like further information on this work, or the ways that Create could help you strengthen your health curriculum please contact us.

NB Due to timing of the review the Curriculum for Excellence E&O were in draft form.