The toolkit has been created to enable schools in Northamptonshire to respond to recent and planned changes in the curriculum and qualifications for 11 to 19 year olds, and to develop coherent and effective processes and programmes that will prepare their students for adult life in the 21st century. In particular the toolkit is designed to help schools meet:

• the requirements and expectations of the Every Child Matters agenda;
• the statutory requirements for careers education, citizenship, sex and drugs education and work-related learning and enterprise; and
• the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust’s expectations for personalised learning.

It will also help schools prepare for QCA's revisions for the National Curriculum at key stages 3 and 4 from 2008 onwards. In particular, it addresses the issues raised by QCA's new programmes of study for PSHE education.

The government plans to create an education system for the 21st century based upon the Every Child Matters agenda and the creation of a new skills framework that includes personal, learning and thinking skills in all subjects and functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT. The new curriculum for key stages 3 and 4 aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to meet the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life in this century.

QCA's revised programmes of study for key stage 3 and 4 for 2008 onwards show how all subjects can contribute to the development of personal, learning and thinking skills and a curriculum that supports the five objectives of the Every Child Matters agenda, namely one that ensures:

Young people will enjoy and achieve by:

• developing a positive sense of their own identity and self-esteem;
• being able to enjoy life and be positive about its challenges;
• having a say in what and how they learn;
• learning to assess their skills, achievement and potential to set personal goals;
• understanding that achievement is life-long and there are different ways to succeed; and
• aiming to achieve the best they are capable of.

Young people will stay safe by:

• understanding how to identify risks, minimise them and deal with them in different situations;
• being able to make safe choices;
• developing the confidence to take on new experiences and ideas safely;
• identifying the dangers in new and different choices in a changing technological world; and
• developing skills such as assertiveness to resist unhelpful pressure.

Young people will be healthy and understand:

• how to look after their physical, emotional and sexual health;
• that they can and should make positive choices and take sensible actions;
• that they can avoid harmful choices;
• the consequences that some decisions, might have on their health and that of others; and
• how to deal with illness, in themselves and others.

Young people will make a positive contribution by:

• understanding the multiple roles individuals play;
• developing the skills and strategies to be effective and form good relationships in a variety of roles;
• knowing how to make a difference in a group, community or society;
• knowing how to work effectively with other people; and
• understanding the consequences of anti-social behaviour.

Young people will achieve economic well-being by:

• understanding the qualities and skills needed for working life;
• making creative and realistic plans for their transition into, through and beyond the 14-19 phase of learning;
• handling uncertainty and respond positively to change;
• embracing and implement new ideas and new ways of doing things;
• making reasonable risk/reward assessments and act upon them in a variety of contexts, both personal and work-related;
• understanding about the global economy, the way business works and that there are different kinds of business; and
• managing their own money and be questioning and informed consumers of financial services.

There are four sections to this website as follows:

• Strategic - for managers and co-ordinators.
• Operational - for teachers.
• Resources - for teachers.
• Employer engagement - for managers and teachers.

In addition to the articles listed you can access additional help in the 'documents' section. Here the articles are downloadable for use or adapting to the needs of the school.