Medicines, Bugs and Drugs
Our Medicines, Bugs and Drugs Education work is one part of our PSHEC (Personal Social Health Economic Citizenship) Education curriculum which focuses on equipping children with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to keep safe.
- The infants and reception classes learn about personal hygiene, medicines and hazardous substances at home.
- The lower juniors begin to learn about drugs with a particular focus on tobacco and alcohol.
- The upper juniors will consider how drugs have medical and/or non-medical use, the law in relation to drugs, the impact this can have on a young person’s future aspirations and peer pressure.
All topics are taught in a sensitive and age appropriate way in a safe and supportive environment. This work is complimented by the highly trained staff from Coram Life Education, who run workshops with each class focussing on these different aspects with the help of Harold the Giraffe.
Parents are invited to the parents’ workshop each year, but can also contact the school for more information or if you have any questions please contact the school. Below is a summary of the learning which will take place.
Year
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Key Learning
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Reception
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- To explore the body: how it works; what it needs; how to look after it.
- To discuss medicines; why we use them; safety issues; who can help with medicines.
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Year 1
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- To explore the body: how it works; what it needs; how to look after it; focus on balanced diet, medicine safety and personal hygiene.
- To recognise which people can give us medicines.
- To understand the safety rules for medicines.
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Year 2
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- To explore the body: how it works; what it needs.
- To understand how diseases are spread; how they can be controlled and their responsibilities for their own health and that of others.
- To understand why we use medicines; how to follow simple safety instructions; when and how to get help from adults.
- To understand that some things we may put into our bodies can cause us harm.
- To treat household substances with respect and follow safety rules.
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Year 3
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- To explore the body: how it works; what it needs; functions of the brain and nervous system.
- To understand that medicines are drugs; safety issues for medicine use.
- To establish a common understanding of the word drug and understand that nicotine and alcohol are drugs and begin to explore their effects on the body
- To explore the concept of safety with medicines, drugs and substances and create some keeping safe rules for different situations.
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Year 4
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- To explore the body: how it works; what it needs; functions of the digestive, nervous, circulatory systems.
- To understand that all medicines are drugs but not all drugs are medicines; there are different types of drugs; discussion of cigarettes and alcohol, their effects and associated risks.
- To examine some of the consequences of drug taking and explore how feelings and environment effect drug use.
- To focus upon pressure and influences to do things against your will and ways of resisting.
- To discuss substances in the home that may be harmful.
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Year 5
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- To understand that there are both health risks and social consequences from smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol.
- To deepen their knowledge about cigarettes and alcohol: their effects and associated risks (including addiction).
- To consider the reasons why most people choose not to use tobacco and not to get drunk and why some people do.
- To explore attitudes towards themselves, their bodies and other people; the use of cigarettes and alcohol.
- To understand that pressures to behave in an unacceptable, unhealthy or risky way can come from a variety of sources, including people they know (peer pressure) and the media.
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Year 6
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- To understand how and why commonly available substances and drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) can damage their immediate and future health and safety.
- To deepen knowledge of legal and illegal drugs and volatile substances; reasons why people use them, their effects and associated risks.
- To understand that alcohol (and other drugs) is linked with people making bad decisions and taking unsafe risks.
- To understand that being informed and making good decisions can help you to stay safe around alcohol.
- To understand how young people’s actions in relation to alcohol and other drugs can be influenced by their peers.
- To build confidence to identify and manage peer pressure assertively.
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