Curriculum Portal

neurologyYou need to know

• Short-term effects of drinking too much alcohol can include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, reduced self-control, memory loss (blackouts), accidents, and aggressive or risky behaviour.
• Long-term heavy alcohol use increases the risk of liver disease, heart problems, addiction (alcohol dependence), some cancers, and poor mental health such as depression and anxiety.
• Common reasons people choose not to drink alcohol include religious or moral beliefs, health concerns, playing sport, family history of alcohol problems, responsibilities such as caring or driving, and disliking the taste or effects.
• Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or hostility directed at someone because of their race, skin colour, or ethnic origin, which can appear in individual actions, language, or institutional practices.
• Gender-based discrimination (sexism) occurs when someone is treated unfairly, stereotyped, harassed, or denied opportunities because of their sex or gender.
• Gender stereotypes are oversimplified and generalised ideas about how people of a particular gender are supposed to look, behave, or feel, such as assuming girls are less suited to science or boys should not show emotion.
• Sexting is sending, receiving, or sharing sexually explicit messages, images, or videos, often using mobile phones, messaging apps, or social media platforms.
• In UK law, creating, possessing, or sharing sexual images of anyone under 18 is illegal, even if the image is a 'selfie' taken and sent willingly by the young person themselves.
• A digital footprint is the record of all the information about a person that exists online, including posts, comments, photos, videos, search history, and data collected by websites and apps.
• Digital footprints are long-lasting, can be copied and shared beyond the original audience, and may be seen by friends, family, schools, employers, and strangers, affecting how others judge a person.
• The "worry time" strategy involves choosing a set time each day to focus on worries, writing them down or thinking about them only during that time, and postponing worries that arise outside this period until the next worry time.
• The 5,4,3,2,1 grounding technique usually involves noticing 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel (touch), 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste to bring attention back to the present moment.
• Strong emotions affect our whole system: they can change the way our body feels (for example butterflies in the stomach), the way we think (for example racing thoughts), and the way we behave (for example shouting or withdrawing).
• There are many healthy strategies to manage strong emotions, such as deep breathing, grounding techniques, talking to someone you trust, doing physical activity, creative activities, and problem-solving the situation.
• A simple three-step process for repairing relationships is: first recognise and take responsibility for what you did and how it affected the other person; second offer a genuine apology and listen to their feelings; third agree how to move forward, including any changes or actions to rebuild trust.
• Helpful strategies for someone being bullied include telling a trusted adult, keeping evidence (such as screenshots), using clear and assertive statements to say the behaviour is not okay, staying near safe people, and not retaliating with more bullying.
• The "catch it, check it, change it" strategy involves first catching (noticing) an unhelpful thought, then checking it by looking at the evidence for and against it, and finally changing it into a more balanced, realistic thought.
• Vaping carries health risks because most vapes contain nicotine, which is addictive and can affect the developing teenage brain, and vape liquids and vapour can irritate the lungs and airways and may increase the risk of long-term breathing and heart problems.

• Describe the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol on different parts of the body using accurate health vocabulary and clear examples.
• Propose safe, assertive ways to challenge racism, religious discrimination, and gender-based discrimination, including when to seek support from trusted adults or organisations.
• Identify different forms of gender-based discrimination in texts, conversations, or situations and explain how they restrict people's choices, safety, or opportunities.
• Use privacy settings, strong passwords, blocking and reporting tools, and careful sharing choices to reduce online risks and protect both themselves and others.
• Explain the differences between worry and anxiety in your own words, giving at least one example of each from everyday life.
• Carry out the 5,4,3,2,1 grounding technique in a moment of anxiety by accurately naming things you can see, feel, hear, smell, and taste to bring your focus back to the present.
• Identify and label strong emotions and possible triggers in a given scenario or personal experience, linking what happened to how you felt, thought, and acted.
• Select and apply a suitable coping strategy (such as deep breathing, grounding, talking to someone, or taking a break) for a described situation involving strong feelings, explaining why it is a good fit.
• Sort examples of peer interactions into bullying, banter, or argument, justifying each decision using the ideas of repetition, intent to harm, and power balance.