PSHE

What is PSHE & Why is it important?

PSHE stands for Personal, Social, Health & Economic. This encompasses student’s personal development from their qualities and values to their mental and physical health, from forming relationships to their economic wellbeing & career.

PSHE is generally split into 3 sections:

1. Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)

2. Health Education

3. Careers

The DfE calls PSHE education ‘an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education’. Evidence reviews have found that PSHE supports academic attainment by removing barriers to learning.

Today’s young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world, surrounded by uncertainty. Whilst this presents many positive and exciting opportunities, it also brings many challenges and risks (both on and offline). In this world, young people need to know how to be safe and healthy. We need to give them a sense of control and tools so that they can manage their own lives. We want young people to feel safe (including psychological safety), reduce their risky behaviours and increase their knowledge on how to seek help and support - as we know that everyone experiences difficult situations at some point in their lives. We want young people to embrace challenges and go on to have a successful adult life, in order to do this they need to be able to make informed decisions. 

What students say about PSHE:

• It helps you learn about your body.

• Makes you think about what's right and wrong.

• You learn about things you didn't know before. It's a lesson in which we can speak  and consider how we feel.

• It can help you make the right choices in your future.

• PSHE is a subject you learn about the wider world, people you socialise with and yourself.

• Not everyone's parents tell their kids about this stuff as they think it's awkward or we are not old enough. But actually by making us aware of it, we are less likely to be impacted by it.

• This is a safe room we can talk in.

• It lets us be heard and know where to go if we are in trouble.

• Gives us an idea of what to expect in the future.

• To prepare you for what you may come across later on in life.

• It makes you aware of the different people and environment around you.

• It may prevent bad things from happening to me.

• It makes you aware of dangers you may not know about.

• It's a place where you can talk about what's happening.

• It's more discussion and considering opinions which makes me consider how I feel.

• No one judges what I say.

• We learn where to get help.

• It gives you a chance to express what you are thinking about certain subjects and ask questions I wouldn't at home.

Intent

Our vision is to give young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds, not just intimate relationships. It should enable them to know what a healthy relationship looks like and what makes a good friend, a good colleague and a successful marriage or other type of committed relationship. It should also cover contraception, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex (and not applying pressure). It should teach what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in relationships. This will help students understand the positive effects that good relationships have on their mental wellbeing, identify when relationships are not right and understand how such situations can be managed.

 

Implementation

• Year 7, 8 & 9 have fortnightly timetabled PSHE/RSE lessons 

• Tutor sessions of Theme of the Fortnight (Key PSHE themes)

• Tutor sessions of Cultural Capital (Key PSHE themes)

• Assemblies

• Enrichment Day sessions

• Competitions

• Student Voice

• Student Nurse drop in sessions and support

• Learning Mentors

• Careers team 

• Information sent home to parents (Eg online safety leaflets)

• Links to subject content (Eg Geography - natural disasters links to bereavement, loss, communities & resilience)

• 6th form tutor time programme

• Through our house system and values