Intent
PSHE sessions aim to help children make life choices the keep them safe, happy and healthy. They equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to be independent, responsible citizens who go on to contribute positively to society while preparing them for the world of life and work. PSHE sessions also help students achieve their academic potential.
PSHE sessions promote the British values of tolerance, respect, liberty, democracy and the rule of law.
Implementation
PSHE is taught as timetabled lesson at KS3. Assemblies and extended assemblies' cover PSHE themes and are supported by outside agencies and experts in the field for example Essex Fire Service, Essex Police force and Brook. Topical issues and national themed days are covered in form time with resources sent by the head of department. Literature covering PSHE themes is included in KES read and links are made to subjects across the school.
Three core themes are covered these include:
Health and Wellbeing
Living in the Wider World
Relationships
The curriculum map is reviewed regularly and responds to data and topical issues that arise locally, nationally and globally. Student voice is key to these reviews and planning reflects this.
PSHE days
At KS4 form time PSHE is supplemented by drop down PSHE days. These days are supported by and/or delivered by specialist external agencies for example the Terrence Higgins trust, Essex Fire Services and Essex Sexual health services. These sessions are informative, interactive and provide students with information to support them in areas that contribute to their personal development. Students also have the opportunity to discuss and carry out activities based on the topics with their form and class teachers.
Careers
Within PSHE students learn about post 16 pathways. This includes support surrounding their option choices, apprenticeships, University Applications and the world of work. Students also reflect on the careers fair, engage in sessions from the schools' careers advisor and use the online platform Unifrog, a careers support tool.
Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
The Department for Education sets out in detail what schools must cover. This guidance can be found here .
We ensure that this guidance plus more is covered. A letter giving more information can be found HERE
Consultation
It is important that our delivery model reflects the needs of our students, staff, parents and external agencies such as Essex youth services, the NHS and Essex fire services. Parents are informed about topics being covered in lessons and break out days and the head of department is available to discuss the content being delivered. We welcome you to give opinions on our PSHE curriculum by following this LINK and completing a short survey.
Impact
Students will learn to keep themselves safe, healthy and informed about issues that are relevant to them. Students rank their confidence in lessons at the start and end of topics, this is carried out in place of formal assessment. Students learn how to use their voices to express themselves and share the opinions of others.