PSHCE
PSHCE
Curriculum Intent
Alongside the broad curriculum of academic and practical subjects on offer at our school, Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Economic education is a key aspect of your daughter’s development. Our intention is for your daughter to be aware of the challenges and opportunities associated with life in the 21st century, and to feel confident about taking them on in her adult life. Students learn about a huge variety of essential, age-appropriate, stimulating topics. Through this, they develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep them healthy and safe as individuals, and to prepare them for life and work as active citizens in modern Britain. By the time our students leave us, they will have developed the resilience needed to face difficult situations, to know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support
Contextual background
Young People nowadays are growing up in a fast-paced and global world, where rapid change, instant communication and unprecedented events have become the norm. At St Saviour’s and St Olave’s, we want our students to have regular opportunities to discuss a range of issues and to rehearse scenarios that allow them to develop their own attitudes and opinions.
We believe that students should absolutely have a right to consider the societal, environmental and technological matters that are set to shape and transform the way we all live, work, travel, study and eat in the 21st Century. Be it the Black Lives Matter movement, ending violence towards women, respecting protected characteristics, artificial intelligence, space tourism, decarbonising the world economy and so much more, your daughter will have many occasions to consider the impact of these factors.
PSHCE education contributes to schools' statutory duties outlined in the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010, namely to provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum. It is a central element of the Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS – click here to read our 2019 inspection report) and is essential to Ofsted judgements in relation to personal development, behaviour, welfare and safeguarding.
Since September 2020, most of the topics covered by PSHE have become compulsory. This statutory requirement includes relationships, sex education, physical health and mental well-being. You can click on this link to read the full statutory guidance document published by the Department for Education:
Shared values
Our Christian values underpin and reinforce PSHCE education:
The School Motto – Heirs of the Past, Children of the Present, Makers of the Future
The School Ethos – Compassionate, Reflective, Inclusive, Supportive and Transformative
The School Rule – Respect your learning, our ethos, our environment.
Curriculum
PSHCE education is delivered through discrete drop-down days across the academic year. Each themed day focuses on one specific aspect of the PSHCE curriculum, covering all the statutory elements as well as other fundamentals recommended by the PSHE Association.
October: mental health and emotional well-being.
December: economic well-being, financial understanding and careers.
February: relationships and age-appropriate elements of the now statutory sexual health education programme.
March: citizenship and democracy issues at a local, national and global level, including the environment.
July: physical health.
Additionally, students in Y7 have one weekly PSHCE lesson throughout their first year in secondary school. These lessons are designed to assist with transitioning from primary school, developing study skills and learning to establish and manage healthy friendships and relationships.
Across the entire PSHCE curriculum, we are fortunate to be able to count on expertise and support from our numerous partners and external specialised agencies, to assist teachers with delivering the huge array of topics covered.
KS3
Some of the topics covered in the KS3 programme
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Mental Health and Emotional Well-being KS2 to KS3 transition, the Power of exercise, Resilience, Racial justice and racial equality, Bereavement, the Portrayal of MH in soaps, a Geographical perspective of MH in different parts of the world and the factors behind it, Positive thinking, The Power of art, the Language of MH, Self-image |
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Economic Understanding, Financial Well-being and Careers Comparing jobs of the past and the future, People skills, Identity fraud, Minimum wage, Consumer rights, Planning your career, Employment law, Different functions within an organisation |
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Relationships, Health and Sex Education (statutory requirement since September 2020) The Worry Tree, Unhelpful thoughts, HPV vaccine, Media portrayal of relationships, FGM, Child sexual exploitation (grooming), Conception, Forced marriage, SPITE (sharing and publishing images to embarrass), LGBTQ+ |
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Citizenship and Living in the Wider World Gangs (risks and consequences), Serious and Organised Crime, People who live with Physical or mental Disabilities, Education and Wealth (choices and inequalities), Racial justice and racial equality |
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Physical Well-being Dental Health, the Science of Sneezing, Tobacco (risks and influences), What influences our health choices, Understanding the Dangers of Drugs |
KS4
Some of the topics covered in the KS4 programme
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Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Bereavement, Mental health portrayed in film, KS3 to KS4 transition, an Historical perspective on how the mentally ill used to be managed, the Power of music, the Power of Prayer, a Religious perspective of mental health, Racial justice and racial equality |
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Economic Understanding, Financial Well-being and Careers Taxation, Money Mules, Crowdfunding, Managing your Money, Young Enterprise Learn2Earn workshops with volunteers from different business sectors |
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Relationships, Health and Sex Education (statutory requirement since September 2020) Consent, Healthy and unhealthy relationships, STIs, LGBTQ+ |
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Citizenship and Living in the Wider World How Language can divide Society, Handling Conflict, Racial justice and racial equality, Extremism, Radicalisation, Artificial intelligence, Veganism |
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Physical Well-being Substance Misuse (managing risk), |
KS5
Some of the topics covered in the KS5 programme
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Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Scientific perspective of MH, Yoga taster, Racial justice and racial equality, Types of mental illness, Stress, Initiation rites, Anorexia |
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Economic Understanding, Financial Well-being and Careers Female Entrepreneurship, Apprenticeships Fair, Talks by specialists in different companies, the Cost of learning, Planning your Retirement, Mapping out your Mortgage, the Gig economy |
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Relationships, Health and Sex Education (statutory requirement since September 2020) Racial justice and racial equality, Domestic abuse, Divorce and Separation, Parenting, Infertility, Contraception |
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Citizenship and Living in the Wider World Homelessness, Travel and Tourism in the 21st century, the Israel-Palestine conflict, Environmental ethics, Citizen campaigns, Disappearing resources |
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Physical Well-being Health at university or away from home, Managing unwanted attention, Reducing Inappropriate Behaviours |