Personal, Social, Health and Relationships Education (PSHRE)
Intent
We teach PSHRE so that all of our learners receive the tools they need to lead in making the big and small decisions in their lives, so that when they encounter one of life’s many first challenges our learners will better know what to do, how to do it and most importantly know why that choice is the right one for them. We want them to have the skills necessary to weigh up the facts, assess risks and seize opportunities so that they can thrive and develop into responsible decision makers, knowledgeable in everything they need to help them become successful and positive young people on their journey to adulthood.
That is why we teach with the belief it is the most important subject our learners experience in school and give the lessons the name of Young Leadership because students endeavour to develop values that instil in themselves independence, courage and confidence to bravely explore the possibility of a near future where they are responsible for themselves and their own choices.
Click the image on the right to download the Curriculum map that shows a student’s learning journey throughout this subject at Finham Park School.
Click here to view the Assessment Criteria for KS3 and 4.
Implementation
Where will you see PSHRE? Traces of it can be felt everywhere across the school curriculum areas, from Personal Development and down to 1-2-1 restorative education materials. Through our explicit programme you can find strongest sources of PSHRE content over these four areas:
- Personal Development: By gaining experience from their peers and support from pastoral mentors they learn a range of tailored content through Personal Development lessons (Period 1) that address topical themes of the day that impact current affairs and their local community as well as through dedicated mentor assemblies.
- By receiving age appropriate materials through our dedicated curriculum students learn how to address challenges and gain skills they need to develop their knowledge mastery through Young Leadership Lessons (PSHRE).
- Through our home assignments named Projects students receive the chance to bring a broad range of their skills and talents from a range of knowledge areas into their themed homework Projects. Through these home assignments learners receive unique opportunities to develop their instincts, challenge themselves and to model the skills they would need for the world of work, including, project and time management, team work, prioritisation and oracy. Learners have total freedom to create outcomes in a range of different formats of their choice fostering independence and student accountability. Students must seek to make mature personal responses to their briefs. Learners engage in purposeful Projects lasting between 5 and 13 weeks that run in sequence with standard taught lessons which are tracked and set on google classrooms.
Believing that the best change is born from the grassroots, we support and guide the governance of student Initiatives and work with a range of Student Leadership groups and Student Led projects such as Equalities Leadership, Student Newspaper, Pride Alliance and Head Student Leadership teams here at Finham,. These groups both model the skills and leadership qualities we want our students to aspire to have but also champion issues that our students have decided are important in tackling by enriching lessons, personal development time and student life.
Our Curriculum
From 7-11 learners receive dedicated lessons (7-8 one per week – 9-11 one per fortnight) students follow a thematic model inspired and informed by national statutory guidelines, local data as well as students and parent consultation.
Our four thematic areas are Health and Relationships (H&R), Managing Life’s Risks (MLR), World of Work (WoW) and Fundamental British Values (FBV).
| FPS Thematic Model | Some example topics |
Health and Relationships (H&R) | Bullying and Discrimination Friendships and conflict Mental health Physical health Statutory RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) |
Managing Life’s Risks (MLR) | Media and Digital Literacy (safety online) Personal Safety Drugs |
World of Work (Wow) | Personal Finance and Careers |
Fundamental British Values (FBV) | Community and responsibility Tolerance Respect Liberty and Democracy |
Impact
Assessment of learners’ progress in PSHE looks to identify knowledge gaps, reflect on confidence and consider knowledge gained and skills developed through a range of methods including; confidence trackers, work completed in lessons within their work booklets, end of project tests and through the evidence of their completed projects in addition to other class contributions.
Projects in particular will evidence the maturity of response, range and strength of students skills they have shown in their personal home assignments. Two awards are made available each half term for 7+8 students (six per year), once per term (3 per year) for Yr 9,10 & 11. The Trailblazer award is for the most mature project and our Path Finder award is awarded for the students who have shown the greatest amount of improvement that term in the subject evidenced in the lesson and through the project outcome.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
With the government making Relationships and Sex Education a statutory requirement in all schools from September 2020, it has provided us with a perfect opportunity to revisit and update our RSE and PSHE curriculum to now be a complete PSHRE curriculum. We have ensured that we are still delivering high quality education fit for the 21st century. In recent years, there has been changes in terminology and emphasis, with explicit reference to family, relationships and marriage, parenting, sexual and gender identity, consent, pornography, sex within the media, healthy vs unhealthy relationships, sexual harassment and the law.
Through our PSHRE curriculum, we want all of our pupils to gain a knowledge and understanding of these topics in order for them to make wise and informed choices, whilst understanding the importance of respectful attitudes towards others and inclusive values. At Finham, we aim to promote and encourage a positive culture around issues of relationships and sexuality. We also educate our pupils about where they can seek advice and support.
For further information about RSE, please visit our RSE policy which can be found on the policy section of our website.
Sexual harassment and sexual violence
As a school, through PSHRE lessons, assemblies and pastorally, we are committed to ensuring that all pupils are aware of making the right choices within any future relationships and we are not afraid to explore sensitive, yet very important topics such as sexual harassment, ‘up-skirting’, sexual violence through unhealthy relationships, consent and respect towards others.
Mental Health
Mental health is a key focus of PSHRE, and also forms a key part of the school’s commitment to student wellbeing. In PSHRE we take time in each year group to look different aspects of mental health, for example positive relationships in Year 7 and anxiety, depression and healthy and unhealthy coping strategies in Year 9. In the wider school, the importance of maintaining good mental health and seeking help when required is embedded throughout. Some examples are through our anti-bullying week, mentor time activities, discussions and assemblies. The school is very proud to employ a counsellor who provides one to one and group support to pupils who require it, whilst also running a mental health session on exam stress and anxiety for our Year 11 pupils within PSHRE lessons.
Year 7 and 8 pupils will have two lessons a fortnight, whilst Year 9, 10 and 11 will have one lesson per fortnight.
Department of Education guidance for parents
The DfE has published a useful list of FAQs for parents on the new RSE/Relationships Education requirements which can be found here:
The Secondary School Guide for Parent is attached below:
https://finhampark.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/RSE_secondary_schools_guide_for_parents.pdf
Department Staff
Head of PSHRE: Mr. R Kennedy