Personal, Social, Health and Relationships Education (PSHRE)
Curriculum Intent
Our PSHRE curriculum equips all pupils with the knowledge to make wise and informed choices, alongside developing life skills, respectful attitudes towards others and inclusive values. Through this, we also model our five Finham values of kindness, integrity, humility, perseverance and courageousness.
Our aim through PSHRE is to help our pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive as individuals and members of society. From making responsible decisions about personal safety and alcohol to succeeding in their first job, PSHRE educates and helps young people to manage many of the most critical opportunities, challenges and responsibilities that they may possibly be faced with when growing up.
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.
Features of our PSHRE curriculum and how we embed the learning?
In order to help our pupils on their journey to become successful, happy and well-rounded young adults, they need to be taught the knowledge that will enable them to make confident and informed decisions about their health, mental wellbeing and relationships. Through age-appropriate content and resources we can help prepare our pupils at Finham for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. In our curriculum, we have built in opportunities for discussions and for pupils to consider relevant scenarios so that they can reflect upon and apply the knowledge that they have learnt in lessons. We hope that they can continue to use this knowledge and the skills and attributes during their life at Finham and beyond. Through our PSHRE curriculum, we aim to support our pupils to develop resilience and to know when and how to ask for help, as well as know where they can access support.
Our PSHRE curriculum, which is in line with the recent Government Statutory Guidance can be found within our PSHRE learning journey from Years 7- 11. Our learning journey illustrates how our PSHRE curriculum builds upon key topics such as mental health, throughout the years, whilst also ensuring the topics are age appropriate for our pupils.
Curriculum Enrichment – how do we link with other subjects and offer experiences?
Many strands of PSHE and Citizenship are delivered within other subjects such as Drama, History and RE, and also as part of pupils’ wider experience of school life. The Student Leadership Programme, participation in College events, charity fundraising, and representing the school in fixtures and external events also are all part of the PSHE and Citizenship experience. We aim to bring to enhance our PSHRE curriculum by bringing in external speakers such as West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service and also in-house through our careers advisor Our student leaders, as well as the new Sixth Form student leadership team, have been given a variety of roles to support elements of PSHRE with the aim to embed key themes such as inclusivity, through wider school life, for example, during assemblies and mentor times.
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