Personal, Social, Health & Citizenship Education (PSHCE)

Block 1: Health and wellbeing: In this unit, students look at topics relating to their physical, mental and emotional health safety and well-being. We introduce students to the relationship between physical and mental health during this unit and enable students to name and navigate emotions.  

Block 2: Relationships and sex education: In this section of the curriculum, students think about the wide range of relationships which exist in our society and the qualities of healthy relationships. Intimate relationships, and readiness for sexual activity are introduced within this framework. It is important that our students are not made to solely focus on sexual relationships but are allowed to think about some of the other key relationships they experience such as family, siblings and friendships.  

Block 3: Living in the wider world: The aim of the Wider World is to broaden and deepen students general knowledge, and enable them to start thinking about developing a wide range of skills and a career path that suits their abilities, in keeping with our mission statement ‘ambition for all.’ Similarly, it is to build student knowledge of their contribution to the wider world, and how their choices impact the wider economy. In this section of the curriculum students explore risks in relation to personal safety. From year 8 and Year 9, risks of substance abuse are introduced. As peer pressure plays a large part in young people’s introduction to alcohol and drugs, we teach this in conjunction with these topics.  

Term 1: Health and Wellbeing, Living in the Wider World, Relationships (Y11): At KS4, we build on skills built at KS3 with regards to developing students’ confidence to access help and support, whilst also developing skills to reframe negative thinking and develop perseverance in order to create resilient young people. We cover sex and relationships during this term with Year 11 in order to focus on future planning, careers and goal setting in the spring term. 

Term 2: Living in the wider world, Relationships (Y10): At KS4, we build on students exploration of career paths and KS3 and develop practical skills such as CV building and interview technique. We also support students to develop revision, organisation and goal setting techniques in order to best prepare them for the end of Y11 but also illustrate to them how these skills will benefit them in their future working lives.  

Term 3: Living in the Wider World, Health and wellbeing. At KS4, this builds on concepts such as personal safety and peer pressure explored at KS3, and applies this to concepts such as radicalisation and extremism. We chose to study these at KS4 as students are generally older, more mature, and better equipped to handle complex and potentially sensitive topics.  

Year 10 spend half of this unit preparing and reflecting on work experience. Year 11 are equipped for their GCSE examinations before they go on study leave.  

We build on concepts developed during KS3 and 4, whilst also exploring new topics relevant to adulthood, and focusing on practical skills for independent living and future education/careers. We encourage our sixth formers to be interesting and interested and thus PSHCE delivery encourages student participation that goes beyond participation to class debate. Whilst adhering to statutory guidance and obligations, students at KS5 have the opportunity to conduct individual research or present in groups/individually when debating concepts or ideas where appropriate. 

Term 1: Health and Wellbeing, Living in the Wider World, Relationships (Y13). During this unit students build on concepts explored during KS3 and 4 in relation to mental health and emotional wellbeing. Just beginning their sixth form journey, Year 12 students are encouraged to consider future career paths and opportunities. We cover sex and relationships during this term with Year 13 in order to focus on future planning, careers and goal setting in the spring term. 

Term 2: Living in the Wider World, Relationships (Y12). Students are encouraged to develop skills for the future world of work but also to practice and create CV’s, interview skills. Relationships and sex education at KS5 continues to explore different types of relationships. At KS5 we have a renewed focus on navigating changing relationships and considering this across their school lives and beyond. We also encourage students to deepen their understanding of consent and recognise different forms of manipulation and coercion.  

Term 3: Living in the Wider World, Health and Wellbeing. This builds on consistent themes developed during KS3 and 4 regarding diversity and inclusion, applying this to the workplace and we continue to develop sixth formers knowledge and understanding of the future world of work. Year 12 students are supported during this unit with UCAS applications, whilst Year 13 are encouraged to developed practical skills to assist them with independent living.