PSHE/RSE

As a part of your child’s education at Writhlington school, we promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education programme.

PSHE education is the curriculum subject that gives young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live safe, healthy, productive lives and meet their full potential. Students take part in lessons which will focus on the relationships and sex education (RSE) aspect of this programme. RSE lessons are age appropriate and include relevant areas including: Healthy relationships, including friendships and intimate relationships; families; growing and changing, including puberty; personal hygiene; changing feelings; becoming more independent; keeping safe and consent; developing self-esteem and confidence.

Students will also have opportunities to ask questions that help prepare them for relationships of all kinds in the modern world. PSHE education is taught throughout the school in every year group and is monitored and reviewed regularly by the staff and governing body. Please see below for more detail about our PSHE curriculum. All PSHE teaching takes place will take place in a safe learning environment and is underpinned by our school ethos and values.

PSHE education is a school subject through which students develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and prepared for life and work. PSHE has an impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for students, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

Our PSHE Curriculum aims to develop skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, teamworking and critical thinking in the context of three core themes: health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world (including economic wellbeing and aspects of careers education).

The national curriculum also states that ‘all schools should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), drawing on good practice’. PSHE education contributes to schools’ statutory duties outlined in the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010 to provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum and is essential to Ofsted judgements in relation to personal development, behaviour, welfare and safeguarding. The relationships and health aspects of PSHE education and is compulsory for all schools from September 2020.

How can PSHE education benefit students?

PSHE education helps students to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage life’s challenges and make the most of life’s opportunities.

There is evidence to show that PSHE education can address teenage pregnancy, substance misuse, unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity, emotional health and other key issues. PSHE can also tackle barriers to learning, raise aspirations, and improve the life chances of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged students.

How does PSHE education help schools to meet their statutory duties?

Under section 78 of the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010, schools must provide a ‘balanced and broadly-based curriculum’ which promotes ‘the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of students at the school and of society, and prepares students at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life’.

PSHE education makes a major contribution to schools fulfilling this duty.

Schools also have duties in relation to promoting student wellbeing and student safeguarding (Children Act 2004) and community cohesion (Education Act 2006). Paragraph 41 of statutory guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education, the Department for Education states that ‘schools should consider how children may be taught about safeguarding, including online, through teaching and learning opportunities. This may include covering relevant issues through PSHE…’

Relevant issues which may be covered in PSHE education include: child sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse, sharing of sexual images, the impact of online pornography on students, the dangers of extremism and radicalisation, forced marriage, honour-based violence and female genital mutilation.

The Equality Act 2010 also places duties on schools not just to address prejudice-based bullying but also to help to prevent it happening, and in doing so to keep protected characteristic groups safe. PSHE education, with its focus on identity and equality, can help schools to fulfil this duty.

It is now a statutory requirement that PSHE is delivered in school and so you will see that PSHE will be delivered in different ways at Writhlington School. Firstly, in weekly tutor sessions and secondly via a team of teachers in the same way as any other curriculum subject.

Click here to view the curriculum intent, implementation and programme of study for PSHE / RSE.

Parents will not be able to withdraw their child from any aspect of relationships education or health education.

Parents will be able to withdraw their child from any or all aspects of sex education, other than those which are part of the science curriculum, up to and until three terms before the age of 16. However, this can only happen after discussion with the school. Please contact Mrs England, the Deputy Head Teacher.  

After that point, the guidance states that “if the child wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school should make arrangements to provide the child with sex education during one of those terms”. 

Where students are withdrawn from sex education, schools will document the process and will “ensure that the student receives appropriate, purposeful education during the period of withdrawal”.

We of course encourage all students to access all parts of the PSHE curriculum. We see this curriculum subject as one which gives young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills they need to live safe, healthy, productive lives and realise their full potential.