About PSHE

New programmes of study for PSHE

What is Personal Development?

PSHE education – working definitions and relationships

These working definitions and explanations were developed by a group comprising representatives of national organisations concerned with PSHE education including DCSF, Ofsted and QCA.

What is PSHE education?

Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is a planned programme of learning opportunities and experiences that help children and young people grow and develop as individuals and as members of families and of social and economic communities.

Why is PSHE education provision important to schools?

PSHE education makes a major contribution to schools’ contribution to the Every Child Matters (ECM) 5 outcomes for children[i] and to the statutory responsibilities to

– promote children and young people’s wellbeing[ii]

– achieve the whole curriculum aims

– promote community cohesion

– provide careers education and sex education

The relationship between PSHE education provision and school ethos is important. An effective school ethos requires:

– effective relationships between all members of the school community

– pupils to play an active part in decision making

– school policies to be compatible with what is taught in PSHE education

Why is PSHE education important to children and young people?

PSHE education equips children and young people with knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthy, safe, productive, fulfilled, capable[iii] and responsible lives. It encourages them to be enterprising and supports them in making effective transitions, positive learning and career choices and in managing their finances effectively. PSHE education also enables children and young people to reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes, and explore the complex and sometimes conflicting range of values and attitudes they encounter now and in the future.

What should be taught?

The content for primary schools is set out in the Frameworks for PSHE and citizenship for key stages 1 and 2 (National Curriculum Handbook for primary teachers, QCA 1999). In the context of the PSHE and citizenship frameworks primary schools address many of the areas of learning included in the PSHE education programmes of study. The primary curriculum is currently under review[iv]

In the new secondary curriculum (to be phased in from September 2008) PSHE education is described in two new, interrelated, programmes of study for both key stages 3 and 4: one for personal wellbeing and one for economic wellbeing and financial capability.

Personal wellbeing draws together personal, social and health education, including sex education, the social and emotional aspects of learning, while economic wellbeing draws together economic understanding, careers education, enterprise, financial capability and work-related learning.

The programmes of study should be used flexibly to ensure that PSHE education programmes are appropriate to pupils’ abilities and backgrounds. They should provide opportunities to address real life and topical issues and show pupils that they can make a difference to their own and others’ lives.

How is PSHE education provided in schools?

PSHE education programmes can include:

· learning opportunities across the curriculum

· specific lessons with separate curriculum time

· explicit opportunities in other curriculum subjects

· whole school and extended timetable activities

· specific projects

· information, support and guidance on specific areas of learning and development

· learning through involvement in the life of the school and wider community.

These opportunities, wherever they occur, should be planned, coordinated, assessed, monitored and evaluated. Children and young people should be involved in this process, influencing provision from the start as well as having a say in how learning develops.

PSHE education is most effective when it uses a wide variety of active learning and assessment approaches and provides frequent opportunities for children and young people to reflect on their own and other people’s experiences so they can use and apply their learning in their own lives. Active involvement in the life of the school and wider community should help young people recognise and manage risk and take increasing responsibility for themselves and their choices.

What is the relationship between PSHE education and personal development?

PSHE education makes a significant contribution to children and young people’s personal development but is not synonymous with it. The promotion of young people’s personal development (which includes their social development) is a fundamental aspect of education. It underpins other learning. Personal development is enhanced as children and young people develop the skills they need to grow and develop as individuals and members of society. All aspects of a child and young person’s experience at home, in school and out of school contribute to personal and social development. It is a function of all subjects and curriculum areas.

PSHE education contributes to personal development by helping children and young people to build their personal identities, confidence and self-esteem, make career choices and understand what influences their decisions including financial ones. It enables them to recognise, accept and shape their identities, to understand and accommodate difference and change, to manage emotions and to communicate constructively in a variety of settings. Developing an understanding of themselves, empathy and the ability to work with others will help them to form and maintain good relationships, and better enjoy and manage their lives.

What is the relationship between SEAL and PSHE education?

SEAL contributes to personal development by promoting social and emotional aspecst of learning. It provides a framework and some ideas for teaching social and emotional skills within discrete lessons, across subjects and outside the classroom. PSHE education provides an invaluable contribution to learning the social and emotional skills that are identified in SEAL. SEAL in turn provides a framework that supports PSHE education.

[i] The ECM outcomes are: be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic wellbeing

[ii] Wellbeing is defined in the Children Act 2004 as the promotion of physical and mental health; emotional wellbeing; social and economic well being; education, training and recreation; recognition of the contribution made by children to society; and protection from harm and neglect. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 places a requirement on schools to promote pupils’ wellbeing as well as their academic achievement.

[iii] Capability refers to a level of awareness of a particular life issue, the development of skills and knowledge associated with it and the willingness to act and to make positive decisions with regard to it. A key concept in economic wellbeing and financial capability, it also applies to personal wellbeing. Capability is essential to social and emotional skills, sex and relationships; drugs and alcohol; economic awareness and enterprise; careers and personal finance. The development of capability requires teaching about the interrelationship between topics so that learning in school echoes the reality of experience in life.

[iv] Sir Jim Rose was asked in January 2008 to conduct a review of primary education the results of which will be implemented from September 2011.

Handout version of above