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.

PSHE education falls outside the statutory national curriculum and was the subject of a seperate DfE review which published its outcomes in March 2013. No new programmes of study were published for the subject but the PSHE Association is working on updating existing guidance during 2013 to better meet the needs of today's children and young people. Please see our curriculum pages for more details.