Build your programme

Plan your schemes of work with our PSHE education Programme Builders for key stage 1-5

PB grid page
Planning your schemes of work can sometimes feel overwhelming, but these frameworks provide examples of PSHE education programmes across all key stages, to help support your own curriculum design.
LL
Subject Specialist

Easily build the perfect scheme of work for your pupils.

Our Programme Builders give you useful examples of possible curriculum frameworks. They set out what you could cover with each year group, in each half term / term across the year. We cover the whole Programme of Study for PSHE education – including statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education content – and link to quality assured lesson plans you can use.

Schools should always tailor PSHE education to their pupils' needs.

So these are not full schemes of work, but useful example frameworks to support your planning, whatever your preferred delivery model.  

We have five models (two for primary, two for secondary and one crossphase), each with:

  • a long term plan for the year across all year groups
  • grids for each year group with suggested learning objectives for each half-term
  • links to lesson plans (both our own resources and those carrying our Quality Mark) that support each module. We add new quality assured resources to the Programme Builders as they are published.
The six models
  • This programme builder is structured around an overarching question for each term or half term. These begin in key stage 1 as ‘What? and ‘Who?’ questions and build throughout Key Stage 2 into ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ questions.

    The three core themes from the Programme of Study are fully covered. Colour-coding highlights if the overall topic focus is Health and Wellbeing, Relationships or Living in the Wider World (although some half term blocks will draw on more than one core theme). Teaching builds throughout the primary phase according to the age and needs of the pupils, with suggested developmentally appropriate learning objectives responding to each key question.

  • This programme builder takes a thematic approach to primary PSHE education, covering all three core themes of the Programme of Study (Health and Wellbeing; Relationships; and Living in the Wider World) over the school year, with three topics per half term.

    This approach allows different year groups to work on similar themes at the same time, building a spiral programme year on year, whilst offering flexibility in terms of medium term planning. The colour-coded topic areas can be adapted to meet planning requirements, pupils’ stage of development and needs and also to reflect the context of the school and local community.

  • Covering year 3 to year 8, this Programme Builder is designed to support planning in preparatory or middle schools, covering all three core themes of the Programme of Study (Health and Wellbeing; Relationships; and Living in the Wider World) over six half terms.

    The topics are arranged in a manner that allows for timely exploration at an appropriate point in the school year and pupils’ experiences. It provides a carefully sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge, skills and attributes year on year, as the core themes are revisited. This Programme Builder covers all aspects of the Programme of Study, as well as all of the statutory Relationships and Health education content for Key Stage 2 and lower key stage 3, though we don't include key stage 3 curriculum more suitable for Year 9 students.

  • This programme builder takes a thematic approach to secondary PSHE education, covering all three core themes of the Programme of Study (Health and Wellbeing; Relationships; and Living in the Wider World) over six half terms.

    The Programme Builder is designed in such a way that all year groups are working on the same core theme at the same time, however the colour-coded topic areas can be adapted to suit your planning requirements and there is no ‘correct order’. Content should be selected that ensures opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and attributes, through a programme that is relevant and appropriate to the ethos of the school and the needs of its students.

  • This programme builder takes a competencies-based approach to secondary PSHE education. It groups competencies (including skills and attributes) under three headings: Independence and Aspirations; Autonomy and Advocacy; and Choices and Influences. Risk management and help-seeking strategies are addressed throughout PSHE education, but in some units of work the Programme Builder highlights where these will be especially relevant or essential to the learning. Although the organisational starting point for this Programme Builder is developing competencies, this does not mean that building knowledge is not a central part of this model.

    The competencies are developed through the context of different topic areas, each with its own knowledge content. For example, ‘developing agency, the ability to manage influence and access support’ can be taught through the context of drugs and alcohol while ensuring the relevant factual knowledge is covered.

  • Key stage 5 is our last opportunity to ensure that students have real competence in the skills and strategies they’ve been developing throughout their PSHE education — and to extend the knowledge and understanding that they need to equip them for independent living and the next stage in their education or career.


    Our new KS5 Programme Builder ensures developmental progression by revisiting themes and building on prior learning from key stage 4. It begins with an overview of suggested content for each year group for each half term. This is followed by more detailed grids, setting out broad learning opportunities for each half term block.

Free samples and parent/carer copies

Get a sneak preview of the long term overviews and medium term grids for each of our Programme Builders. We also have parent/carer copies available to download below for members. 

Primary sample

Secondary sample

Terms of use

We are happy for you to publish the one-page long-term overview (or your adapted version of it) on your school website but don’t allow publication of the medium term grids. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

Download the Programme Builders

 

 

1. Questions-based (KS1-2)

2. Thematic (KS1-2)

3. Cross-phase (KS2-3; year 3-8 inclusive)

4. Thematic (KS3-4)

5. Competencies-based (KS3-4)

6. KS5 Programme Builder

Editable versions

Parent/carer copies

This page content is for members only

Being a member of the PSHE Association gives you exclusive access to a world of benefits:

  • Full access to all resources
  • Access to book member-only training and events
  • Subject specialist support via phone or email