PSHE news digest

On 19 July the Government committed to making health and relationships aspects of PSHE compulsory from September 2020. A DCMS Committee report highlights the role of PSHE education in promoting digital literacy and Ofsted mentions the role of PSHE in fighting childhood obesity. Finally, a number of written Parliamentary questions were answered.

Government commits to making health and relationships aspects of PSHE compulsory, and publishes draft guidance for consultation

APPG on fit and healthy childhood recommended PSHE to support mental health in childhood and the British Psychological Society referred to PSHE in its response to the childhood obesity strategy. Further recommendations for PSHE lessons were made in a report on preventing and tackling bullying and in a Science and Technology Committee evidence session. Finally, Ministers answered some written and oral questions.

PSHE Association CEO Jono Baggaley argued that compulsory PSHE is in line with the current public mood. The RCPCH called for a ban on junk food adverts and for PSHE lessons to instil healthy behaviours in children, whilst PSHE was also called for in a debate on upskirting. Finally, a number of written and oral questions were answered.

NAHT and NEU referred to the need for statutory PSHE in their responses to the government’s updated statutory safeguarding guidance, and speakers in an evidence session on social media and mental health also agreed that PSHE should be mandatory in schools. There was also support for PSHE in a commons debate from Huw Merriman MP and a range of parliamentary questions were answered by Nick Gibb and Lord Agnew of Oulton.

This week the Education and Health Select Committees reiterated their call for statutory PSHE in their response to the government mental health Green Paper. The response was later debated in the House of Commons. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney wrote a piece for TES on the importance of economic wellbeing education and various written questions were answered.

Education and Health Committees reiterate call for statutory PSHE

The Home Office launched its new Serious Violence Strategy, the Bank of England explored the importance of economic wellbeing education and various written questions were answered.

This week the British Safety Council launched a new report on the future of work and the Equality and Human Rights Commission published the response they submitted to the PSHE and RSE call for evidence. Schools Minister Nick Gibb also answered various written and oral questions from Members of Parliament.

The DfE call for evidence on PSHE and RSE closed on 12 February and there was a lot of activity leading up to this deadline. This included a 6 February Parliamentary debate on PSHE which showed support from across parties for improving the status of the subject and a joint Times letter from 20 leading organisations and individuals calling on the government to grant statutory status to PSHE in its entirety. 

This week Damian Hinds was appointed as the new Secretary of State for Education. News Wise, a news literacy programme for primary school children was announced and the Children’s Commissioner for England called on schools to prepare pupils for the pressures of social media. Furthermore, Lord Agnew of Oulton answered a written parliamentary question whilst minister for Women and Equalities Amber Rudd gave oral evidence.