Police in the classroom


Police officers can support teachers in delivering a range of topics in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education lessons, such as drug education, road safety and raising awareness of online safety. The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the PSHE Association are delighted to be working together to explore current practice and ensure that police contributions to PSHE education are of maximum benefit to teachers and pupils.

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Jonathan Baggaley, PSHE Association CEO
“We are proud to partner with the NPCC to ensure police contributions to PSHE education meet their full potential, with long term benefits to young people and society. Getting it right helps young people to stay safe, recognise the consequences of their decisions and seek help when necessary.”

 
Caroline Adams, Staff Officer for National Children and Young Person’s Portfolio
“We understand the crucial role PSHE education has in relation to young people’s safety. We look forward to building on current good practice and making sure officers and schools see the benefits of effective police contributions. We’re delighted to be working with PSHE Association on this national project.”

Project Aims

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Please direct any enquiries to our policing subject specialist:
policing@pshe-association.org.uk.


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[+] What is personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education?

Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is a school subject that supports pupils to be healthy, safe and prepared for adult life.

  • PSHE lessons cover the most pressing issues facing young people today including sex and relationships, mental health, staying safe from online dangers, challenging extremism and radicalisation and preparing for a volatile jobs market.
  • PSHE education has been proven to support children’s mental and physical health, reduce the risks of drug and alcohol misuse and teach essential emergency life-saving skills.
  • Evidence shows that well-delivered PSHE programmes have an impact on both academic attainment and non-academic outcomes for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
  • The PSHE programme of study for key stages 1–5 covers three core themes — ‘relationships’, ‘health and wellbeing’ and ‘living in the wider world’ — and provides further information on the subject’s scope. 
[+] What is the current status of PSHE education in the national curriculum?

PSHE currently doesn’t have the same (statutory) status in schools as other curriculum subjects. In 2013 Ofsted found quality sub-standard in 40% of schools. Department for Education data shows time spent teaching PSHE fell by over 32% from 2011 to 2015.

  • In March 2017, then Education Secretary Justine Greening announced that RSE would be compulsory in all secondary schools, and 'relationships education' in all primary schools. She also committed to considering the status of broader PSHE education. A call-for-evidence on the nature of these proposals concluded in 2018.
  • On 19 July 2018 current Education Secretary Damian Hinds announced that the health education aspect of PSHE would also be compulsory in all schools. Draft guidance was also published on 19 July for further consultation until November. Final guidance should be available to schools from September 2019, and health and RSE/relationships education compulsory from September 2020. The Education Secretary urged those schools covering health and relationships education very successfully through PSHE education to continue to do so. The PSHE Association described the addition of compulsory status for health education as a 'major step' towards better PSHE education for all and published initial guidance on what this means in practice for schools.
  • Analysis of Department for Education data showing how secondary schools allocate their curriculum, has revealed that the time spent teaching PSHE education fell by over 32% from 2011 to 2015.
  • A 2013 Ofsted report into current PSHE provision, titled Not Yet Good Enough, suggested that provision required improvement in at least 40% of schools, with lessons too often delivered by teachers with insufficient training and curriculum time.