Definitions with amendments from the PSHE education Strategic Partners’ Group (version at November 2007)
What is PSHE education? Personal, social, health and economic education (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. It equips them with knowledge, understanding and practical skills to live healthy, safe, fulfilled and responsible lives. PSHE education encourages young people to be enterprising and supports them in making positive education 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. Capability is a key concept in PSHE education. It refers to a level of awareness of a particular life issue, the development of specific skills and knowledge associated with it and, most important of all, the willingness to act and to make positive decisions with regard to it. Whilst it appears in the programme of study for economic wellbeing and financial capability It applies to many areas across PSHE education: sex and relationships; drugs and alcohol; economic awareness and enterprise; careers and personal finance. Therefore PSHE education is not only about promoting and developing the wellbeing of young people, it is also about providing them with learning experiences that enable them to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge that will allow them to develop and demonstrate capability. In PSHE education, different topics can be taught and learnt through discrete activities; they can also be inter-related as most encompass similar desirable attitudes and skills and this is, after all, how they are often experienced in adult life. Why is PSHE education provision important to schools? PSHE education makes a major contribution to schools statutory responsibilty to promote children and young people’s wellbeing and to the achievement of the whole curriculum aims for all young people to become: - successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve - confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives - responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society. PSHE education makes a significant contribution toward the Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes for children. The outcomes – be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic wellbeing – are embedded in the whole curriculum aims. All subjects and activities in the school contribute to them and it is clear that PSHE education plays a particularly important part in helping children and young people to achieve them. PSHE education also contributes to the school’s statutory requirement to promote community cohesion. Both programmes of study include opportunities for children and young people to examine their own identities, consider the similarities as well as differences between people, to learn how to challenge stereotyping and discrimination
Definitions with amendments from the PSHE education Strategic Partners’ Group (version at November 2007)
and to explore social and moral dilemmas and the scoial and cultural barriers they and others may encounter. Why is PSHE education important to children and young people? Each of the two new programmes of study for PSHE education has an importance statement as part of it. This is an integral part of the programme of study and should be included in the planned learning opportunties so that children and young people themselves see the relevance to their own lives of what they are learning. These importance statements should be read alongside these definitions. What should be taught in PSHE education? 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). The frameworks for key stage 3 and 4 (National Curriculum Handbook for secondary teachers, QCA 1999) have now been reviewed and new curriculum arrnagements will be introduced from September 2008. In the new curriculum PSHE education assumes greater importance and prominence than did PSHE previously. PSHE education (personal, social, health and economic education) is described in two new programmes of study for both key stages 3 and 4: • personal wellbeing and • economic wellbeing and financial capability These interrelated programmes of study make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development and draw together, in a coherent way, personal, social and health education, including sex education, the social and emotional aspects of learning, careers education, enterprise, financial capability and work-related learning. The key stages1 and 2 frameworks and the key stages 3 and 4 programmes of study themselves are not statutory but they include some statutory requirements for example, sex education, careers education and the requirements for work related learning and enterprise education and those elements of drug, alcohol and tobacco education that are also include in the programmes of study for science, . The PSHE frameworks and PSHE education programmes of study are designed to be flexible so that schools can develop a curriculum relevant to their pupils. PSHE education programmes should be 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
Definitions with amendments from the PSHE education Strategic Partners’ Group (version at November 2007)
explicit opportunities in other curriculum subjects whole school and suspended timetable activities specific projects learning through involvement in the life of the school and wider community.
These opportunities, wherever they occur, should be planned, coordinated, 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. How should PSHE education be taught? PSHE education is most effective when it uses a wide variety of active learning 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. Learning in PSHE education as in other curriculum areas, should be assessed. Assessment should be planned as an integral part of teaching and learning. This will support the establishment of clear expectations, ensure progression and, carried out well, contribute to the motivation and self-esteem of children and young people as they recognise their progress and achievements. A supportive school ethos is important in providing an appropriate context for the delivery of PSHE education. It is one where: there are effective relationships between all members of the school community pupils play an active part in decision making school policies are compatible with what is taught in PSHE education How does PSHE education contribute to personal development? 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 chilren 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. PSHE education is particularly important in promoting personal development because it helps children and young people to build their personal identities, confidence and selfesteem, 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 and empathy and the ability to work with others will help them to form and maintain good relationships, and better enjoy and manage their lives.
Definitions with amendments from the PSHE education Strategic Partners’ Group (version at November 2007)
What is wellbeing? 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. An amendment to the Education and Inspections Act 2006 places a requirement on schools to promote pupils’ wellbeing as well as their academic achievement. Clearly all areas of the curriculum and school life contribute to pupils’ wellbeing and to their personal development. PSHE education has an important role to play in this.