PSHE 

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) education is a subject which underpins the ethos of Muntham House School and strives to ensure our pupils feel Safe, Happy and Cared for. PSHE is delivered in various ways across all aspects of School and Care. As a subject in Secondary School, all pupils have PSHE lessons from Year 7 through to the end of Year 11. The lessons build on prior knowledge and content taught in Primary and allow our pupils to learn essential skills and embed safe practices in a nurturing environment that promotes inclusivity, respect and understanding.

The three strands of PSHE education are:

• Health and Wellbeing
• Living in the Wider World
• Relationships

Each strand comprises age-appropriate learning experiences that are taught in thematic units. This allows pupils to recall and build upon previous knowledge, exploring topics at a greater length as they develop through childhood and adolescence. PSHE intends to equip our pupils with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to protect and enhance their well-being, establish and maintain healthy relationships, and become active citizens in society. Key Stage 3 classes participate in explicitly-taught social skills lessons each week, supporting their peer relationships and promoting turn-taking and sharing practices.

PSHE is also delivered in tutor times each day, engaging pupils in activities that promote Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) education and support the development of values, respect and tolerance. These activities are then further explored in Care to ensure a positive impact on the whole child. Alongside these learning experiences, PSHE is also available in Care as drop-in sessions during the evenings. Space is provided to ask difficult questions and discuss personal issues in a safe and secure environment.

At all times, PSHE challenges discrimination in a supportive setting that is free from shame. Panksepp’s model of emotional systems is valued and adhered to, along with Trauma Informed School practices. Pupils are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles, with fruit and drink being offered during each lesson and available throughout the school day.

Intent

Muntham House School’s PSHE Scheme of Work aims to equip our young people with the essential skills for life. It aims to develop the whole child through carefully planned and resourced lessons that develop the knowledge, skills and attributes young people need to protect and enhance their wellbeing. Through these lessons, our young people will learn how to stay safe and healthy, build and maintain successful relationships and become active citizens, responsibly participating in society around them. Successful PSHE curriculum coverage is a vital tool in preparing young people for life in society, now and in the future. The curriculum aims to cover a wide range of social and emotional aspects of learning, enabling young people to develop their identity and self-esteem as active, confident citizens. The themes and topics support social, moral, spiritual and cultural development and provide young people with protective teaching on essential safeguarding issues, developing the knowledge of when and how they can ask for help.

Our PSHE resources are fully in line with the Learning Outcomes and Core Themes provided by the PSHE Association Programme of Study which is widely used in England and is recommended and referred to by the DfE in all key documentation relating to PSHE provision in schools. The PSHE curriculum covers all of the required objectives and follows the three core areas of Health and Well-being Relationships and Living in the Wider World. This scheme of work fulfils the requirements of 2020 Statutory Relationships and Health Education, setting these learning intentions in the context of a broad and balanced PSHE curriculum.

Implementation

Muntham’s PSHE scheme of work is designed to be taught in thematic units, these units are taught in a spiral curriculum that revisits each theme every year. This enables our young people to recall and build upon previous learning, exploring the underlying principles of PSHE education regularly at a depth that is appropriate for the age and stage of the young person. Lessons also signpost keywords, building a rich vocabulary to develop understanding. PSHE units are designed to be delivered in a creative manner, using many approaches such as role play, discussion and games with groups of various sizes. These activities enable young people to build confidence and resilience. Resources are also provided for communicating with tutors and care staff about how and why each theme is covered and suggestions for extending the learning in tutor times and at home.

Assessment for learning opportunities are built into each lesson, which enable self-evaluation and reflective learning and allow teachers to evaluate and assess progress. Each lesson begins with a discussion of the young person’s existing knowledge and experience, providing an opportunity for baseline assessment. Each lesson ends with an opportunity to consolidate and reflect upon learning. Tools, such as mind maps and Muntham Wheels, are provided for summative assessment, allowing progress to be recorded and tracked.

IMPACT

The PSHE scheme of work provides Muntham House School with an effective curriculum for well-being. Young people are enabled to develop the vocabulary and confidence needed to clearly articulate their thoughts and feelings in a climate of openness, trust and respect, and know when and how they can seek the support of others. They will apply their understanding of society to their everyday interactions, from the classroom to the wider community of which they are a part. Muntham’s PSHE scheme of work supports the active development of a school culture that prioritises physical and mental health and wellbeing, providing young people with skills to evaluate and understand their own well-being needs, practise self-care and contribute positively to the wellbeing of those around them.

Successful PSHE education can have a positive impact on the whole person, including their academic development and progress, by mitigating any social and emotional barriers to learning and building confidence and self-esteem. Evidence suggests that successful PSHE education also helps disadvantaged and vulnerable young people achieve to a greater extent by raising aspirations and empowering them with skills to overcome barriers they face. The Muntham House School PSHE and Citizenship scheme of work is used as a whole-school approach to positively impact wellbeing, safeguarding and SMSC outcomes. This ensures that all young people are able to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to succeed at school and in the wider world.

CURRICULUM MAP - PSHE            RELATIONSHIPS AND SEX POLICY            PSHE POLICY