PSHE and Citizenship
Education for Citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It encourages respect for different national, religious and ethnic identities and it also addresses issues relating to social justice, human rights, community cohesion and global interdependence. It encourages pupils to challenge injustice, inequalities and discrimination. They evaluate information, make informed judgements and reflect on the consequences of their actions now and in the future.
PSHE stands for Personal, Social and Health Education.
The Government has divided this up into 2 strands:
Economic Wellbeing and Financial Capability
This aims to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and attributes to make the most of changing opportunities in learning and work. Through their learning and experiences inside and outside school, pupils begin to understand the nature of the world of work, the diversity and function of business, and its contribution to national prosperity. They develop as questioning and informed consumers and learn to manage their money and finances effectively.
Education for economic wellbeing and financial capability improves motivation and progression by helping pupils see the relevance of what they learn in school to their future lives. It expands their horizons for action by challenging stereotyping, discrimination and other cultural and social barriers to choice. It helps pupils to aim high. Pupils build a positive and realistic view of their needs and capabilities so that they can make effective learning plans, decisions and transitions. They become aware of changing career opportunities and develop the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about which learning programmes to take.
Pupils learn to be enterprising. They develop the ability to handle uncertainty, respond positively to change, and create and implement new ideas and ways of doing things. They learn how to make and act on reasonable risk/reward assessments and develop a ‘can-do’ attitude and the drive to make ideas happen.
Personal Wellbeing
This helps young people embrace change, feel positive about who they are and enjoy healthy, safe responsible and fulfilled lives. Through active learning opportunities pupils recognise and manage risk, take increasing responsibilities for themselves, their choices and behaviours and make positive contributions to their families, schools and communities.
As pupils learn to recognise, develop and communicate their qualities, skills and attitudes, they build knowledge, confidence and self-esteem and make the most of their abilities. As they explore the similarities and differences between people and discuss social and moral dilemmas, they learn to deal with challenges and accommodate diversity in all its forms. The world is full of complex and sometimes conflicting values. Personal wellbeing helps pupils explore this complexity and reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes. They identify and articulate feelings and emotions, learn to manage new or difficult situations positively and form and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of people. Personal wellbeing makes a major contribution to the promotion of personal development.
PSCHE helps to develop the Personal Learning and thinking Skills
Independent enquirers
This provides opportunities for pupils to plan and undertake research developing key processes of critical thinking and enquiry. They investigate many different kinds of issues and problems that have an impact on individuals, groups and communities in society. They consider information from a wide range of sources and judge its relevance and value in the light of issues they explore.
They use imagination to consider and explore issues, problems and events from different perspectives. They learn toleration and respect for opinions and ideas across a range of cultures and traditions that are different to their own. They explore how ideas, experiences and values can be similar, with common threads, or different, sometimes leading to tension or conflict.
Creative Thinkers
Pupils develop their ideas and understanding of key concepts by identifying and posing questions as they explore issues and challenge assumptions. For example, they develop their understanding of rights, fairness and justice as they formulate a legitimate response to a situation or event where rights have been infringed.
Pupils use different methods to investigate issues and problems and generate ideas and possibilities as they plan and try out courses of action. They learn to adapt ideas and plans as the circumstances change. They make connections between concepts, ideas, viewpoints and actions in a range of contexts. They communicate their ideas and learning in relevant ways for different audiences.
Team Workers and Effective Participators
PSCHE provides a rich arena in which to debate contested and controversial issues, ideas, problems and events and to take action with others.
Pupils work together to formulate, plan and put into practice course of action to address issues of concern. They work cooperatively with others to try to have influence, make change or resist unwanted change to address political and social issues and problems affecting individuals and communities. As they undertake action they work individually and in groups, taking on and trying out different roles and responsibilities.
Regular participation in different forms of individual and collective action provides opportunities to work with a range of community partners, professionals and organisations. This involves developing effective ways to communicate ideas, making real choices and being able to argue a case persuasively. They represent others by speaking out or taking action on their behalf and go on to make critical assessments of the impact of their actions and offer recommendations for what could be done next.
Self-Managers
As pupils organise courses of action and work in PSCHE, they plan activities to make effective use of time and resources. They learn to negotiate and anticipate change, as well as how to work flexibly and cooperatively.
They carry out independent research and investigation and seek advice and support from appropriate sources. They use and interpret different media and ICT as part of their research but also as a medium through which to communicate ideas and findings to others.
Reflective Learners
In PSCHE pupils question, think through and interpret different ideas, opinions, assumptions, values and beliefs, including those they do not agree with. They are able to make judgements about the extent to which decisions, action and opinions reflect values of democracy, freedom, justice, fairness and equality before the law.
They reflect on their participation and responsible citizenship action. They consider the progress they have made in achieving their aims and goals. They evaluate what they have learned from the intended and unintended consequences of action and the contributions of others as well as themselves.
Who teaches PSCHE?
Karen Halliwell is the Subject Coordinator for PSCHE which is delivered through the learnacy period and through Super learning Days. This is taught by the majority of teaching staff and people from outside agencies.