PSHE and Safeguarding

Actionwork® helps schools and LA's with their PSHE subjects in creative and powerful ways. We compliment your existing practice and help you develop your programmes further.

PSHE has a unique status within the National Curriculum as it is a non-statutory subject for which there is no all embracing DfE published Programme of Study – but all schools are required to teach it. The lack of guidance is set out in the DfE guidance is apparently a deliberate strategy:

"We want teachers to be free to address the topics most relevant for their pupils, drawing on good practice and advice from professional organisations". (Government Green Paper)

What do teachers have to cover?

There are a number of areas which schools are required to address as part of PSHE and these have recently increased. The school curriculum must now include:

  • Sexual Harassment – there is specific statutory advice for primary schools, secondary schools and colleges
  • Citizenship – there are specific statutory programmes of study for Key stages 3 & 4.
  • Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) – there is statutory guidance for Key stages 1 to 4. It should be addressed both through the National Curriculum for Science and PSHE.
  • Drugs and Alcohol Education – this must be taught as a specified part of the Science curriculum for the top of KS2, KS3 and KS4, but must also be related to PSHE.
  • Mental Health and Behaviour – there is new non-statutory advice for schools, laying out their responsibilities.
  • Online / E-Safety – this is part of Safeguarding statutory requirements but also relates to areas of PSHE, particularly SRE.
  • Bullying – this is part of Safeguarding but relates closely to PSHE and teaching about relationships. There is government guidance on schools’ responsibilities.
  • British values – there is new non-statutory advice for schools as part of statutory SMSC requirements.
  • Anti-radicalisation – there is new non-statutory advice for schools relating to the statutory Prevent duty requirement

At first sight this list overwhelms some PSHE subject leaders and leaves them wondering how to develop a curriculum which covers all these topics but does it in ways which are appropriate and meaningful for their pupils. We are happy to discuss how we might work together.

Actionwork® can help you in all aspects of your PSHE design and delivery

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