Wey Valley Academy

PSHE

Curriculum Statement

In September 2020 the Department for Education made Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) and Health education compulsory in all schools.

The rationale of PSHE lessons is to empower students to understand themselves and their minds in order to combat stress, pressures and influences that may cause harm, and know how to lead healthy, happy, fulfilling lives.

The aim of RSE is to give students the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds. It should enable them to know what a healthy relationship looks like and what makes a good friend, a good colleague and a successful marriage or other type of committed relationship.

Students will learn what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in relationships, develop an understanding of intimate relationships and how to resist coercive pressure.

The PSHE RSE curriculum covers:

  • Families, long term relationships. Marriage and parenting.
  • Respectful relationships including friendship, trust, stereotypes, bullying, illegal behaviour in relationships and where to find help.
  • Relationships within the context of the media and online, and the laws that are in place to protect.
  • Safety in relationships and what to do if feeling unsafe in a relationship.
  • Intimate relationships and sexual health and how choices made can have long term impacts.
  • The Equality Act

The PSHE Health curriculum covers:

  • Students understanding and respecting their own bodies, being able to cope with puberty and changes without fear or confusion.
  • Developing positive and healthy relationships appropriates to age and development.
  • Developing positive self-image and body image, while understanding the pressures of external influences.
  • Understanding mental well-being, emotions, concerns and where to seek help.
  • Understanding the internet, how to stay safe and what harm exists including gambling, bullying and advertising pressures.
  • How to stay physically well and manage stress.
  • Understanding the effects and impact of drugs, tobacco and alcohol including the physical risks and dangers of dependency and the law.
  • How to protect health, prevent illness and the importance of sleep.

The PSHE Curriculum is designed around six units which are taught sequentially over the school year.

1. Being Me in my World

2. Celebrating Difference

3. Dreams and Goals

4. Healthy Me

5. Relationships

6. Changing Me