PSHE Education is a planned, developmental programme of learning through which young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. At City Academy we not only deliver PSHE through a discrete programme of study but also as part of a whole-school cross-curricular approach. PSHE education develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.
What are the objectives of PSHE at City Academy?
At City Academy our PSHE curriculum has been tailored to achieve the following objectives:
- Personal Development – students will be well prepared to contribute to wider society and life in Britain as well as understand what we mean by respect.
- Safety – students will understand how to keep themselves safe from relevant risks such as abuse, sexual exploitation and extremism, including when using the internet and social media.
- Health – young people in our academy will develop a knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and emotionally, including through exercise and healthy eating.
- Employability Skills – when students leave our academy they will be well prepared for the next stage of their education, employment, self-employment or training.
How is PSHE delivered at the academy?
Discrete PSHE lessons are delivered across all year groups from Yr 7 to Yr 11 and focus on three key themes:
- Core Theme 1: Health & Wellbeing
- Core Theme 2: Relationships
- Core Theme 3: Living in the wider world – Economic Wellbeing, Careers and The World of Work.
Students have 1 lesson per week of PSHE on a rolling timetable and PSHE sessions are mainly delivered in form groups and taught by form tutors.
At City Academy we strongly believe that PSHE should be delivered not only as a standalone lesson but also across the curriculum and wider school life.
In addition to PSHE lessons, PSHE themes are also addressed and delivered through:
- Form Time Activities
- Collapsed PSHE Days
- PSHE Targeted Workshops
- Theme of the Week
- Weekly Themed Assemblies
- Cross-curricular Links in Subjects
- Individual Mentoring & Support Sessions
Safeguarding and PSHE
At City Academy, we believe that safeguarding is not just about how we keep pupils safe whilst in our care, or how we respond when a pupil is at risk. At the core of our safeguarding culture is the idea that we must ensure our students are taught how to keep themselves safe. This core belief has shaped our PSHE curriculum and why we explicitly address the following topics throughout the year as ‘Key Topics’ (KT):
- Child Sexual Exploitation (KT: 1)
- Domestic Violence (KT: 2)
- Female Genital Mutilation (KT: 3)
- Forced Marriage (KT: 4)
- Substance Misuse (KT: 5)
- Knives & Gang Activity (KT: 6)
- Radicalisation & Extremism (KT: 7)
- E-Safety (KT: 8)
- Relationships (Including sexual relationships) (KT: 9)
- Road & Rail Safety (KT: 10)
- Fire Safety (KT: 11)
CORE THEME 1: Health and Wellbeing
This core theme focuses on:
- how to manage transition (CT1.1)
- how to maintain physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing; (CT1.2)
- how to make informed choices about health and wellbeing matters including drugs, alcohol and tobacco; maintaining a balanced healthy diet; physical activity; mental and emotional health and wellbeing; and sexual health (CT1.3)
- about parenthood and the consequences of teenage pregnancy (CT1.4)
- how to assess and manage risk to health; and to keep themselves and others safe (CT1.5)
- how to identify and access help, advice and support (CT1.6)
- how to respond in an emergency, including administering first aid (CT1.7)
- the role and influence of the media on lifestyle (CT1.8)
CORE THEME 2: Relationships
This core theme focuses on:
- how to develop and maintain a variety of healthy relationships within a range of social/cultural context and to develop parenting skills (CT2.1)
- how to recognise and manage emotions within a range of relationships (CT2.2)
- how to deal with risky or negative relationships including all forms of bullying (including the distinct challenges posed by online bullying) and abuse, sexual and other violence and online encounters (CT2.3)
- about the concept of consent in a variety of context (including sexual relationships) (CT2.4)
- about managing loss including bereavement, separation and divorce (CT2.5)
- to respect equality and be a productive member of a diverse community (CT2.6)
- how to identify and access appropriate advice and support (CT2.7)
CORE THEME 3: Living in the Wider World (Economic Wellbeing, Careers and the World of Work)
This core theme focuses on:
- the rights and responsibilities as members of diverse communities, as active citizens and participants in the local and national economy (CT3.1)
- how to make informed choices and be enterprising and ambitious (CT3.2)
- how to develop employability, team working and leadership skills and develop flexibility and resilience (CT3.3)
- about the economic and business environment (CT3.4)
- how personal financial choices can affect oneself and other and about rights and responsibilities as consumers. (CT3.5)