PSHE and RSE
The PSHE curriculum at St Thomas More Catholic Academy aims to produce students who are equipped with life skills which allow them to be fully participating members of a fast-changing British and global society. Using the Cre8tive PSHE curriculum, our students will develop a sense of self-worth and confidence to be the best version of themselves. They will mature into individuals who can think independently and critically, and have the knowledge to make informed choices around their physical, mental, sexual, emotional and economic wellbeing.
The spiral nature of the curriculum allows them to revisit areas and explore them at an age-appropriate level and provides our students with opportunities to reflect on and clarify their values and attitudes, allowing them to engage in a meaningful way with a world where values and attitudes may be complex and at times in direct conflict with their own.
PSHE education at St Thomas More Catholic Academy follows closely the framework provided by the PSHE Association and statutory DfE requirements: Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education – GOV.UK
The programme of study is based on three core themes:
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- Health and Wellbeing
- Relationships
- Living in the Wider World
Our Framework has been further subdivided into five Core thematic modules using resources created by Cre8tive Resources and adapted and tailored to suit the needs of our students and reflect the needs of our local community.
These five modules form part of a spiral curriculum across all key stages, delivering content appropriate to each year group:
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- Equality, Diversity & British Values
- Personal Safety & Digital Awareness
- Relationships and Sex Education
- Modern Dangers: Online and Offline
- Healthy Bodies & Emotional Wellbeing
Our PSHE curriculum identifies the key concepts and skills that underpin PSHE education and ensures that we fulfil our statutory responsibility to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development whilst preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.
In PSHE, we have high learning expectations for all students. It is essential that all our students are challenged to think deeply about the different aspects of PSHE and their rights and responsibilities in respect of being caring, thoughtful and productive individuals. Our PSHE programme is taught through a range of teaching methods, based on active engagement in learning, in-line with our whole-school teaching and learning policy. Pupils have opportunities to consider and clarify their values and beliefs and to rehearse and develop enquiry and interpersonal skills. Our whole-school PSHE curriculum audit evidences the wide range of opportunities that our students have to access a comprehensive, balanced, relevant body of factual information around PSHE themes to inform their present and future life choices.
PSHE is delivered through PSHE lessons and the Morning Mission programme, as well as extended form sessions and a wide range of opportunities presents through key events and WOW weeks. PSHE lessons are taught weekly with the support of the PSHE lead teacher, with RSHE being taught by PSHE and RE teachers, whilst the Morning Mission programme is delivered by form tutors, focusing on key themes such as family, friendship and bullying. Additional opportunities such as extended form, Acts of Worship and planned events such as WOW weeks are planned in response to pupil and local community needs.
RSHE
Relationships (Health) and Sex Education (RSHE) is a requirement; our school adheres to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education as well as Diocesan directives as a Catholic school. We follow and use the Diocesan approved resources from TenTen’s Life to the Full programme which all staff and parents have access to through our staff and parent portals: Life to the Full Secondary – Ten Ten Resources
The RSE elements of the curriculum allow our students to understand appropriate behaviours which will help them to develop and maintain healthy relationships. This is an important aspect of PSHE. This may be in the form of working collaboratively in a group or pair to produce possible responses to scenarios that students might encounter in life or reflecting on how they will use their acquired knowledge to make positive choices in their own lives as they move through school.
To embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life, pupils need knowledge that will enable them to make informed and ethical decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships. High quality, evidence-based teaching of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) can help prepare pupils for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life, and can promote pupils’ moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development. Effective teaching will support young people to cultivate positive character traits, including resilience, self-worth, self-respect, honesty, integrity, courage, kindness, and trustworthiness.
Links to the Wider Curriculum
PSHE, both through the planned curriculum and additional opportunities, interleave the explicit teaching of British Values and Protected Characteristics, to support students in being able to understand, apply and respect British Values and the dignity of all human beings, which is central to our Gospel values which place Christ at the Centre of all that we do, ensuring that everybody is known and loved.
Our whole-school PSHE curriculum also supports the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development, to support pupils’ personal growth and prepare them for life in modern society:
Spiritual
- Exploring beliefs and experiences
- Respecting faiths, feelings and values
- Enjoying learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world
- Using imagination and creativity
- Reflecting on own values and beliefs
Moral
- Recognising different ideas of right and wrong, and how these sit with personal moral compasses
- Respecting the law
- Understanding the consequences of actions and behaviours
- Exploring moral and ethical issues
- Offering reasoned viewpoints in concise, neutral and non-offensive language
Social
- Engaging with Fundamental British Values
- Working collaboratively with others
- Linking learning to wider society
Cultural
- Appreciating the role of culture in shaping individual values and opinions
- Understanding, accepting, respecting and celebrating diversity