PSHE and RSE

PSHE is essential in enabling our young people to develop their sense of identity and their place in the world today Through the PSHE programme at STMCA, students will develop an understanding of the skills, knowledge and attributes needed to keep themselves healthy, safe and prepared for life and work in modern Britain. Based on the PSHE association, National Curriculum and our mission statement, we aim to provide a Catholic environment, which will enable each child to grow in understanding so as to reach their full potential, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, morally, physically and socially. At STMCA, the varied PSHE curriculum is further supplemented by extra-curricular opportunities which make the most of speakers from our local community and further afield. Students are provided with this opportunity to hear from others outside of the classroom to see how their choices and behaviour can affect their futures.

Our aims:

• Inspire pupils to be the best they can be, to high aspirations and be the best versions of themselves as per our school motto, ‘Aspire to be more’
• Stimulate and nurture our students spiritual, moral, social and cultural attitudes and curiosity
• Help our students have a good understanding of themselves, developing their ability to take care of themselves emotionally and physical. This will also help students to become resilient and confident in maintaining their mental health
• Teach our students how to have positive relationships (online and off-line) we will ensure students know where and when to get help if needed (DSL and charities signposted)
• Develop our students sense being in the wider-world, students will see clear links between the hidden curriculum in schools and employability for the future

Curriculum Implementation:

PSHE is effectively implemented through a timetabled ‘spiral curriculum’, this curriculum is organised into a set of three themes suggested by the PSHE Association. The set themes are: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World. Each theme lasts a term (e.g. Autumn Term: Health and Wellbeing), meaning pupils at all levels start the year with this theme and as they progress through school the demand and depth of the topic increases as learning is revisited and deepened. This curriculum model aims to avoid PSHE in the curriculum becoming a set of ‘topics’ or one-off lessons as students are able to see the links between the themes and how these session can benefit them as a whole person.

Planned enrichment weeks also take place 3 times through the year, which allows for the supplementing of the students experience. Further enrichment also takes place throughout the year at regular intervals during house mass, other forms will engage in a PSHE topic that is prevalent in the local authority or has arisen as an issue in school, previous topics have included County lines and Knife crime.

PSHE is currently implemented for KS3 through a set hour a fortnight with a member of the PSHE team, following the three themes specified above. PSHE is also implemented through form time, ‘Morning Mission’, this curriculum reaches all year groups 7-13. For KS4 and KS5 this is a set scheme of work delivered by the form tutors, that again follows the set themes and allows for self-reflection and assessment and to revisit and deepen their knowledge from KS3.

For students in KS3 the morning mission programme is used a supplementary enrichment to our students PSHE experience and allows for a more responsive and varied delivery of PSHE, which may be in response to any issues in KS3 or may further reinforce the messages of the PSHE timetable lessons. This fluid approach to morning sessions also means local priorities, issues within school, protected characteristics and wider national issues can be addressed with students in a safe supportive environment.

In KS3, students study the three key themes of PSHE (Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World). Whilst being non-statutory the PSHE curriculum does follow government guidance and students cover healthy and respectful relationships with a Catholic provision from TENTEN resources, physical and mental health education is delivered in all schemes of work. We aim to ensure our KS3 PSHE curriculum is coherent, well-sequenced and skills based.

• Students gain and can deploy tier 3 vocabulary of specific terms
• Students develop their FBV, by demonstrating a respect for all beliefs, religions and ethnicities (explicitly addressed in Relationships and Hate Crimes)
• Students will be able to understand PSHE concepts within the topics such as Health and Wellbeing (Drugs, Mental Health, Risk and Personal Safety)
• Students will make clear efforts to be self-reflective in their learning, acknowledging what they have learnt through PSHE and where their continued misconceptions or gaps may be

Students in KS4 and KS5 are provided with MM once a week in forms. Students continue to study the three main strands of PSHE, in a deeper and more complex manner as they progress through the school. Whilst continuing to be non-statutory students are still provided with the skills and knowledge to live healthy full lives, have positive and appropriate relationships and to be a functioning well-rounded member of society.

• Students continue to use tier 3 vocabulary of specific terms
• Students develop their FBV, by demonstrating a respect for all beliefs, religions and ethnicities (explicitly addressed in Relationships and Hate Crimes)
• Students will be able to articulate PSHE concepts within each of the topics
• Students will make clear efforts to be self-reflective in their learning, acknowledging what they have learnt through PSHE and where their continued misconceptions or gaps may be
• Students will also be able to make links between the different strands of the PSHE curriculum and explain how the PSHE curriculum has cross-curricular links

KS5 students receive an hour lesson once a week with a member of the PSHE team following the three themes specified previously the intent is to focus on preparing students for adulthood and equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate life beyond school. Whilst being non-statutory the PSHE curriculum for KS5 does follow government guidance and students cover healthy and respectful relationships, with a Catholic provision from TENTEN resources, physical and mental health education is delivered in all schemes of work leading onto living in the wider world and exploring life outside of school such as their next steps and beyond. With this we aim to support students in becoming well rounded individuals who can contribute positively to society.

Following the implementation of the broad and balanced curriculum at STMCA, children will leave school as well-round individuals prepared and equipped for society. They will be equipped with the tools needed to maintain healthy and positive lifestyles and relationships and to feel confident with their own identities.

Achievements and success of the pupils in understanding the PSHE core themes will be established through regular AfL, as PSHE is a non-examination and non-graded subject, students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate particular skills or knowledge. Students will complete a baseline and endpoint assessment in all topics in KS3 and KS4 allowing the class teacher and form teacher to see the progress made by each student. Pupils are also heavily encouraged to be self-regulating and reflective learning completing RAG rating sheet regularly – allowing for staff to see how students judge their own understanding about each topic. Students also have an end of topic self-assessment that is completed to show the progress students have made through each theme. Student voice and examples of self-reflection are evident in the PSHE books and a copies centrally kept by the PSHE lead.

All students should take the opportunity to immerse themselves in the PSHE curriculum, whether this is during morning mission, timetabled lessons or PSHE weeks. The more students gain from these lessons and engage with speakers will enable them to live happy and successful lives outside of school and within the community.

Mrs G Murphy gmurphy@stmca.org.uk (Head of PSHE)

Miss J Ely jely@stmca.org.uk (Lead Teacher of PSHE)