PSHE

Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education

The Personal Development curriculum, known as PSHE, for Years 7-13 at Ringwood School is constantly being reviewed and updated in line with official guidance and the challenges our students face in today’s society. We are delighted that the move to a two-week timetable will enable more dedicated time to this vital curriculum area.

A full overview of the PSHE curriculum for the current academic year can be found on our website: https://www.ringwood.hants.sch.uk/academic-curriculum/pshe-calendar/. Ringwood School is a member of the PSHE Association and our curriculum is written using their guidance, to ensure all statutory elements are incorporated.

The curriculum encompasses a wide range of topics, which are relevant to the lives of our students and in preparation for independent living in modern Britain. The curriculum is designed to facilitate independent learning through interactive discussions, external speakers and thought-provoking messages. This allows our students to develop the essential tools to make informed choices, enabling them to live healthy and happy lives both now and in the future. These may include topics that are of a sensitive or controversial nature, the purpose of which is to allow students to understand and explore ‘real’ world issues. Further details of some topics will be sent to parents and carers closer to the time to ensure you have the opportunity to discuss the content with your child, if you wish to. This also gives you the opportunity to alert their teacher if there is a particular sensitivity.

The Department for Education announced changes to relationships and sex education (RSE) in June 2019: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education. The Ringwood School curriculum fully complies with these expectations and our Relationships and Sex Education policy can be found on our website: https://www.ringwood.hants.sch.uk/policies/. This policy is due to reviewed in the Autumn Term and we would very much appreciate parent/carer feedback as part of this process. More information will follow on this.

We hope the education students receive in school supports the education they receive at home. We shall be updating our website with guidance if you would like further information about how to discuss these topics with your child.

Please do take the time to review the content your child will be covering this upcoming academic year and if you have any queries, or would like to discuss anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With kind regards,

Mrs Vicki Lewis
PSHE Lead

Email: vicki.lewis@ringwood.hants.sch.uk

Ringwood School is a member of the PSHE association (they are the national association for PSHE education professionals. Providing members with dedicated support, resources, training & guidance).

Curriculum maps

Policies:

Ringwood School Relationship & Sex Education Policy

Changes to personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) and relationships and sex education (RSE)

The aim of the Curriculum

The aim of the PSHE curriculum at Ringwood School is to develop students’ understanding of the world they live in, enabling them to live healthy and happy lives both now and in the future. Through providing students with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge of the issues they face, they can make independent informed choices that support fundamental British Values. The programme is built using guidance from the PSHE Association, and by using many of these websites for resources and information, though this is not an exhaustive list. We regularly signpost our young people to these resources to equip them with the skills and information required to make their own informed choices, and are useful for parents too.

PSHE during the pandemic

The disruption to education caused by Covid-19 has of course had an impact on the PSHE curriculum. During periods of lockdown the curriculum has been adapted to respond to the needs of the students and ensured a greater focus on physical and emotional health and well-being, safety online and healthy relationships. Not all topics are suitable for remote learning style delivery and the return to school has prioritised catch-up opportunities on any topics missed.

Resources:

Careers and Skill development

Finance

Healthy Relationships including Anti-Bullying

Drugs and Alcohol Misuse

Sustainability

Physical well-being

Emotional Well-Being

Safety

Online-Safety

Sexual Health

Talking regularly with your child about relationships and sex can help develop shared understanding, trust and support between you. Talk little. Talk often. Ask The Awkward:

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/ask-the-awkward/