Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)

At Thomas Bewick School, our intent is for pupils to gain the knowledge and skills to enable them to:

• build positive relationships with others
• self-manage in order to adopt healthy, happy lifestyles
• self-regulate in order to manage feelings and thrive in the wider world.

Thomas Bewick School’s PSHE curriculum aims to meet the statutory and mandatory requirements outlined in the Relationships Education, Health Education and Relationships and Sex Education guidance. We aim to do this in a way that takes into account each pupil’s developmental stage. We aim to provide a comprehensive PSHE programme that integrates, but is not limited to, the statutory content. Learning, knowledge and skills are continually built upon as a child moves through each phase of their education at Thomas Bewick School. It is our belief that a strong, carefully planned PSHE curriculum can help enable our students to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. We would also like children to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community. Our ultimate aim is for our pupils to successfully transition into adulthood and lead a happy, fulfilling life as an active participant in the wider community.

Our PSHE curriculum is characterised by flexible pre-formal (Reception/Engager), semi-formal (Explorer/Steps into Independence) and formal (Discoverer/Steps into Work) learning pathways, to reflect the diverse needs of our pupil population. The PSHE curriculum teaches pupils to keep safe both in school and beyond, to keep safe online and to make good decisions. The curriculum meets statutory requirements relating to British Values and social, moral, spiritual and cultural (SMSC) education. We also strive to ensure that pupils develop a thorough understanding of protected characteristics. Additionally, as part of our culture and enrichment programme, we celebrate key observances and campaigns that occur throughout the year to promote awareness and understanding of key themes such as Anti-Bullying Week, Safer Internet Day, Black History Month, Pride Month and International Women’s Day.

PSHE on the Reception/Engager Pathway

During the Reception year, the curriculum reflects the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. We cover the prime area of Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) through carefully planned engage and explore time, with a balance of child initiated and adult initiated activities. Indoor and outdoor environments are engaging and richly resourced. Pupil progress is measured and assessed using the Early Years Developmental Journal, and assessment will inform the next most appropriate curriculum pathway for each pupil (Engager, Explorer or Discoverer).

The Engager pathway is for our pupils with the most complex needs and is again underpinned by the key principles of the EYFS. Teaching is predominantly play based, and much like our Reception curriculum, there is a focus on the prime area of PSED. We try to promote active engagement within the learning environment through engage and explore lessons linked to pupil interests, which include autism specific strategies and integrated therapies (e.g. Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy). Pupils learn through a balance of child-initiated and adult-directed activities and challenges. Child-led learning is facilitated through engage and explore time, where highly skilled staff model, scaffold and encourage the development of knowledge and skills whilst promoting interaction and play. We incorporate group activities such as circle time and snack time in Engager classes to give the pupils a sense of belonging to a group. Pupil progress is measured and assessed against the steps within the Thomas Bewick Learning Journal.

PSHE on the Explorer/Steps into Independence Pathway

PSED within the semi-formal Explorer curriculum pathway builds upon skills in that pupils have developed whilst following the Reception or Engager pathway. Like the Engager curriculum pathway, the Explorer pathway is also underpinned by the key principles of the EYFS, with regular play opportunities incorporated into daily engage and explore lessons. However, our Explorer pupils will also be demonstrating a readiness to learn in a more formal way and will therefore access some discrete PSHE lessons. Pupils are taught key life and personal independence skills such as toileting, feeding skills, dressing and personal hygiene.

PSHE on the Discoverer/Steps into Work Pathway

In the Discoverer/Steps into Work pathways, pupils engage in subject specific learning and therefore access weekly, discrete PSHE lessons. Although the Discoverer / Steps into Work pathway is more subject specific, it is still highly differentiated to meet the individual needs and interests of pupils. We use the PSHE Association SEND Programme of study as a planning framework which is organised into six specific sections:

• Self-Awareness
• Self-care, Support and Safety
• Managing Feelings
• Changing and Growing
• Healthy Lifestyles
• The World I Live In

Each of the above sections is sub-divided into different half termly topic areas for each Key Stage. Pupils are taught content relative to both their age and development stage. Pupils revisit and expand upon most topic areas as they progress through each Key Stage, as part of our spiral curriculum.

By accessing lessons that incorporate content linked to the above six sections, our aim is for pupils to leave Thomas Bewick School with increased confidence, self-management skills, personal ambition, respect for others, an awareness of what constitutes a positive relationship and healthy lifestyle, and a breadth of knowledge and skills that will help them to make a positive contribution to their local and wider communities.

Opportunities for Accreditation

Thomas Bewick School provides the following accreditation opportunities for pupils in KS3 and above:

• ASDAN Personal Progress (Steps into Independence Pathway)
• ASDAN Exploring (KS3) / Transforming (KS4) / Realising Aspirations (Post 16)
• ASDAN Personal Social Development (Steps into Work Pathway, Post 16)
• ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness Level 1 (Steps into Work Pathway, Post 16)
• ASDAN Duke of Edinburgh’s Award - Bronze and Silver Award

How does PSHE link with careers and preparing for adulthood?

PSHE education at Thomas Bewick School incorporates many learning opportunities linked to careers and the world of work, such as:

• supporting pupils to evaluate their own personal strengths and areas for development, and to use this self-reflection to inform goal setting
• teaching pupils about the unacceptability of all forms of discrimination and prejudice in the wider community, including the workplace
• helping pupils to recognise how their strengths, interests, skills and qualities are changing and how these relate to future employability, where relevant
• raising awareness of the information, advice and guidance available to pupils and how to access the most appropriate support
• supporting the development of study and employability skills (including time management, self-organisation and presentation, project planning and team-working)
• raising awareness about the range of opportunities available to pupils for future progression, including in education, training and employment
• teaching pupils about rights and responsibilities at work (including their roles as workers, and the roles and responsibilities of employers)

PSHE education at Thomas Bewick School is also closely aligned with the four key ‘Preparing for Adulthood’ themes:

• Further education and employment
• Friends, relationships and community
• Independent Living
• Health

Relationships Education Policy 

Relationships and Sex Education Policy