Research School Network: Make PSHE a priority

The Department for Education states that Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) is an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education. However, with parts of the subject non-statutory, it is all too easy for it to be squeezed out of a school’s timetable. Some schools have weekly lessons; others have ​‘special days or weeks’. Some schools give sixty minutes a week to the subject; others get a twenty minute slot if they have time.

From reading around the issue, it seems that children’s own views about the subject vary too. Some children understand what the subject is about and value the lessons and there are others that feel that they would like more opportunities to explore some of the concepts that PSHE encompasses.

It caused me to really think about this. When do we ​‘do’ PSHE? Is it just during the timetabled lesson? Or is there more to it than that? There’s all of the class problem solving that’s done in or after break times, the social and emotional (SEL) discussions that happen within lessons, the incidental opportunities that you get as you’re talking with children at lunchtime… and I realised that PSHE is, or should be, a whole school ethos.

Why do I believe that this is so? Well, if you look at the National Statistics of January 2019, you will see that we have the highest proportion of disadvantaged children in our schools since 2014. The PSHE Association say that ​‘there is strong evidence that, when delivered by trained teachers in line with best practice, PSHE, or ​‘curriculum for life’, helps children and young people to protect themselves and others both online and offline, improves their physical and emotional health, and develops character, resilience, academic attainment and employment prospects, with the greatest benefits experienced by the most disadvantaged pupils.’ We, as educators, are in a remarkably unique and privileged position to be able to help to guide and influence our young people to understand what it means to be a good, global citizen. This must be at the forefront of everything that we do.

How do you make this happen? Well, hopefully things are set to change in the Summer term of 2021, with relationship and health education becoming a statutory part of the National Curriculum. Within the statutory element, mental health and wellbeing will be key, which gives us as educators a fantastic opportunity to ensure that our pupils are being given knowledge and support for this highly relevant issue. Take time to consider your school’s ethos and values, and whether these are modelled and supported by the leadership in your school. Reflect upon your own practise- are you putting the holistic needs of the children in your classroom at the heart of everything you do? Are you providing PSHE opportunities within other curriculum lessons?

As I write this, the world is experiencing unprecedented times, full of trauma, stress and worry for many.

Never before has it been so crucial that we get our PSHE ethos right in our schools.