PSHE
At Lutterworth College, PSHE education is a school subject through which students develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy, safe, and prepared for life and work. We feel PSHE is an essential part of the Curriculum where students flourish personally and socially as well as learning about rights and responsibilities, appreciating what it means to be a positive member of the diverse society in which we live. Our programme of study enables students to develop skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, team-working and critical thinking in the context of three core themes: health and well-being, relationships and living in the wider world (including economic wellbeing and aspects of careers education). They will be taught how to identify risks or warning signs; resisting internal or external pressures; making informed decisions; exit strategies for unsafe situations; and knowing whom, how and when to ask for help, including reporting concerns.
The national curriculum states that ‘all schools should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE)'. PSHE education contributes to schools' statutory duties outlined in the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010 to provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum. The relationships and health aspects of PSHE education is now compulsory in all schools (from 2020). Our programme of study meets the government statutory guidance as the 2020 framework published by the PSHE Association.
We believe that PSHE education should build, where appropriate, on the statutory content already outlined in the national curriculum, the school curriculum and in statutory guidance for the delivery of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and the importance of physical activity and diet for a healthy lifestyle. The PSHE curriculum supports and encompasses many of the principles of safeguarding and follows our school’s Safeguarding, SMSC and British Values Policies. The PSHE curriculum also has a vital role in supporting Lutterworth College to implement the 9 protected characteristics of The Equality Act 2010. Through our PSHE and SMSC curriculum we recognise our duty to ‘actively promote’ and provide opportunity for children to understand the fundamental British Values (Democracy, The Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and Tolerance) first set out by the Government in the ‘Prevent’ strategy in 2014 in order for them to become fair, tolerant and confident adults in a forever challenging world.
All students from Year 7 to Year 11 have access to a dedicated hour of PSHE a fortnight with Year 12 receiving one lesson per week. Students also access some of the essential content through other subject areas (such as Science, RE, IT etc.), extra-curricular activities, school groups and assemblies throughout the year, reinforcing key messages and information, providing our students with more opportunities to reflect on what it means to be a safe, healthy and positive member of our diverse society.
We work alongside our Church of England CHRIST values to enrich how our students experience PSHE, preparing them for a life outside of education. Students are able to demonstrate these values at various points across all years in the following ways:
- Being Courageous through debating themes and issues, voicing their opinions and beliefs in a compassionate way
- Being Hardworking when completing written tasks and questions to the best of their ability using source material and applying topical knowledge gained in the lesson
- Being Reflective throughout each lesson, challenging their own views and opinions of themselves and the society around them
- Being Inspirational through public speaking, voicing and creating new ideas and strategies to tackle issues that impact members of our community and wider society
- Being Supportive during group discussion, showing compassion to their peers and to the themes and issues explored
- Being Tenacious in the way they approach topics that challenge their opinions and way of thinking