Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)

Schools must provide a curriculum which:

Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society,
Prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

PSHCE is essential to such a curriculum and to meeting schools’ requirement to promote students’ well-being.

Aims

PSHCE at Kendrick seeks to support and nurture the values of the school pledge. Many of the qualities in the pledge form the essence of PSHCE education.

‘We, the students, staff and friends of Kendrick School, pledge to uphold the values of friendship, kindness and respect. We promise to stand against prejudice, ignorance and injustice in all forms, promoting the values of equality, tolerance and justice for all.’

PSHCE develops the knowledge, skills and understanding that students need to play a full part in society as active and responsible citizens.

At Kendrick School, PSHE and Citizenship are combined; both subjects are vital to the life of the school. The main aim of PSHCE teaching and the tutorial system is to aid the Personal and Social development of the students.
PSHCE lessons aim to provide students with accurate information and relevant knowledge, in order to turn that knowledge into personal understanding.
Lessons will give opportunities to explore, clarify and if necessary, challenge their own and others’ values, attitudes, rights and responsibilities.
PSHCE aims to give students the skills and strategies they need in order to live healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives.

At Kendrick we work to develop emotional well-being and a healthy life style in each student so that they will achieve their potential in a better learning environment.

The PSHCE programme

Key Concepts

The key concepts of PSHE are:	The key concepts of citizenship are:
Health and Well Being	Rights and Responsibilities
Relationships	Identity and Diversity
Living in the Wider World	Democracy and Justice

From these lists it is apparent that many topics have overlapping elements of both PSHE and Citizenship

PSHCE is taught on a spiral curriculum, where topics are introduced in younger years and then revisited with more information and at more challenging levels in later years, thus meeting the personal developmental needs of the students.
In PSHCE, there is an ongoing review of lessons, as lessons have to be flexible to respond to students’ needs and also to news and current affairs e.g. mock election before the General election.
There are visitors from outside speakers to further enhance the curriculum e.g School nurse, No5 Counselling etc.

There are also opportunities for students to engage with contemporary issues through visiting theatre company. e.g AlterEgo

PSHCE lessons also cover topics to do with exam preparation and study skills, such as time management and revision techniques.
In Years 8, 10 and 11, students take part in a group Citizenship project when they research a current affairs or controversial issue and present it to the rest of the form group. (See Citizenship policy for more details of Citizenship work).
Students develop PSHCE skills in organising and leading form assemblies, taking part in the school council, commitment to school sports’ teams or musical ensembles, voting in school elections, running charity weeks etc.
PSHCE lessons at Kendrick School provide a safe and supportive learning environment where students can develop the confidence to ask questions, contribute their own experience, challenge ideas, and put what they have learned into practice in their own lives. PSHCE is linked with the pastoral system, and together with many other subjects helps the students to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding they need to fulfil their potential, whether at school, home or in the community.
All students have a tutor-led PSHCE lesson once a fortnight. Year 7, 10 &11 also have an additional once a fortnight lesson delivered by the PSHCE coordinator and additional staff.

Citizenship

Kendrick students are active citizens. They participate in negotiation and decision-making, such as in school council, Mock Elections, House activities, Mock Trial, charity events, the inter-form dance competition, sports, performing arts and a wide range of extra-curricular activities. In addition to our regular charity weeks organised by year groups, we respond spontaneously and generously to particular disasters that occur.

The National Curriculum for citizenship aims to ensure that all students:

acquire a sound knowledge and understanding of how the United Kingdom is governed, its political system and how citizens participate actively in its democratic systems of government
develop a sound knowledge and understanding of the role of law and the justice system in our society and how laws are shaped and enforced
develop an interest in, and commitment to, participation in volunteering as well as other forms of responsible activity, that they will take with them into adulthood
are equipped with the skills to think critically and debate political questions, to enable them to manage their money on a day-to-day basis, and plan for future financial needs

Citizenship forms part of our PSHCE curriculum and is interwoven into the once a fortnight lesson in Yr7-11 delivered by form tutors.

In addition to this Year 7 are taught parts of the Citizenship curriculum in their once a fortnight lesson with the PSHCE coordinator. These lessons enable students to discuss issues in the immediate news, experiencing a variety of learning styles and provide opportunities to enhance the students’ literacy (Citizenship vocabulary), thinking skills and awareness of current social issues.

PSHCE Policies

PSHCE Policy

Citizenship Policy

Relationship and Sex Education Policy

Staff

Mrs Claire Lace - PSHCE Coordinator

Mr Jacob Duncan

Mrs Elisabeth Rock

Dr Karen Perry

All Form Tutors