Personal, Social, Health, and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)

INTENT

At Looe Community Academy, our commitment to PSHCE is closely aligned with our core values of Respect, Responsibility, and Resilience. We aim to help students lead healthy, safe, responsible, and fulfilling lives by fostering positive self-identity, knowledge acquisition, and essential life skills. By integrating PSHCE across various faculties and recognising it as a vital subject in its own right, we ensure that students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for their personal development and societal contribution. Our ultimate goal is to prepare students to become safe and responsible adults who achieve their full potential and make positive contributions to society.

We want students to develop:

• Self-Identity and Confidence: Students will develop a positive sense of self, build confidence, and self-esteem, and harness their abilities, embodying the school's commitment to Respect.
• Risk Management and Responsibility: Students will learn to recognise and manage risks, take responsibility for their actions, and make informed choices, reflecting our core value of Responsibility.
• Contribution to Society: Students will contribute positively to their families, schools, and communities, demonstrating Resilience and the ability to adapt and thrive.
• Emotional Intelligence: Students will identify and articulate feelings, manage challenging situations, and form effective relationships, preparing them to be safe and successful in adult life.
• Skills Development: Students will acquire the skills needed to lead balanced lives and make informed decisions, enabling them to be the best they can be.

We will provide students with:

• Knowledge Acquisition: Providing accurate and relevant information to build a solid foundation.
• Personal Understanding: Creating opportunities to transform knowledge into personal insights.
• Values and Beliefs Exploration: Encouraging students to explore, clarify, and challenge values, attitudes, beliefs, rights, and responsibilities.
• Life Skills and Strategies: Equipping students with the skills and strategies needed for a healthy, safe, and fulfilling life, fostering Resilience.
• Positive Classroom Environment: Establishing a comfortable and supportive classroom climate where students feel confident to discuss sensitive issues, promoting Respect.
• Ground Rules: Developing a set of ground rules for PSHCE classes to ensure respectful and productive discussions.
• Modelling Good Practice: Demonstrating good practice in communication and interaction with students, embodying Responsibility.
• Enrichment Opportunities: Providing activities that support emotional and physical well-being, fostering Resilience.
• External Expertise: Collaborating with recommended external providers to enhance the PSHCE experience.
• Curriculum Flexibility: Maintaining a flexible curriculum to address emerging issues promptly, ensuring students are prepared for adult life.

PSHCE supports the overarching curriculum goals, ensuring students become:

• Resilient Learners: Who enjoy learning, make progress, and achieve.
• Respectful Individuals: Who can live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives, reflecting Responsibility.
• Responsible Citizens: Who make a positive contribution to society, showcasing Respect and Resilience.

IMPLEMENTATION

At Looe Community Academy, our instructional approach emphasises engagement, empowerment, and evaluation, ensuring a comprehensive and dynamic learning experience. We collaborate with a range of providers to enhance the PSHCE curriculum through dedicated drop-down days for years 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. This collaboration facilitates engagement by providing interactive and varied learning experiences that ignite curiosity and deepen understanding.

Teachers provide expert guidance and support, modelling skills and behaviours that empower students to grasp and apply new concepts confidently. The PSHCE curriculum is designed to empower students by encouraging independent thinking and problem-solving skills across all subjects. Schemes of work are developed based on student feedback and are reviewed annually alongside PSHCE subject audits to ensure they meet the evolving needs of our students.

Students are taught in tutor groups by their tutor once a week, enabling the development of strong positive relationships and a deep understanding of personal circumstances, beliefs, and values. Students are encouraged to evaluate their understanding and progress through diverse applications of knowledge, including literacy, numeracy, creativity, and physical skills, ensuring comprehensive development and growth.

PSHCE covers three key concepts that bring the Academy’s core values to life:

• Relationships: Respect
• Health and Wellbeing: Resilience
• Living in the Wider World: Responsibility

Relationships: Respect

Families: Understanding different types of committed, stable relationships, their contribution to happiness, and their importance in raising children. Students will also learn about the legal status of marriage, including rights and protections, the significance of marriage and other long-term relationships, and the roles and responsibilities of parents.

Respectful relationships, including friendships: Characteristics of positive and healthy friendships, such as trust, respect, honesty, kindness, boundaries, and conflict management. This includes non-sexual relationships.

Online and media: Rights, responsibilities, and risks online, including behaviour expectations, the impact of sharing material, and managing online issues. They will also learn about the impact of harmful content and the criminality of sharing indecent images of children.

Being safe: Concepts and laws related to sexual consent, exploitation, abuse, and more, along with communication and recognition of consent.

Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health: Recognising healthy intimate relationships, the impact of choices on health, facts about reproductive health, managing sexual pressure, contraceptive options, and information on STIs. They will also learn about the effects of alcohol and drugs on sexual behaviour and where to access confidential health advice.

Health and Wellbeing: Resilience

Mental wellbeing: Talking about emotions, recognising signs of mental health concerns, understanding common mental health issues, and the benefits of physical activity and community participation on mental wellbeing.

Internet safety and harms: Understanding the differences between online and physical worlds, the impact of online comparison, the risks of online gambling, and how to be a discerning consumer of online information.

Physical health and fitness: The benefits of physical activity on mental wellbeing, characteristics of a healthy lifestyle, and information about blood, organ, and stem cell donation.

Healthy eating: Maintaining healthy eating habits and understanding the health risks of a poor diet.

Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco: Facts about legal and illegal drugs, associated risks, the law on substances, and the consequences of addiction.

Health and prevention: Personal hygiene, dental health, the benefits of regular self-examination and screening, the science of immunisation, and the importance of sleep.

Basic first aid: Treatment for common injuries, CPR, and defibrillator use.

Changing adolescent body: Key facts about puberty, the changes in the adolescent body, and menstrual wellbeing.

Living in the Wider World: Responsibility

Citizenship, Finance, and British values: Parliamentary democracy, the constitution, governance, human rights, international law, the legal system, and the importance of mutual respect. They will also learn about community improvement and financial literacy, including income, expenditure, savings, and public money.

Careers Education: Reflecting on personal strengths, managing career opportunities, building positive relationships, balancing work and wellbeing, exploring career possibilities, understanding recruitment processes, and connecting personal life with the economy, politics, and society.

IMPACT

Our robust and strong PSHCE curriculum at Looe Community Academy can significantly impact and shape a student's personal, social, emotional, health, economic, and career prospects in adulthood. It not only equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary for immediate academic success but also lays the groundwork for their success in adulthood. This comprehensive preparation ensures students are well-rounded individuals ready to thrive in all aspects of their lives, guided by the core values of responsibility, respect, and resilience.

Personal Development

• Self-Identity and Confidence: Students develop a clear sense of self and self-worth, fostering confidence that helps them navigate adult life’s challenges and opportunities
• Life Skills: Students acquire essential life skills, such as time management, decision-making, and problem-solving, which are crucial for personal success and fulfilment

Social Development

• Relationship Skills: Effective communication, empathy, and conflict resolution skills are cultivated, enabling students to form and maintain healthy personal and professional relationships
• Community Engagement: Encourages active involvement in community activities and civic responsibilities, fostering a sense of belonging and societal contribution

Emotional Health

• Emotional Intelligence: Enhances the ability to recognise, understand, and manage emotions, leading to better mental health and resilience against stress and adversity
• Well-being: Promotes practices that support mental and emotional well-being, reducing the risk of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression

Health Education

• Physical Health: Encourages healthy lifestyle choices, such as proper nutrition, exercise, and avoiding harmful behaviours, which contribute to long-term physical health
• Preventive Health: Educates students on the importance of regular health check-ups and preventive measures to maintain overall well-being

Economic Education

• Financial Literacy: Students learn how to manage finances, including budgeting, saving, and investing, which is essential for financial stability and independence
• Informed Decision-Making: Encourages responsible economic behaviour and critical thinking regarding consumption and financial planning

Careers Education

• Career Exploration: Provides knowledge about various career paths and the skills needed for different professions, helping students make informed career choices.
• Workplace Skills: Develops soft skills such as teamwork, leadership, and adaptability, which are highly valued in the job market
• Professional Preparedness: Prepares students to navigate the job market, including job search strategies, resume writing, and interview techniques

Long-term Impact

• Healthy and Fulfilling Lives: Equips students to make informed choices that lead to balanced and fulfilling lives
• Resilient Adults: Builds a foundation of respect, responsibility, and resilience, preparing students to handle the complexities of adult life effectively
• Positive Contributions: Graduates are more likely to be responsible citizens who make meaningful contributions to their communities and workplaces, enhancing societal well-being

By fostering these diverse areas of development, our PSHCE curriculum at Looe Community Academy ensures that students not only excel academically but also grow into healthy, confident, and capable adults ready to make a positive impact on the world around them, embodying the values of responsibility, respect, and resilience.