PSHE

PSHE is personal, social, health and economic education. Academic and vocational subjects prepare students for their careers beyond high school. PSHE teaches them how to manage all the other aspects of their lives: diet, exercise, sleep, mental health and emotional wellbeing, relationships and finances.

The link below outlines the Government guidance on PSHE:

Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

At Aylsham High School we are developing a programme based around three key themes: ‘relationships’, ‘health and wellbeing’ and ‘living in the wider world’. The programme is delivered to students in several ways:

• Within other subjects as part of their schemes of work, delivered within lessons by subject teachers. For example, reproduction in science, health, diet and exercise in PE and food tech, budgeting and personal finance in enterprise and online safety in computing.
• Weekly in tutor time ‘life skills’ sessions. Learning objectives are taught in age-appropriate sessions that are suited to our vertical tutor groups. These sessions are delivered and overseen by form tutors.
• Age-specific content is delivered via ‘drop-down’ days that take place as off-timetable sessions within the school day, usually around twice per year for each year group. Examples of these sessions include first aid, RSE, road safety, drug and alcohol awareness, anti-bullying and diversity.

Relationships and sex education (RSE)

PSHE includes relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education.

• RSE is statutory (required) in secondary schools in the UK
• health education is statutory in all UK state-funded schools.

Our RSE programme aims to deliver the compulsory subject content in an age appropriate and developmentally appropriate way, with respect to the backgrounds and beliefs of pupils and parents while always with the aim of providing pupils with the knowledge they need of the law, and an understanding of how to keep themselves and each other safe and happy within all their relationships.

Our RSE programme seeks to assist our students to understand human sexuality and is taught with an emphasis on respect for oneself and respect for others. We aim to convey to students that adult intimate relationships should be built on the principles of honesty, communication and consent. 

Sex education and human reproduction is covered in the science curriculum and within RSE. The school has an RSE policy; this can be found on the school website under the ‘About AHS’ heading and the ‘policies and documents’ section or you can click on this link Policies & Documents - Aylsham High School.

The statutory framework for the teaching of RSE in UK schools was updated in 2019 and the new guidance for the teaching of RSE framework came into effect in September 2020. The link below outlines the Government’s statutory guidance on RSE which all schools must follow:

Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Right of withdrawal

Parents are reminded of their right to withdraw students from sex education that is delivered as part of the RSE programme. Appropriate alternative arrangements will be made in such circumstances.

(Parents may not withdraw students from sex education and human reproduction that is delivered as part of the science curriculum.)

CITIZENSHIP

Like PSHE, citizenship is taught across the curriculum. Students gain knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens and develop their skills of enquiry, communication, participation and responsible action. Themes covered include:

• democracy, UK government and parliament,
• the legal system in the UK,
• human rights and international law,
• the diversity of UK cultural, regional, religious and ethnic identities
• being part of a community

The link below outlines the Government’s statutory guidance on citizenship education in schools:

National Curriculum - Citizenship key stages 3 and 4 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The school also offers opportunities for involvement in active citizenship initiatives.  These initiatives include the Friendly Face scheme, Diversity Club, student involvement with the Aylsham Food Festival and the Aylsham Show, charity events, eco warriors, school council and attendance at European conferences and other similar events.  We also promote global citizenship within the school through inviting the local community group Aylsham Worldwide in to school to deliver talks and raise awareness of issues in developing countries. 

Assemblies

Many of the central themes followed in the PSHE and citizenship programmes are reinforced during our assemblies. The assemblies are often timed to coincide with national and international events such as Black History Month, International Women’s day, Schools’ Pride Week and Holocaust Memorial day.

PSHE year group days for 2022-23

PSHE taught in tutor time as part of 'Life Skills'

At Aylsham High School much of the PSHE curriculum is taught during tutor time in weekly life skills lessons. Because we have vertical tutoring, the content is appropriate for all year groups, and is taught over a 5 year programme. Key themes of ‘health and wellbeing’, ‘relationships’ and ‘living in the wider world’ are taught as part of a spiral curriculum; prior learning is revisited each year and new learning is introduced alongside existing knowledge.

Please see attached document below (Life skills 5 year plan Jan 2023) which contains details of subjects studied each term and year.