PSHE KS3 Overview
Both PSHE and Citizenship are separate and distinct subjects on the National Curriculum. Each subject has their own set of skills, range of content and levels of attainment. Citizenship is a compulsory subject and PSHE although being a compulsory subject the National curriculum is a set of non-statutory guidelines, which allows schools to adapt the program to meet the needs of their students.
Citizenship Education:
Citizenship Education has been a statutory subject for both key stage 3 and key stage 4 since 2002.
The purpose of citizenship education is to equip the next generation of voters with the knowledge and drive to create change in the world around them. Not only are they taught the factual knowledge that will help them to understand the way that the world around them works, but also provides them with the skills they will need to effect change in the world around them, whether this be at a local, national or international level.
Learning and undertaking activities in citizenship contributes to the achievement of all three of the curriculum aims for all young people to become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
Key Stage 3
- The development of the political system of democratic government in the United Kingdom, including the roles of citizens, Parliament and the monarch
- The operation of Parliament, including voting and elections, and the role of political parties
- The precious liberties enjoyed by the citizens of the United Kingdom
- The nature of rules and laws and the justice system, including the role of the police and the operation of courts and tribunals
- The roles played by public institutions and voluntary groups in society, and the ways in which citizens work together to improve their communities
- The functions and uses of money, the importance and practice of budgeting, and managing risk
PSHE:
Within the 2014 curriculum review the DfE decided that it was best to make PSHE is a non- statutory subject. This was to allow teachers the flexibility to deliver high-quality PSHE which met the needs of their students and school and therefore did not provide a new standardised frameworks or programmes of study. However, in order to support teachers, they provided grant money to the PSHE Association to develop guidance on developing a robust PSHE program which ensured quality teaching across all key stages. At the Heathland School we have adapted this best practice and our pupils learning is shaped into 3 core modules that every year group study. The individual lesson content builds upon previous learning and is different for each year group.
The PSHE Association split PSHE into three core themes: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider worlds.
Health and Wellbeing:
This core theme focuses on:
- How to manage transition
- How to maintain physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing;
- How to make informed choices about health and wellbeing matters including drugs, alcohol and tobacco; maintaining a balanced diet; physical activity;
- Mental and emotional health and wellbeing; and sexual health
- About parenthood and the consequences of teenage pregnancy
- How to assess and manage risks to health; and to keep themselves and others safe
- How to identify and access help, advice and support
- How to respond in an emergency, including administering first aid
- The role and influence of the media on lifestyle
Relationships:
This core theme focuses on:
- How to develop and maintain a variety of healthy relationships within a range of social/cultural contexts and to develop parenting skills
- How to recognise and manage emotions within a range of relationships
- How to deal with risky or negative relationships including all forms of bullying (including the distinct challenges posed by online bullying) and abuse, sexual and
- Other violence and online encounters
- About the concept of consent in a variety of contexts (including in sexual relationships)
- About managing loss including bereavement, separation and divorce
- To respect equality and be a productive member of a diverse community
- How to identify and access appropriate advice and support
Living in the Wider World
This core theme focuses on:
- About rights and responsibilities as members of diverse communities, as active citizens and participants in the local and national economy
- How to make informed choices and be enterprising and ambitious
- How to develop employability, team working and leadership skills and develop flexibility and resilience
- About the economic and business environment
- How personal financial choices can affect oneself and others and about rights and responsibilities as consumers
