PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education)

PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education)

Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) can mean all things to all people, but in a positive way. It enables schools to analyse what they offer to students and to use PSHE programmes to provide the final rounded curriculum. This is not easy as PSHE is not so much a ‘subject’ as a group of learning experiences that need careful binding together lest they become amorphous.

PSHE at its best brings emotional literacy, social skills and healthy attitudes to the core studies of the history, economic state and social make-up of the local and wider community

Ofsted has praised some schools’ multi-faceted approaches to creating a caring and coherent school and reaching out to the local communities, and some schools for delivering sex and relations programmes effectively, and some for their commitment to equality and diversity. Visits and activities outside the classroom can act not only as focal points for a school’s work but as catalysts to reinforce the messages contained in the courses.

In some ways it does not matter where the visit is to. The importance is how well they are planned, the matching of the experiences to the aim, and the enthusiasm staff and students bring to it.

So, typically learning for PSHE takes place whilst undertaking other activities. Here we list a range of ideas which the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom suggest as activities which can engender excellent experiences to benefit students in this area.

Attitudes and values

  • Talking about an object in a museum, or visiting a place of worship can give insight into issues, other cultures or periods of history.
  • Creating your own work of art can give rise to explorations and understandings about the world and our place in it
  • A visit to a farm can stimulate debate about animal husbandry and food production, and provide a context for designing a Fairtrade enterprise.
  • Adventure education can provide opportunities to show different skills, such as leadership or teamwork.
  • Seeing a play on the stage can bring a text alive and stimulate conversations about the values and actions of the characters.
  • A residential can provide a different setting for conversations about what we believe and what we think is important.

Confidence and resilience

  • Learning a new skill, such as map-reading or how to look at a painting, builds independence and confidence.
  • Adventure education enables young people to test themselves in various ways and develop new aptitudes and dispositions.
  • For young people with disabilities, a residential trip can foster independence and give them a rare opportunity to build close relationships outside the family.
  • Planning their own experience or activity helps young people to gain confidence in a wide range of project planning skills.  It can develop resilience in dealing with conflicting opinions, and in finding solutions to project challenges.

Communication and social skills

  • A drama workshop requires teamwork and helps, to strengthen friendship groups.
  • A residential experience enables staff to get to know young people, and young people get to know each other, discovering different aspects of each others’ personalities.
  • An experience, such as visiting a power station, stimulates discussion and encourages young people to share ideas and opinions.
  • A musical performance gives young people a feeling of achievement and a sense of personal success.
  • Young people planning their own programme or activities gives them voice and choice and ensures their active involvement.
  • Undertaking voluntary work in the community gives young people a sense of making a positive contribution.

Knowledge of the world beyond the classroom

  • Young people who live in the country may encounter a town or city for the first time or vice versa.
  • Environmentalists, town planners, artists, curators, scientists, politicians, musicians, dancers and actors can all act as new and powerful role models.
  • Going to an arts venue can encourage young people to try the experience again.
  • Recording the reminiscences of older people gives young people new insight into their community, and brings historical events alive.
  • Going to a local civic institution like a town hall builds knowledge of how communities function.
  • A school or youth council enables young people to learn about and participate in democratic processes
  • Visiting the library enables young people to find out what they have to offer – apart from lending books.
  • Children and young people with profound learning difficulties and disabilities may not often experience visits to galleries, concerts or the countryside because of the difficulties of transport and personal care which parents have to consider and cannot always manage alone. Educational visits may provide the only means for these young people to have such experiences.

Physical development and well-being

  • Visiting a park, field studies centre or making a school garden all provide physical activity and develop an interest in the environment.
  • Participating in recreational activities help to develop physical well-being and the growth of confidence.
  • Many learning outside the classroom activities can also provide attractive alternatives to competitive sports and can lead to a lifelong interest in healthy physical recreation.

Emotional spiritual and moral development

  • An integrated dance workshop with able bodied and disabled participants can help young people empathise and develop awareness of disability.
  • Activities in the natural environment can encourage a feeling of awe and wonder, and an appreciation of silence and solitude.
  • Visiting a place of worship develops an understanding of religion, reflection and spirituality.
  • Engaging with young people in conversations about values and beliefs, right and wrong, good and bad supports their moral development.

Main organisations:

PSHE Association

National Centre for Citizenship and the Law

Inclusion: NASEN

Venues for this Curriculum

Croxteth Hall is situated in a beautiful Country Park setting and is one of Liverpool's most important heritage sites.

The Country Park is also home to a real working Home Farm, a Victorian Walled Garden and a 500 acre nature reserve - all open to the public.

We are situated amongst the rolling farm land of the beautiful Isle of  Man. Nestling close to the base of North Barrule and only five minutes from the secluded beach at Porte Vullen the centre is perfectly situated to provide an ideal venue for groups of all ages.

Set in the attractive Moors-edge market town of Pickering; discover how this splendid 13th century castle was used throughout the centuries.

This tourist attraction in the heart of the North York Moors National Park has been a royal hunting lodge, holiday home and a stud farm by a succession of medieval kings.

A perfect educational visit in Yorkshire.

This 500 acre country park is one of Liverpool’s most important heritage sites and is Grade II listed.

A great visitor attraction for families, the park has something for everyone including:

The Robey Trust , based at the New Perseverance Ironworks, is a charity dedicated to continuing the traditions of the Robey Engineering Company of Lincoln. This involves not only the maintenance in working order of many Robey engines, the vast majority of them steam engines, but also continuing and transmitting to coming generations the expertise required to preserve and run these machines.

Based in an eco-refurbished Victorian former terraced house in Sheffield, South Yorkshire Energy Centre (SYEC) demonstrates the practicalities of Green refurbishment and renewable energy and offers advice, training, education, consultancy and project management to a wide variety of clients, as well as providing Sheffield's first Green Building Service. 

Taurus Crafts is a vibrant visitor centre celebrating creative design and healthy living. Bringing together arts, crafts, designer gifts and wholesome food, we offer an alternative to the high street experience where you can eat, shop and relax.

Taurus Crafts Pottery Activity

Open weekends and Holidays. Your chance to throw your own pot, paint your own pot.

Explore the museum’s large, outstanding collections and trace the fascinating history of Mid Devon. The displays include the ‘Tivvy Bumper’ GWR steam engine, local industries (particularly lace making), farm waggons and the history of agriculture, and the every day home life of Mid Devon folk.

Rockbourne is near Fordingbridge in a picturesque and peaceful part of Hampshire close to the New Forest. The Roman villa once stood in the centre of a large farming estate, and is the largest known villa in the area. Its history spans the period from the Iron Age to the 5th century AD. The villa includes bath houses, living quarters, farm buildings and workshops.

Take a ride on this fun narrow gauge railway that trundles through the heart of Sherwood Forest which runs for one mile through the area's farm land with two crossings a tunnel and a couple of stations cute 5/8ths scale locomotives the kids will love pulling open carriages behind them.

Hezlett House may be small but it is bursting with history, stories and tales. Dressed for the late Victorian period typical for this Irish farmstead visitors can immerse themselves in that time and get hands on with many of the items experiencing life on the farm. The beautiful grounds have been lovingly restored including a small working fruit orchard and kitchen garden.

The South Devon Railway is one of Devon’s and the West Country’s best loved tourist attractions and is the longest established steam railway in the south west.

A working estate still guided by the seasons, with an impressive mansion and Home Farm

The mansion, at the heart of this estate, is evidence of Elsie Bambridge's success in creating a home. Elsie was the daughter of acclaimed author Rudyard Kipling.

White knuckle and family rides, toddler fun and fantastic family shows, including live entertainment and animal antics. New Feature: Furry Friends Farm and Tractor Ride!

Pleasure Island Theme Park is still the best value day out on the East Coast with its fantastic package of over 50 rides and attractions including their newest feature Furry Friends Farm and Tractor Ride!

A spectacular 14th century monastic stone barn, 51 metres (168 feet) long, with an amazing timber cruck roof.

This is one of the country’s finest examples of medieval monastic barns – rightly called ‘the cathedrals of the land’.

Built in the early years of the 14th century, it originally formed part of a range of farm buildings grouped around an open rectangular yard.

A diverse experience with a huge variety of animals but also trampolines, roller blading rink, crazy golf, maize maze, pony rides, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, fire engine ride and pedal kart track, plus seasonal activities like bottle feeding lambs.

A full programme of events throughout the day including: Meet and Feed the Animals, Free Tractor and Trailer Rides, Children's Craft Sessions, Animal Racing, 2 Acre Willow Maze and Indoor and Outdoor Adventure Play Areas. Themed weeks during school holidays.A great family day out, come rain or shine.

Superb facilities: indoor and outdoor animals and play zones, crazy golf, bouncy castle, ringo slope, tractor rides and much more.

Whoosh down the fake snow slopes on inflatable ringos! Dig to Australia in the giant sandpit, and get your rev on with the pedal tractors! All under cover!

The sanctuary has a 'cuddle corner' where adults and children may handle baby rabbits, chicks, ducklings, kittens and new born mice and gerbils (when in season). A great place to take toddlers, Early Yeears and Primary children in particular if you are looking for visits out in Oxfordshire.

Lambing weekends in the spring, monthly country food fayres, and we have our famous and unique 'living manger' prior to Christmas.

A farm with plenty of animals to meet and handle, such as piglets, lambs, pygmy goats and more. Adventure playground, go karts and tractors, indoor soft play, and pony rides. Under 2s visit free.

Norfolk’s wonderful museum of rural life and the Workhouse

This fifty-acre site with its magnificent Georgian workhouse invites you to explore two centuries of life on the land. There are recreations of shops and homes, extensive displays on farming and village life and the popular Collections Gallery - a real treasure trove. 

Ash End House Children's Farm offer lots of friendly animals to feed and stroke. Three Play areas, Indoor Toddlers Barn, Family Games Yard, Crazy golf and lots of fun activities for the children. Plus Jumping Pillow, Tractor and Trailer Rides and visit our new Falconry Centre!

Working farm on the Old Yarr Estate with activities scheduled throughout the day including Animal Encounters, tractor and trailer rides, plus a giant sandpit and play area for younger children.

All our activity sessions are in small groups so you can enjoy a real personal touch and our friendly staff are always happy to answer any questions you have about our animals.

Handle the fluffy young chicks, rabbits and guinea pigs in Cuddle Corner and laugh at the antics of the pygmy goats on Goat Mountain. You can feed the ducks, groom a pony, watch and get involved in the ever popular piglet race! So much to do here!

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