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

A rare survival of a large 14th-century stone house with great hall and chambers. It served as a residence and courthouse for the wealthy and powerful rectors of Warton.

The Churnet Valley Railway takes you on a journey back to the classic days of railway travel on a rural line that passes through beautiful countryside known as Staffordshire's "Little Switzerland".

Our picturesque stations offer lots of interest with a complete range of visitor facilities, and there's plenty more to see and enjoy along the way.

The Museum is run by Mortehoe Heritage Trust, a registered charity managed by local people. It is situated in the heart of the cliff-top village of Mortehoe, 1.5 miles north of Woolacombe on the coastal road. Entry is through the village Car Park opposite Mortehoe Post Office.

Glenside Hospital Museum is located in Bristol within the grounds of the old hospital. The Museum aims to inform, educate and de-stigmatise mental illness and learning difficulties.

The Museum is housed in the original hospital chapel, a Grade II listed building.

It is open free to the public every Wednesday and Saturday morning from 10.00am–12.30pm.

A place with an unusual story, told by graphic panels. The small Norman chapel here stood on the site of an earlier timber church, probably the Saxon cathedral of East Anglia. In the 14th century it was converted into a fortified manor house by Henry Despenser, the unpopular Bishop of Norwich who brutally suppressed the Peasants' Revolt of 1381.

Saint Asaph Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of St Asaph, one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales. Many of our Visitors describe the Cathedral as a ‘Hidden Gem.'

Originally the Police Station and Courthouse, the Museum is opposite St. Mary's Church in the centre of Axminster. Visitors may discover the old police cells which have now been incorporated into the Arts Cafe adjacent to the Museum.

Ruins of the late 12th century church of a small nunnery of 'white ladies' or Augustinian canonesses.

The first reference to the Priory of St Leonard, now known as White Ladies Priory, is a grant of land dated 1186; the architectural evidence also suggests a late 12th century foundation date.

The most famous and intensively studied of Britain's 3,000 or so deserted medieval villages, Wharram Percy occupies a remote but attractive site in a beautiful Wolds valley. Above the substantial ruins of the church and a recreated fishpond, the outlines of many lost houses are traceable on a grassy plateau.

Although used as a barn for the last three centuries, this fine medieval chapel was originally constructed by the lord of Chisbury Manor to assert his high social status. It allowed the household of the manor, as well as local people, to attend services and pay their taxes without having to travel to the parish church at Great Bedwyn.

An imposing landmark, the twin 12th-century towers of the ruined church stand amid the remains of an important Roman 'Saxon Shore' fort and a Saxon monastery.

The most dominant features of this site are the 12th-century towers of the former monastic church, which stand out on the skyline for miles around.

The home of the Venerable Bede, chronicler of the beginnings of English Christianity, Jarrow has become one of the best-understood Anglo-Saxon monastic sites. The Anglo-Saxon church - with the oldest dedication stone in the country, dated AD 685 - partly survives as the chancel of the parish church.

The beautiful 12th century church of the Augustinian priory of Brinkburn survives completely roofed and restored. Picturesquely set by a bend in the River Coquet, it is reached by a scenic ten minute walk from the car park. Parts of the monastic buildings are incorporated into the elegant adjacent manor house.

Lifecentre Hattersley is a registered charity which has been in existence since June 2007. Previously, launched under the name of EDEN Hattersley in September 2002. It is a Christian organisation that offers training, education and personal development programmes for the benefit of the local community with a particular focus on young people.

The site features a riverside walk and meadows, children's play area, picnic site with barbeques, tearoom, souvenir shop, tourist information and a secluded basic camp site. The signal box houses changing exhibitions from local artists and crafts people.

Have a rainforest experience in the Victorian glasshouses, get lost in the maze, follow one of our trails or enjoy the beautiful gardens. Visit the farm or have fun in our fantastic new play barn.

Education and Learning

Offering jaunts down the River Avon either by guided covered group tour, private hire motor boat or a family sized row boat. Departing from the award winning Abbey Park.

Built in 1582 as a Merchant's House and set in the beautiful Waterlow Park, Lauderdale House is a Grade II listed building and now runs primarily as an arts and education centre, welcoming over 65,000 visitors each year.

Exhibitions & Fairs

Wyre Forest Discovery Centre hosts the "education centre of excellence". Curriculum linked activities and a variety of adult craft and wildlife focus days are available including high wires and muddy games!

All Things Wild Nature Centre at The Domestic Fowl Trust is set in the beautiful Vale of Evesham in the Worcestershire countryside, and is the perfect place for you to relax, learn and enjoy yourself.

Expansive play frame and stylish play area featuring 3 different slides and masses of activities you won't find anywhere else. Parents welcome in to play too.

Honeybourne Pottery was established in 2001, and is run by Paul and Kath Sillence.

Play and party centre for 0 to 12 year olds with four exciting and unique play areas: adventure park, role play high street, video games room and sports arena.

Fire your imagination with our fun attractions.

Every corner of Bury St Edmunds Kids Play is bursting with play.

What will you do first?

  • Brave the speedy drop slide
  • Spin, spin, spin on tyre swings
  • Aim and shoot our fun ball canons
  • Scale the Tangle Tower
  • Test out our bouncy trampoline
  • Plus light snacks

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