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

An ancient semi-natural woodland just north of Kenilworth, once part of the Forest of Arden. The wood is managed traditionally as high forest with a coppice understorey, providing tall trees of oak, birch and sweet chestnut with a lower shrub layer of hazel and holly.

Visit in May for fantastic displays of bluebells.

Species and habitats

Habitats

We offer an exciting and varied programme of exhibitions to cater for every taste. Artists past and present are featured, from big names such as the Impressionists through to young, up and coming regional artists. There's something for everyone in our fun-packed diary of family activities, and our series of talks and tours. 

A magical place to experience animals, birds and all sorts of owls from all over the world. During winter months and in very wet weather the animals are displayed undercover.

Under Canvas is a fun, curriculum linked, residential experience for schools, which is rooted in the heritage and tradition of a classic school camp. The difference? We bring the tents, the activities and the instructors to your school.

Come along and enjoy flying displays, pig racing, tropical butterflies, snakes, reptiles, trout fishing and much more. Indoor and outdoor play areas for the children and barn style tea rooms for grown ups to relax.

If you're looking to plan a full day out, look no further. Woburn Safari Park offers amazing value for money, with many great activities all included in your ticket price

Head to the leisure area and Foot Safari and park for free; you'll be amazed how many exciting activities are included in your ticket price.  

Nationally and internationally acclaimed, adventurous theatre across two distinct venues - the Everyman and the Playhouse.

Schools

The Bakehouse Centre was specially converted from a former bakehouse and two cottages to house today's Museum.

Museum Staff are pleased to welcome visitors and offer a guided tour if requested. A printed guide to the collection is also available. 

There are new exhibitions on the maritime history and a photographic history of the village.

Walk with Butterflies, the world’s most beautiful and delicate creatures as they fly around you.

A chance to walk with wolves and see them close up as you learn about these beautiful creatures.

There are also a number of Experience days available, including some that are specially tailored for kids. Many take place during the school holidays and more are added throughout the year.

Tropical World at Roundhay Park is one of the most well-loved family attractions in Leeds and only three miles from the city centre. At Tropical World you can take a trek through the rainforest; stopping off briefly in the outback of Australia before a quick excursion through the desert, and all in the same morning!

With lots of farm animals and cuddly pets to meet, including alpacas, sheep, goats, pigs, ponies, donkeys, rabbits and chipmunks, plus activities include owl displays, pig racing and animal handling sessions.

Looking for a Fun and Educational School Trip?

Well look no Further. We offer schools an Exclusive Package:-

Encounter an exotic world of butterflies and birds, mammals and minibeasts, reptiles and rodents, all brought up-close by our team of inspiring, knowledgeable guides.

Give your school group an unforgettable learning experience. You will find our curriculum-based Education Programme is flexible, interactive and lots of fun!

Everyone loves our resident seals and there are always plenty to been seen during their rehabilitation process. Loads more too: Penguins, Aquarium (find Nemo and friends), Tropical House (creepy crawlies), Tropical Butterflies (April to Oct), Crocodiles and Pets Corner too. 

School Trips at Skegness Natureland

The UK's Number 1 Walkthrough Wildlife Adventure

We are a unique zoo with a wide range of animals which you can see on a unique walking safari;

Lion's Lair

Lion Country is unique in the UK as visitors enjoy an on foot safari in safety along its 800m of pathway into the reserves. It is home to the lions rescued from Oradea Zoo in Romania

Tiger Country

The UK's Biggest Zoo!

With so many different species housed at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, the UK's biggest zoo, your trip will be full of excitement.

At the London Canal Museum you can see inside a narrowboat cabin, learn about the history of London's canals, about the cargoes carried, the people who lived and worked on the waterways, and the horses that pulled their boats. Peer down into the unique heritage of a huge Victorian ice well used to store ice imported from Norway and brought by ship and canal boat to be stored.

Tilgate Park has so much to offer from stunning lakes, lawns and gardens to miles of woodland and bridleways for long leisurely walks. As well as all this Tilgate Park also boasts some excellent facilities:

Welcome to the Thrigby Hall wildlife gardens. See the beautiful gardens and the amazing wildlife we look after here in the gardens

The primary objective of Lake District Wildlife Park is wildlife conservation and promotion of sustainable lifestyles through experiential learning.

We believe that the future is in the hands of the world’s young people and our education programme aims to emphasize the interdependence of human beings, the animal world and the natural environment.

Kirkham House is a well-preserved late medieval house, built of local stone.

It lies near the centre of the town of Paignton, which 500 years ago was a small village clustered around its parish church, not far from the palace of the bishops of Exeter.

Cornwall's Biggest Zoo

With over 130 species, Newquay Zoo is an exciting and inspirational place for all ages to learn more about the world's wonderful biodiversity.

Fully restored and re-equipped with its cannon, this is one of 103 ingeniously-designed artillery towers, built from 1805 at vulnerable points around the south and east coasts to resist threatened Napoleonic invasion.

We offer a selection of Onsite education packages.

Q. How long are the sessions?
We offer 1/2 hr education sessions with hands-on encounters with various animals.

Q. Who are they aimed at?
The sessions are designed for pre-school, key stage 1 & 2 children.

Secret Valley Wildlife Park is the only Wildlife Park in the South East of Ireland. Ann O’Connor and her husband, John set up the original farm a few years ago and it has since grown from strength to strength. The passion that Ann and her staff have for the animals and environment is clearly evident from the moment the visitor is welcomed into the grounds.

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