RSHE

What is RSHE?
An effective RSHE programme can tackle barriers to learning, raise aspirations, and improve outcomes for students. Furthermore it is crucial part of effective safeguarding. Promoting physical and mental health in schools creates a virtuous circle reinforcing children’s attainment and achievement that in turn improves their wellbeing, enabling children to thrive and achieve their full potential.

Core Aim
The world our children are growing up in offers huge possibilities but significant risks too and the school curriculum should prepare them for that world. The core aim of the RSHCE department is teach the pupils how to be safe, physically and mentally healthy and to build self-esteem, resilience and empathy. This will impact on academic attainment and attendance rates, as well as improve employability and boost social mobility.

Vision
Our vision is to equip the students with the skills and attributes such as resilience, critical thinking and the ability to manage risk. This will help them manage their lives now and prepare them to manage many of the critical opportunities, challenges and responsibilities they will face in modern Britain.

How is it taught?
RSHE sessions are held every two weeks, on a rolling programme. On PSHE days the school has six lessons all lasting 50 mins, apart from the final lesson of the day.
RSHE is taught in teams: this enables teachers to use their subject strengths to develop a more robust RSHE curriculum delivery.
This allows teaching staff to be trained in the delivery of more complex and sensitive issues that arise from this curriculum area.

Designing the Curriculum
Our curriculum is highly responsive to changing evidence and reflects student voice. Firstly there is regular in-school liaison with the pastoral team. Secondly, we carry out bi-annual research into our students’ health behaviour and their expressed values, beliefs and opinions. This research is part of Gloucestershire’s Healthy Schools/Healthy Living and Learning programme. The wealth of data generated allows us to constantly refocus our attention to reflect the changing needs, beliefs and behaviour of our pupils. Historical data enables us to monitor the impact of any intervention. In addition it gives us a comparison with other schools within Gloucestershire.

The Curriculum across Key Stages 3 & 4:
Students are taught PSHE in their form groups (mixed ability groups) during tutor time.
It is a spiral curriculum, with each year’s unit building and working towards the next unit. The curriculum broadly covers:

  • Understanding of how to keep themselves safe from relevant risks such as abuse, sexual exploitation and extremism, including when using the internet and social media.
  • Employability skills so that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education, employment, self-employment or training.
  • Knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy, both emotionally and physically, including through exercising and healthy eating.
  • Personal development, so that they are well prepared to respect others and contribute to wider society and life in Britain.

Delivery of the Curriculum
Our PSHE curriculum is delivered in four main ways.

  • Whole school delivery

PSHE sessions are held every two weeks, on a rolling programme. On PSHE days the school has six lessons all lasting 50 mins (excluding lesson 5).

  • Specialist Enrichment Days

Through-out the year we run Specialist Enrichment days which range from guest speakers in the Hall to small group seminars and competitive inter-tutor activities. These sessions seek to provide important information, enrich knowledge, provoke discussion, and provide invaluable life skills.
Whole school safer Internet Day, International Women’s Day, Digital detox week and Refugee week.
Year Group: Year 8 Chelsea Choice (CSE) and Year 9 Enterprise Day.

  • Specialist Group interventions

In addition to our specialist enrichment days we run small group sessions targeting more specific issues and subjects. These sessions enable groups of students to receive more focused interventions
These include:

  • Cheltenham Town Men’s Talk.
  • Family’s First Body image.
  • Crime Stoppers Knife crime Intervention.

Tutor time

Tutor time is seen an integral part of the PSHE curriculum. Each Year group participates in in daily tutor sessions from 1.50-2.10pm. Each day has a clear focus e.g. Feel Good Friday where students explore the NHS five steps to well-being.

The PSHE Curriculum Map

  • Relationships and Sex education
  • Health and Well-being
  • Living in the wider world
  • Information, Advice and Guidance
  • Financial Education