Personal, Social & Health Education 

PSHE – Curriculum 

Curriculum Overview

The PSHE curriculum at Walton High School is fully statutory compliant and age appropriate for all of our students.

There are three core themes to our PSHE curriculum:

• Health and Wellbeing: Focuses on both physical and mental health. Topics cover nutrition, exercise, sleep, personal hygiene, and basic first aid. It also addresses sensitive issues like puberty, emotional awareness, stress management, and the risks associated with drugs, alcohol, and excessive screen time.
• Relationships and Sex Education: This supports students in knowing how to build positive, respectful, and safe relationships. It covers family structures, consent, conflict resolution, and the importance of challenging misogyny and online harms. 
• Living in the wider world: This prepares our students for when they leave the school and allows them to consider their career ambitions and their role in society. This theme integrates careers education, financial literacy, fundamental British values, diversity, and environmental awareness.

Intent, Implementation, Impact

Intent:

There is now definitive evidence that shows students who are mentally and emotionally healthy do better at school. This is both academically and with the amount of extra-curricular activities they are involved with.

Therefore, our PSHE curriculum is tailored to the specific needs of the students who attend our school to ensure that they feel happy and supported at school which allows them to feel that this is a school where they belong, can learn without hindrance and achieve to the best of their abilities.

Implementation:

PSHE is a timetabled lesson at KS3 and KS4 with it being delivered as part of the tutor programme for KS5 students.

Students in each group in the school cover one topic each half-term and all lessons are well researched, resourced and are age appropriate. Staff receive regular CPD to support the teaching of the curriculum that has been provided by the PSHE lead, the safeguarding team and external agencies. There is also drop-in sessions available to those who teach PSHE should they need guidance or support in the delivery of the curriculum.

Lessons are quality assured by the PSHE lead and members of the senior team and we are very ambitious in the outcomes we want our students to achieve from the PSHE curriculum.

Impact:

PSHE helps our students to achieve their potential by supporting their wellbeing and tackling issues that can have a negative effect on their ability to learn such as stress, anxiety and unhealthy relationships.

PSHE also allows students to develop skills such as teamwork, communication and resilience that are crucial to navigating the challenges and opportunities of the modern world and which are increasingly valued by employers.

Relationships and Sex Education Policy

The statutory guidance for RSE and Health Education came into effect in all secondary schools from 2020. This includes academies, free schools and independent schools.

In secondary education:

• Parents are not able to withdraw their child from any aspect of Relationship and Health Education. 
• Parents can withdraw their child (following discussion with the school) from any or all aspects of Sex Education, other than those which are part of the science curriculum, up to and until three terms before the age of 16.
• After that point, the guidance states that ‘if the child wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school should make arrangements to provide the child with sex education during one of those terms’. 
• Where students are withdrawn from sex education, schools should document the process and will have to ‘ensure that the student receives appropriate, purposeful education during the period of withdrawal’.

British Values

British Values are a fundamental part of the PSHE curriculum. British Values are:

• Democracy: Teaches students the importance of having a voice and making informed choices through fair processes. In PSHE, this helps build confidence to debate, collaborate, and influence decisions. 
• Rule of Law: Helps children understand why rules are essential for safety and fairness in their classrooms, communities, and the wider UK society.
• Individual Liberty: Encourages students to make independent, responsible choices while fully understanding the consequences, fostering healthy personal development.
• Mutual Respect and Tolerance: Cultivates environments where differences in race, cultures, and faiths are celebrated, reducing discriminatory behaviour and encourages empathy.

Teaching British values in PSHE is vital because it prepares students to thrive in modern society, actively promotes respect for diversity, an understanding of the law, and the critical life skills needed to become responsible, active, and well-rounded citizens.

Integrating fundamental British values into PSHE equips our students for life beyond the classroom by building a strong moral compass and ensuring safety and inclusivity.

Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural (SMSC)

The promotion of the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development of our students in PSHE ensures that PSHE is not just a simple list of rights and wrongs. Instead, it builds character in our students and encourages them to make the correct choices for the correct reasons. We promote these values in the following way:

• Spiritual: Our PSHE curriculum encourages students to reflect on their own beliefs, emotions, and personal identity.
• Moral: It helps young people distinguish between right and wrong and understand the consequences of their choices. But more than this, through discussion and debates, students explore complex ethical issues and develop reasoned, respectful personal viewpoints.
• Social: We want our students to become active citizens and PSHE informs students how communities and democracies function, empowering them to contribute positively to society. 
• Cultural: By explicitly exploring different cultures, faiths, and lifestyles, it prevents unconscious biases and stereotypes.

Safeguarding Links

Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) education serves as the preventative foundation for safeguarding in schools. While safeguarding involves reactive child protection procedures, PSHE proactively equips children with the knowledge and resilience to understand boundaries, recognise risks, and seek help.

PSHE and safeguarding are heavily intertwined, as both aim to identify and prevent potential harms. Core connections include:

• Healthy Relationships: Teaches the concept of consent, what makes a relationship ‘unhealthy’ (including peer-on-peer abuse), and understanding boundaries.
• Online Safety: Equips students to navigate the digital world safely, avoid online predators, and recognize the dangers of issues like cyberbullying and ‘sexting’.
• Mental Health and Wellbeing: Builds emotional resilience, identifies warning signs of abuse, and teaches students how to express their emotions safely.
• Understanding Rights: Educates our students on their right to feel safe and exactly how and where to get help if they are in danger. 

The PSHE lead at the school is DSL trained and works closely with the safeguarding team at the school to both shape the curriculum and respond to any concerns that arise from the lessons and topics being taught.

There is a regular meeting between the PSHE lead and a member of the safeguarding team where the impact of the curriculum, work with external providers and agencies and current trends in the welfare of students is discussed with actions coming from each meeting.

Teaching Approaches

We have a consistent and joined up approach in the delivery of the PSHE curriculum across the school. Each student in the school will cover six topics during an academic year and these will be taught in the same order and at the same time. There is also an expectation that all staff use the central resources but that they also amend and adapt them for the needs of their class and individual students within that class. All staff follow the core principles of the delivery or our curriculum which include:

Interactive and Participatory Methods: 

• Group discussions and debate: Encourages critical thinking and allows students to learn from their peers perspectives. 

• Scenario rehearsal: Empowers students to practice how to manage risks, say 'no' to peer pressure, and handle real-life situations safely. 

• Reflective: Helps students connect abstract emotional health concepts to their own lives.

 Evidence based and balanced delivery:

• Positive Framing: Balances risk-based messaging (teaching about dangers) with positive, empowering health and relationship choices. 

• Myth-Busting with care: Avoids presenting inaccurate information or myths in true/false quizzes over time to prevent students from cementing false information. 
• Steering clear of fear tactics: Avoids using guilt, shame, or fear (e.g., showing gory images), as these block effective communication and do not promote lasting behaviour change.

A progressive and tailored curriculum:

• Spiral Learning: Revisit concepts year after year, building deeper understanding and more complex skills over time.
• Assessment for Learning: Utilise assessment for learning opportunities to constantly find out what students know, and we then ensure the lesson builds on where students are rather than assumed knowledge. 
• SEND Adaptations: Makes activities accessible for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by avoiding open-ended questions, allowing alternative presentation methods, and providing clear timelines in which to complete activities. Staff are also expected to adapt resources for the specific needs of their individual students.

Establishing a Safe Space:

• Clear ground rules: Set and reinforce expectations before discussing sensitive topics. 
• Personal Reflection: Ensure students are given time at the end of lessons for quiet, individual reflection so they can internalise how to apply learning to their own lives.

Inclusivity and Diversity

Integrating inclusivity and diversity in PSHE involves ensuring all students feel valued, safe, and represented. It moves beyond teaching mere tolerance to actively celebrating differences, challenging prejudice. We try and ensure this in several ways:

• There is clear representation of different identities and families.
• Equality and diversity education is embedded in the curriculum.
• Anti-bullying and respect for differences is a key thread in the curriculum.

Assessment and Monitoring

The assessment and monitoring of PSHE ensures that learning is robust, students attitude and effort is tracked, and the curriculum effectively meets the statutory needs of our students. Unlike examined subjects, assessment in PSHE focuses on students personal growth, the skills they are expanding, and exploring attitudes rather than ‘passing or failing’.

The way we ensure this happens is through:

Learning Walks and observations: Regular drop-ins to check classroom environment, safety agreements, and student engagement.

Work Scrutiny: Reviewing of students booklets to check for coverage, understanding and depth of knowledge.

 Student Voice: Speaking directly with students to ensure the curriculum feels relevant, engaging, and safe.

Staff Feedback Surveys: Analysis of staff confidence levels and tracking Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs and requirements.

Attitude and effort tracking: Students receive an attitude and effort grade at several points during the academic year and this is communicated to parents/carers and the students themselves.

Parental Engagement

Parental engagement in Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) education is an essential partnership that helps safeguard children and reinforces learning. When schools actively involve parents and carers in the PSHE and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum, it creates a supportive environment and ensures families are aligned on the values being taught. There is complete transparency in the topics that are being taught and the rationale for why we teach them.

We consider parental engagement to be of the upmost importance because it can lead to: 

• Improved Safeguarding: Open communication allows schools and parents to address sensitive topics together, ensuring consistency between home and school.
• Increased Support: Parents are more supportive of the PSHE curriculum when they fully understand what is being taught, why it matters, and how to discuss it at home.
• Statutory Requirements: In the UK, the Department for Education (DfE) mandates that schools must work closely with parents when planning and delivering Relationships Education and RSE.

Enrichment Opportunities

The enrichment opportunities students have in PSHE at Walton High ensures that they build critical life skills like resilience, empathy, and collaboration. We give our students the following opportunities:

Active democracy and leadership roles: The Lead Prefect roles, Student Council and Student Committees give students ownership to improve the student experience for all at the school. The Debate Society allows students to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to be become active citizens in the democracy of our country.

Community Volunteering and Intergenerational Projects: Visits by local residential care homes to our school cultivate social responsibility and allow students to feel a sense of ‘giving back’ to our local community. Our increasing work with local food banks also teaches students the importance of caring for all in our community, especially the most vulnerable.

Careers and Enterprise Initiatives: Interactive Work Tree events meeting local employers, entrepreneurs and public sector workers from Milton Keynes allows students to consider future careers and the pathways to get there.

Personal Growth: Allows students to consider the values they have and the kind of person they want to be through workshops on addiction, Progressive Masculinity and the JJ Effect. 

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE): Gives students the experience of an external residential and expedition programme that heavily build youth resilience, navigation skills, and teamwork.

Student Voice

Student Voice is essential in PSHE because it bridges the gap between our curriculum goals and students lived experiences. It ensures that learning remains highly relevant, timely, and supportive of their immediate wellbeing and safety needs.

We ensure that the Student Voice in PSHE at Walton High enables to consider the following:

Lived Relevance: Society and online media evolve rapidly. By listening to students, we can gain insights into the digital spaces, language, and trends directly impacting their lives.

 Targeted Support: Gathering feedback allows individual teachers to tailor lessons to their specific class needs, identify gaps in knowledge, and address sensitive topics (such as RSE) in a way that respects diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

Safeguarding: Having a culture where students feel they are listened to empowers them to raise concerns and allows the school to notice wellbeing or safety issues early, before they escalate.

PSHE Curriculum map