PSHE

Head of PSHE: Mrs N Atherton

Vision

PSHE is central to all aspects of pupil learning at Hawkley High School. It emphasises and embeds the essential skills and attributes young people need to manage their lives, both now and in the future in a safe and supportive environment.  

Intent

PSHE is a crucial part of a child’s education and at the core of what we do at Hawkley High School. We provide a specifically tailored, relevant and meaningful curriculum that is both broad and balanced, meets the unique context of our school and is accessible for all.

Our curriculum enables our pupils to become independent, confident, healthy and responsible members of society, as well as developing the “whole child” intellectually, morally, socially and physically. With an ever-changing society, we are able to provide our pupils with a strong understanding of the diverse world around them and support them in playing a positive role in contributing to the school and the wider community.  Our programme maximises the outcomes for every child building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health.  

Weaving through the heart of our PSHE teaching, is a commitment to enhancing and promoting our Hawkley Way and our Hawkley Virtues with a strong emphasis on developing positive attitudes.  

Pupil participation is integral to the school’s vision and ethos; there are clear structures in place to capture pupils’ voice and pupils have a range of opportunities to influence decisions which affect them. Debate and discussion permeate our curriculum in order to allow pupil to respect one another’s different views and opinions in a respectful way.  

At Hawkley High School, we aim to prepare pupils adequately for adult life: its decisions, responsibilities, experiences and opportunities, and to allow pupils to develop fully as emotionally mature human beings. 

Learning Journey

PSHE

Hawkley Virtues

In 2022, we launched the Hawkley Virtues. A set of 10 qualities that all of our students develop during their time at Hawkley High School. We are passionate about developing the whole child and allowing students opportunities to develop these virtues to enable them to leave school as a kind, respectful, resilient and aspirational young person who will make a positive contribution towards society. We have a specific virtue to focus on per month which is evident in the PSHE curriculum delivery, subject lessons and assembly themes. Students are awarded positive referrals on class charts for displaying and developing these virtues and awards and given out in celebration assemblies to recognise this.

PSHE engagement lessons and assemblies

PSHE is taught through a rolling programme consisting of 5 main projects equating to 25 hours of learning per year running from October to June. This is for Year 7 to Year 10 and includes health and well-being, relationships and living in the wider world.
We also study different topical issues once per week in engagement lessons during thoughtful Thursday for Y11 and Reflective Friday for Y7 - Y10 taught by form teachers. Assemblies are delivered with an emphasis on PSHE topics such as holocaust memorial day and mental health awareness etc. We host drop down activities where appropriate to respond feedback from our students or issues that arise in our school community or wider world.
We invite external agency speakers regularly into school to deliver workshops or assemblies and we hold drop down sessions throughout the year where we feel appropriate which responds to student feedback on any particular areas for more coverage on PSHE topics such as body image.
All PSHE lessons are taught by either form teachers or class teachers.

 

Project 1 

Project 2 

Project 3 

Project 4 

Project 5 

Year 7 

Health and puberty 

Diversity 

Taking responsibility 

Building relationships 

Financial decision making 

Year 8 

Drugs and alcohol 

Protected characteristics 

Emotional wellbeing 

Identity and relationships 

Digital literacy 

Year 9 

Peer influence, substance use and gangs 

Body image 

Healthy lifestyle 

Respectful relationships 

Employability skills 

Year 10 

Mental health 

Healthy relationships 

Exploring influence 

Addressing extremism and radicalisation 

The impact of financial decisions 

The Y11 PSHE curriculum is taught during Reflective Friday, assemblies and through curriculum subjects. The religious education curriculum explores content including relationships, life and death, religious practices, human rights and good and evil. 

Relationships and sex education is taught through drop down sessions delivered by Spectrum, an external NHS organisation

Relationships and Sex Education

RSE lessons in all year groups will include teaching about healthy relationships, including friendships and intimate relationships; families; growing and changing, including puberty; changing feelings; becoming more independent; keeping safe and consent; developing self-esteem and confidence. Pupils will also have opportunities to ask questions that help prepare them for relationships of all kinds in the modern world.
Please read the new School Policy on RSE below which includes the right to withdraw your child and the process for this.

PSHE Student Voice

We have a fantastic group of PSHE student leaders across all year groups who meet regularly with the head of PSHE to discuss curriculum content, assembly themes and topical issues that need addressing. They are fundamental to the planning and delivery of PSHE and drive lots of new initiatives within school. The PSHE student leaders show maturity, confidence, courage and leadership the way they support our PSHE programme.

PROMOTING THE NINE PROTECTED CHARACTERISITICS

The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. It is important that our students gain an understanding of the world they are growing up in, and learn how to live alongside, and show respect for, a diverse range of people.

The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through:

  • Our school core values
  • The Hawkley Way
  • Our school behaviour policy
  • Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
  • Assemblies
  • In the teaching of curriculum subjects
  • PSHE lessons
  • Relationships and sex education lessons
  • Religious education lessons
  • Student voice
  • Educational visits
  • Real-life learning outside the classroom
  • Displays
  • Guest speakers
  • Extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs, charity work and work within the local community
  • Engagement and communication with parents and carers

Hawkley British Values

We promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of our students. As part of this, we actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, tolerance of different faiths and beliefs, mutual respect and individual liberty. When we understand our own values, other people’s values, the values influencing society and the values affecting our environment, this can positively impacting real-life situations.

The British Values are actively promoted in school through:

  • Our school core values
  • The Hawkley Way
  • Our school behaviour policy
  • Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
  • Assemblies
  • In the teaching of curriculum subjects
  • PSHE lessons
  • Relationships and sex education lessons
  • Religious Education lessons
  • Student Voice
  • Educational visits
  • Real-life learning outside the classroom
  • Displays
  • Guest speakers - UK Parliament Education team 2022
  • Extra-curricular activities / charity work / local community
  • Engagement and communication with parents and carers

Year 7 Knowledge for Life

In September 2023, we introduced Knowledge for Life to our Year 7 curriculum and student receive this lesson one hour per week. Knowledge for Life consists of PSHE, reading and digital literacy foci. These are delivered for 13 weeks a year for each focus area, rotating every half term.

The programme is focused around the book Ella on the outside which focuses on a young girl who is new in school and suffers with anxiety. PSHE and digital literacy use the book as stimulus for their activities which include learning about British Values, protected characteristics, puberty, finance, safety and diversity in the community.

Intent

Our knowledge for life curriculum enables our pupils to become independent, confident, healthy and responsible members of society, as well as developing the “whole child” including their literacy, computer literacy, moral and social skills. Our programme maximises the outcomes for every child building resilience and nurturing their mental and physical health and their academic success in relation to literacy and computer literacy.

Weaving through the heart of our knowledge for life curriculum, is a commitment to enhancing and promoting our Hawkley Way and our Hawkley Virtues with a strong emphasis on developing positive attitudes.

Debate and discussion permeate our curriculum in order to allow pupil to respect one another’s different views and opinions in a respectful way.

Enrichment Opportunities

  • LGBTQ+ Club
  • Debate Society