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

Inclusion: NASEN

 

Although every visit can result in learning outcomes for PSHE, for a complete list of venues and providers who deliver specialist courses and activities for this subject see below:

Snowdon's pastoral foothills reach down to the sea
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
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South and west of Beddgelert lies the wooded foothills and mellow farmland known as Eifionydd. The woodlands of the Vale of Maentwrog are internationally important for their wildlife and the coastline has been sculpted into sweeping sandy or shingle bays.

Bwncan Dinas Dinlle is the remains of a hillfort, believed to be 3,000 years old. It was home to the legendary hero Lleu Llaw Gyffes. His story is to be found in the Mabinogion, the ancient Welsh mythology.

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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The well-marked remains of a 2nd-century fort with large granaries, probably built under Hadrian's rule to guard the Roman road from Brougham to Ravenglass and act as a supply base.

Covering three acres, the fort was probably built during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian (AD 117–38).

However, excavations have suggested the presence, partly beneath the stone buildings, of an earlier fort with a turf wall and timber buildings, constructed possibly in the 90s AD, when Roman control of the Lake District was being consolidated.

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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Set in tranquil grounds adjoining a riverside village, this rare example of an Elizabethan artillery fort was begun in 1559 and redeveloped in 1599-1601, to protect warships moored at Chatham dockyards. Despite a brave attempt, it entirely failed to do so in 1667, when the Dutch sailed past it to burn or capture the English fleet at anchor.

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
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The Colchester earthworks at Lexden and Bluebottle Grove are among the few surviving late Iron Age defences in Britain.

They defended the west side of pre-Roman Colchester, Camulodunum, which was occupied by the Iron Age Catuvellauni and their leader Cunobelin from about AD 10, and before that by the Trinovantes.

A place of people and boats
Venue Type: 
Museums
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On the seafront in Sheringham, a new museum has opened that tells the story of the town and its proud, brave and independent people. 

Inside you will find bright, modern galleries where you can walk amongst an extraordinary historic fleet of lifeboats and fishing boats. Packed with fascinating stories and interesting details, memories of this museum will stay with you for a long time.

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
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This narrow 15th century stone bridge across Mill Beck carried an old packhorse route to nearby Furness Abbey.

Bow Bridge was built in the fifteenth century from the same plentiful supply of red sandstone and grey limestone as Furness Abbey, which dates back to the 1120s.

Venue Type: 
Tours
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Discover Stratford upon Avon and its fascinating relationship with William Shakespeare. Join the award winning daily town walk! Informative, interesting and entertaining - Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun at 11am. Fri, Sat, Sun at 2pm.

Guided walks around historic Stratford upon Avon, 365 days a year with local professional guides. Explore Stratford, its history, attractions, and fascinating relationship with William Shakespeare. 

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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The remains of a Norman castle which stands on the edge of the village of Bramber, on a high natural knoll overlooking the River Adur. Founded by William de Braose c. 1075.

Bramber Castle was founded by William de Braose as a defensive and administrative centre for Bramber, one of the six administrative regions – each of which was controlled by a castle – into which Sussex was divided following the Norman Conquest.

It was held almost continually by de Braose and his descendants from its foundation by 1073 until 1450. 

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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The dramatic riverside ruins and extensive earthworks of a Welsh Border castle, its tall 13th century keep unusually set on the side of its mound.

Information panels tell the story of the castle and the nearby town.

History

Leicestershire's Most Popular Countryside Destination
Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
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Whether you want to explore this 840 acre country park with friends or family for a day enjoying the outdoors or want some peace and tranquility Bradgate Park is a must-visit. Take along a picnic, camera or your walking boots!

Bradgate Park was first enclosed as a deer park around 800 years ago.

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