PSHE

Curriculum – Website 

Department  

PSHE 

KS3 Intent  

At Key Stage 3, our PSHE curriculum is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and understanding they need to lead healthy, safe, responsible, and fulfilling lives. We aim to support students’ personal development, while preparing them to become confident, resilient, and informed individuals who can make positive contributions to their communities and wider society. 

Through a carefully sequenced and age-appropriate programme, we intend to: 

• Promote emotional wellbeing and mental health, giving students strategies to manage change, build resilience, and seek support when needed. 

• Develop personal and social skills, including self-awareness, empathy, decision-making, and healthy communication. 

• Educate students about physical health, healthy lifestyles, puberty, and the importance of nutrition, exercise, and sleep. 

• Provide clear, factual, and inclusive Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), enabling students to understand consent, respect, healthy relationships, and online safety. 

• Encourage responsible citizenship by exploring topics such as diversity, equality, the law, human rights, and the role of democratic institutions in the UK. 

• Prepare students for economic wellbeing by introducing basic financial education, including budgeting, saving, and understanding needs vs. wants. 

• Foster respect, tolerance, and inclusivity, challenging discrimination and promoting equality in all its forms. 

Our PSHE curriculum is underpinned by our school’s core values and supports the development of the whole child, ensuring that students are well-prepared not just for academic success, but for life beyond the classroom. 

KS3 Implementation  

At Key Stage 3, PSHE is delivered through a well-planned, spiral curriculum that builds knowledge, skills, and understanding over time. Our implementation ensures that learning is age-appropriate, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of our students and the wider world they live in. 

Curriculum Structure: 

• PSHE is delivered through weekly timetabled lessons by students form tutor, ensuring consistency and expertise across the key stage. 

• The curriculum is organised into three core themes, in line with the PSHE Association framework: 

• Health and Wellbeing 

• Relationships (including statutory RSE) 

• Living in the Wider World 

• Each theme is revisited and developed year-on-year, allowing students to deepen their understanding and apply their learning in new contexts. 

Teaching and Learning: 

• Lessons are interactive and engaging, using discussion, group work, role-play, case studies, and scenario-based learning to encourage active participation. 

• A focus on real-life situations helps students make meaningful connections between the content and their own experiences. 

• Clear ground rules and a safe classroom environment are established to encourage respectful dialogue and personal reflection. 

• We use booklets, retrieval tasks, and low-stakes quizzes to consolidate learning and check understanding over time. 

KS3 Impact 

The impact of our Key Stage 3 PSHE curriculum is evident in the holistic development of our students as confident, informed, and responsible young people. Through a well-sequenced and inclusive programme, students gain essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes that support their wellbeing and prepare them for life in a diverse and ever-changing world. 

As a result of our PSHE provision, students: 

• Demonstrate improved emotional resilience and mental wellbeing, showing greater ability to manage stress, seek help when needed, and support peers. 

• Develop strong personal and social skills, including empathy, effective communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution. 

• Show increased awareness and understanding of healthy relationships, consent, and respect for diversity, contributing to a positive and inclusive school culture. 

• Make informed, responsible choices about their health and lifestyle, including understanding the importance of nutrition, exercise, and online safety. 

• Understand their rights and responsibilities as members of society and demonstrate respect for the law, equality, and democratic values. 

• Build a foundation of financial literacy and economic awareness, enabling them to manage money wisely and plan for their futures. 

• Are prepared to transition confidently into Key Stage 4 and beyond, with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the challenges of adolescence and adulthood. 

Our ongoing monitoring, student feedback, and observations confirm that PSHE positively influences students’ attitudes and behaviours, fostering personal growth and a strong sense of social responsibility.