PSHE

Vision

At Birchwood, we want all of our students to possess knowledge that helps to keep them safe, valued and ultimately feel empowered. We understand the importance of the PSHE curriculum in supporting students in developing healthy relationships both with themselves and others.

We want all of our students to leave Birchwood with a clear understanding of their own character as well as a sense of social responsibility and confidence in the contribution that they can make to the world around them.

We believe that our students benefit most from a range of experiences. These include form-time sessions, drop-down days, personal development lessons and specialised speakers. 

Our Personal Development programme which incorporates PSHE contains five key themes. The Birchwood way, Health and Wellbeing, Relationships, Thriving in the modern world and Our Place in the Wider World. 

How do we build on what students learn at KS2? 

We want to ensure that our students are thoroughly supported in their transition from KS2 to KS3 PSHE. In order to do this, we work with local primary schools so that our curriculums complement one another. In year 7, we purposely prioritise revisiting and rebuilding on the following: 

•  Healthy relationships: conflict resolution and boundaries.
•  Understanding equality and being an ally.
•  Understanding physical and mental changes that occur through puberty.

How do we cover the KS3 National Curriculum and beyond? 

We believe that covering the KS3 National Curriculum is hugely important but we also recognise how crucial it is for students to be exposed to wider knowledge beyond this. 

We ensure that we cover the KS3 National Curriculum by covering the following: 

Families, respectful relationships, online and media, being safe, intimate relationships, mental wellbeing, physical health (eating and fitness), alcohol, tobacco and illegal substances, health prevention, first aid, puberty, menstruation. 

•  Year 7: respectful relationships, puberty, health prevention, families, physical health (nourishment and fitness), mental wellbeing.
•  Year 8: menstruation, first aid, intimate relationships, tobacco and illegal substances.
•  Year 9: online and media, being safe, respectful relationships, intimate relationships, mental wellbeing. 

The laws relating to the issues described above are covered throughout. 

Beyond the curriculum, we provide:

• Lessons on memory, as part of students’ personal development.
• Access to a range of external speakers on important topics.
• Regular house challenges which are centred on national and international events and traditions. 

What do we cover in KS4 and how do we aspire towards KS5? 

We ensure that our curriculum revisits key ideas that are covered in key stage 3 and that more mature topics are dealt with in a sensitive and age-appropriate way.

Year 10: respectful relationships, intimate relationships, health prevention.

Year 11: online and media, being safe, mental wellbeing, intimate relationships. 

We want to ensure that our students are ready for life beyond KS4. As part of this preparation, we dedicate time to post-16 choices and career options, as part of our PSHE and personal development curriculum, including two drop down days. 

During these lessons, students are exposed to a wealth of information on different post-16 pathways and opportunities.