Planning a Curriculum

Hi All,

We have just started to pay attention to PSHE after 10 years of ignoring it. I've been given the job of bringing it up to code.

PSHE is currently delivered in one registration period once per week for a total of 15 minutes a week. The school runs citizenship lessons, but only for year 7s. The school runs Ethics, Philosophy and Reglion lessons, but these are only core for Year7-8. I have asked for one hour lesson once a fortnight but this has been rejected as unworkable by the deputy head in charge of timetabling.

How on Earth do I plan a curriculum that covers all the new statutory guidance on RSE and Physical health etc, with only 15 minutes a week taught by teachers who more often than not ignore the lesson entirely?

Any advice on how to proceed would be welcomed!

 

My first bit of advice is to become a member of the PSHE Assocaition. They have some fantastic documents that overview what needs to be covered. They also signpost to accredited resources and offer training and conferences that I highly recommend. They have been invaluable in making our PSHE curriculum work.

It is definitely far from ideal that your leadership don't want to prioritise time for PSHE, but I would say that there are areas of the curriculum that can be covered through other subjects, as long as you have the backing of the leads for those subjects. For example, our English lead has taken on the Guardian NewsWise scheme of work and Incorporated it into her Year 6 curriculum. We also take the opportunity when covering World War 1 during History to discuss the impact of loss and grief. It is a lot of work for you though, to ensure this coverage. I am also primary, so think those links are easier to foster.

I hope this gives you some ideas. Good luck, it is so valuable and, in my opinion, is worth the fight.

 

I agree with all that the other reply says. Also invite your SLT into lessons, get feedback from pupils, get school governors interested. Show SLT the RSE curriculum that will be compulsory - it takes time to deliver this well. And don't forget reaching the Gatsby Benchmarks as a school. Hold an RSE workshop for parents and get them on your side. I have done all of this and now have SLT on my side - we have gone from zero lessons a week to one per year group per week. You will need to push. It will be worth it. Such a rewarding and essential subject. Good luck!