What are the aims of the PSHE curriculum?

PSHE recognises the complex world in which young people live. It aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge that they need in order to be safe and healthy and to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way. In addition, PSHE aims to foster the key values which are central to Melksham Oak’s ethos: respect, ambition and pride.

At Melksham Oak Community School, we challenge students through stimulating resources and varied activities to reflect, discuss, evaluate, and make decisions. They learn about current perspectives on a wide range of topical issues, developing their own values and opinions in response to these.

The curriculum aims to help students to become:

  • Successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress, and achieve;
  • Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives;
  • Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.

PSHE has three strands: relationships, healthy living and living in the wider world. Content is selected to be age appropriate and to reflect the particular needs of our school context. Further details of the topics covered are located within the table, below.

Parent input

Should any parent wish to receive further information or to comment upon our PSHE curriculum, please feel free to e-mail our PSHE Lead, Ruth Perry: [email protected].

What is covered within the PSHE curriculum?

Key Stage 3:

At Key Stage 3, timetabled PSHE lessons take place throughout Years 7-9 and are complemented by tutor time activities and ACORNS days. An overview of the PSHE topics studied in Key Stage 3 can be found here:

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Key Stages 4 and 5:

At Key Stages 4 and 5, PSHE is delivered through tutor time activities and ACORNS days.

From September 2020, schools have a statutory requirement to deliver Relationships, Sex and Health Education and our programmes of study complies with this guidance.

The topics covered through the PSHE curriculum are listed in the table, below:

Relationships covers:

Healthy living covers:

Living in the wider world covers:

  • Families
  • Respectful relationships, including friendships
  • Online media
  • Being safe
  • Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health
  • Mental wellbeing
  • Online safety
  • Physical health and fitness
  • Healthy eating
  • Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
  • Health and prevention
  • Basic first aid
  • The changing adolescent body
  • Developing skills and aspirations
  • Setting goals
  • Community and careers
  • Financial decision making
  • Digital literacy