PSHE

In PSHE education, we aim to ensure that Oakwood Park students know how to be safe and healthy and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.  We aim to equip them with the tools they need to make informed choices when faced by difficult real-world situations. Through a thorough and enriched PSHE curriculum student academic achievement will also benefit from developing resilience, mindfulness techniques and healthy relationships.

Personal, Social, Healthcare, Economic Education develops the knowledge, skills and attributes all pupils need: from mental health and wellbeing to understanding the importance of staying safe online, healthy and safe relationships, making sense of media messages, challenging extreme views and having the skills and attributes to negotiate a potentially volatile labour market. 

Oakwood Park follows the PSHE Association programme of study, which covers three core themes – ‘health and wellbeing’, ‘relationships’ and ‘living in the wider world’ from the foundation years up to A level. PSHE has a spiral curriculum, enabling students to build a greater depth of knowledge and understanding throughout their time at OPGS.

Our enrichment programme provides students with the opportunity to engage with speakers from the wider community to improve their own health and wellbeing. Each year group has visits from key organisations, such as Kent Police and Fire Service, sexual health advice from the NHS and Metro Charity, as well as Drugs, Alcohol and Mental Health support from the Kenward Trust, Kooth, Hope not Hate, Mind and Beyond Equality, also all provide an invaluable service to the students of OPGS. Through these close links students learn where to go for help and support if they ever need it.

For further information on statutory RSE please visit the DfE parent FAQs website: Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education: FAQs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Health and Wellbeing:

• Self-esteem
• Body Image
• Mental Health
• Resilience
• Drugs and Alcohol

Community and Careers:

• Civil Responsibilities
• Democracy
• Government
• MPs
• Laws

Discrimination:

• Rights in the UK
• Challenging Rights
• Discrimination and Intolerance
• Challenging LGBTphobia and Sexism
• Migration
• Group Think
• Standing Up

Relationships:

• Recognising Emotions
• Partners
• Family/ Friend Relationships
• Sex in the Media
• Sexual Orientation
• Consent

Sex Education:

• Contraception
• Sexual Health
• Teenage Pregnancy

Digital Literacy:

• E-Safety
• Financial and Digital Exploitation
• Consumer Rights
• Advertising
• Financial Decisions
• Bank Accounts

Young people receive information about relationships, sex and growing up from many different sources, including friends, social media, television and the internet. Some of this information can be inaccurate, misleading or harmful.

Our RSE programme provides pupils with reliable, carefully planned information in an educational setting. It gives them opportunities to develop the language, knowledge and confidence to recognise healthy and unhealthy behaviours, understand boundaries and consent, and know where to seek help or support.

RSE is also an important part of our safeguarding work.

The content is carefully sequenced so that learning becomes more detailed as pupils get older and their understanding develops.

Depending on their age and stage, pupils may learn about:

- friendships and healthy relationships

- respect, kindness and personal boundaries

- consent and communication

- recognising healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviours

- privacy and staying safe online

- online content and harmful influences

- stereotypes and harmful attitudes

- puberty and the changes associated with adolescence

- sexual health and reproduction

- contraception and pregnancy

- recognising abuse and knowing how to seek help

- where to access reliable information and support.

Not every topic is taught in the same way or with the same level of detail to every year group. Content is selected and sequenced according to pupils' age, developmental stage and needs.

Is the teaching age appropriate?

Yes. Age and developmental appropriateness are central to our approach.

We do not simply teach the same information to every year group. Learning is carefully sequenced, revisited and developed over time.

Teachers consider pupils' maturity, prior learning, additional needs and the context of the school community when planning lessons. This reflects the DfE expectation that RSHE should be developmentally appropriate and should take account of differences between pupils.

A trauma-informed approach means recognising that some pupils may have experienced difficult or upsetting situations, either directly or indirectly.

We therefore aim to create lessons that are predictable, respectful and emotionally safe. Teachers avoid asking pupils to disclose personal experiences and use carefully chosen scenarios, examples and discussion activities instead.

Where sensitive subjects are discussed, teachers use appropriate professional language and provide opportunities for pupils to access support if a lesson raises concerns for them.

Importantly, pupils are never expected to share personal experiences in front of the class.

We establish clear expectations for respectful discussion and use teaching strategies that allow pupils to engage without having to talk about their own lives.

For example, teachers may:

- use fictional scenarios rather than asking pupils about personal experiences

- use anonymous question opportunities where appropriate

- establish clear ground rules before sensitive topics

- use accurate, inclusive and age-appropriate language

- avoid activities that could pressure pupils into revealing personal information

- remind pupils where they can go for support

- respond appropriately if a safeguarding concern is raised.

These approaches are consistent with good PSHE practice, including the use of "distancing" techniques that allow pupils to explore sensitive issues without personal disclosure.

Questions are a normal part of learning, and pupils are encouraged to ask questions in an appropriate way.

Teachers will respond calmly and professionally. They will consider whether a question is suitable to answer in the lesson and whether it is appropriate for the pupils' age and developmental stage.

If a question raises a safeguarding concern, the school's safeguarding procedures will be followed.

Teachers will not share personal experiences or provide inappropriate personal advice.

Some subjects may naturally feel sensitive or unfamiliar. We do not expect pupils to share personal experiences or opinions.

Teachers create a respectful classroom environment and provide appropriate opportunities for pupils to ask questions or seek support. Pupils can also speak to a trusted member of staff if something discussed in a lesson causes concern.

Our aim is not to avoid difficult subjects altogether, but to teach them carefully, sensitively and safely.

RSE is an important part of helping pupils understand how to keep themselves and others safe.

Pupils learn about boundaries, respect, consent, privacy and recognising behaviours that are not healthy or respectful. They also learn how to respond to concerns and how to access trusted support.

If a pupil makes a disclosure or a member of staff has a safeguarding concern, this will be dealt with in accordance with the school's safeguarding policy and procedures.

The revised statutory guidance recognises the need for schools to address harmful online content and help pupils understand that material they may encounter online does not necessarily represent healthy or realistic relationships.

Where relevant to the age and stage of pupils, lessons focus on helping young people understand the potential harms of inappropriate online content, develop critical thinking and know how to seek help.

This is approached as a safeguarding and media-literacy issue, rather than as an invitation to discuss or view inappropriate material.

No. We do not use inappropriate or explicit material in lessons.

Where visual resources are needed, they are carefully selected to be educational, age appropriate and suitable for a school environment.

Staff delivering RSE are expected to understand the school's curriculum, safeguarding procedures and expectations for teaching sensitive content. All staff teaching PSHE have undertaken specialist training from the PSHE Association to support the learning and good PSHE practice.

Lessons are planned using reliable educational resources and professional guidance. Staff are supported to use appropriate language, manage questions and discussions, recognise safeguarding concerns and maintain clear professional boundaries.

Where external visitors or specialist organisations are used, they are expected to work within the school's curriculum, safeguarding procedures and expectations.

The school remains responsible for the education pupils receive. External visitors do not replace the school's responsibility for planning, delivering and evaluating the curriculum.

Our RSE programme forms part of a planned and progressive PSHE education curriculum.

In line with PSHE Association principles, we aim to provide learning that is:

- planned and developmental, building knowledge and skills over time

- age and developmentally appropriate

- relevant to pupils' lives and needs

- inclusive and respectful

- evidence-informed

- focused on knowledge, skills and attitudes rather than simply providing information

- delivered using safe and effective teaching methods.

We also recognise that PSHE education works best when it is part of a wider whole-school approach involving safeguarding, pastoral support, families and the wider school community.

Yes. We want parents and carers to understand what pupils are learning and why.

Our curriculum information and RSE policy set out the content and approach used by the school. We encourage parents and carers to talk with their children about relationships, growing up and staying safe, and to discuss any questions they may have with the school.

The PSHE curriculum is clearly identified for each year group on the OPGS website and information is regularly shared with Parents and Carers via the school newsletter or Parent Forums.

RSE is statutory in secondary schools, although there are specific provisions relating to withdrawal from sex education.

Parents/carers should refer to the school's current RSE policy for full details of the withdrawal arrangements and contact the school if they have questions about particular lessons.

There is no parental right to withdraw pupils from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education or the science curriculum. 

We recognise and respect that families may have different beliefs, values and experiences.

Our teaching is inclusive and respectful while ensuring that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities. Pupils are taught to listen respectfully to different perspectives and to understand the importance of treating others with dignity in line with the schools fundamental principles of showing Kindness, Tolerance and Respect.

We recognise that pupils have different learning needs and developmental stages.

Where appropriate, lessons and resources are adapted to make learning accessible and meaningful. Teachers take account of special educational needs and disabilities, communication needs and individual circumstances when planning and delivering RSE.

Parents and carers play an important role in helping young people develop healthy relationships and stay safe.

You can support your child by:

- talking openly and calmly about relationships and growing up

- encouraging them to ask questions

- helping them identify reliable sources of information

- reinforcing messages about respect, boundaries and safety

- reminding them that they can speak to a trusted adult if something worries them.

You do not need to have all the answers. It is perfectly acceptable to say, "I'm not sure — let's find out together."

If you would like to understand more about our RSE curriculum, please contact Ms Ryan via the school office.

We welcome constructive questions from parents and carers and are committed to working with families to ensure that RSE is delivered in a safe, respectful, inclusive and age-appropriate way.