PSHE principles at Meadowside School

• To present a broad and balanced programme of study within PSHE (personal well-being), addressing Drugs Education, SRE, Life Skills and Citizenship, which are also relevant to the pupils’ needs/abilities/barriers to learning.
• To present pupils with information regarding personal and social development and well-being, health, sex and relationship education, drugs and citizenship.
• To generate an atmosphere where questions can be asked and answered without embarrassment on either side.

RSE at Meadowside

The intended outcome for RSE at the end of Key Stages 3, 4 and P16 is for pupils to have experienced/participated in lessons (dependent upon their abilities) to gain an understanding and/or knowledge in lessons that relate to their stage/age in: -

• Learning about the diverse values that can be encountered in society, the clarification of personal values and how conflicting values may affect individuals, families and communities and ways of responding to them.
• Physical and emotional changes at puberty, human reproduction, sexual activity, contraception, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections and HIV and how high-risk behaviours affect the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities
• Facts and laws about drug, alcohol and tobacco use and misuse, and the personal and social consequences of misuse for themselves and others
• How a balanced diet and making choices for being healthy contribute to personal wellbeing, and the importance of balance between work, leisure and exercise.
• How the media portrays young people, body image and health issues
• The characteristics of emotional and mental health, and the causes, symptoms and treatments of some mental and emotional health disorders
• The benefits and risks of health and lifestyle choices, including choices relating to sexual activity and substance use and misuse, and the short and long-term consequences for the health and mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals, families and communities
• Where and how to obtain health information, how to recognise and follow health and safety procedures, ways of reducing risk and minimising harm in risky situations, how to find sources of emergency help
• The knowledge and skills needed for setting realistic outcomes and personal goals
• Dangers of exploitation, radicalisation and e-safety.

The PSHE curriculum at Meadowside has been reviewed and developed to incorporate the recommendations from the PSHE Association 2020 and to be suitable to reflect the needs of our pupils.  Meadowside School’s new PSHE/RSE programme of study has been developed based upon three core themes for formal, Semi-formal and pre-formal learners at Key Stages 3 and 4 and P16: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World.

Health and Wellbeing: Personal development is a vital part of the Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculums to help to promote physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing. Health and Wellbeing involves topics related to Healthy Lifestyles, Safety, Drug Education and Sexual Health.

Relationships: Emotions, Relationships and Sex Education, including negative and positive relationships, feature in this themed Programme of Study.

Living in the Wider World: This relates to the rights and responsibilities as members of diverse communities. Topics such as gender identity, sexual orientation, the impact of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination, and safe behaviours to protect themselves off-line and on-line from exploitation, radicalisation and how to protect personal data are covered in this unit.