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City of London Freemen's School

PSHE

PSHE aims to enable pupils to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe and prepare for life and work in modern Britain. PSHE education incorporates health education, relationships education/RSE and economic wellbeing and careers, and contributes significantly to SMSC development and the promoting of British Values (democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs). Pupils are given a voice enabling them to understand and express their feelings in a safe environment.

PSHE at Freemen's aims to develop skills and attributes such as resilience,          self-esteem, risk-management, team-working and critical thinking.

PSHE is taught throughout the School following a spiral curriculum. In KS2 Personal, Social and Health Education topics are introduced at a level appropriate to the Junior School children. These topics are then revisited and further developed as Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (KS3, KS4 and KS5), in the Upper Junior School, Senior School and again in the Sixth Form where our programmes of study for PSHE follow the guidelines provided by the PSHE Association which groups the topics into three core themes: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World.

Junior School

Form 1 (Year 3) to Lower 3 (Year 6) have two timetabled 30-minute lessons each week, delivered by their form teachers or another Junior School teacher. Each year group follows the Jigsaw scheme which is a unique, spiral, progressive and effective scheme of work, aiming to prepare young people for life, helping them really know and value who they are and understand how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world. Jigsaw actively promotes respect for others and every year includes anti-bullying work and lessons relating to the Equality Act and Protected Characteristics. A strong safeguarding thread runs throughout, as does online safety.

In Form 1 (Year 3) to Lower 3 (Year 6), every year group studies the same unit at the same time at its own level, lending itself to a whole Key Stage 2 approach. The topics covered are:

  • Being me in my world
  • Celebrating difference
  • Dreams and goals
  • Healthy me
  • Relationships
  • Changing me

Upper 3 (Year 7) and Lower 4 (Year 8) pupils have a timetabled one-hour lesson each week, taught by PSHE teachers. Already we have seen the benefits of this as it allows more time for discussions and activities which help our pupils develop their knowledge, language, skills, attributes, and strategies necessary to manage issues should they encounter them in their lives. 

In Upper 3 (Year 7) the topics covered are:

  • Transition and safety
  • Developing skills and aspirations
  • Diversity
  • Health and puberty
  • Building relationships
  • Financial decision-making

In Lower 4 (Year 8) the topics covered are:

  • Drugs and alcohol
  • Community and careers
  • Discrimination
  • Emotional wellbeing
  • Identity and relationships
  • Digital literacy

Senior School

Upper 4 (Year 9), Lower 5 (Year 10) and Upper 5 (Year 11) students have a timetabled one-hour lesson each week, taught by PSHE teachers. Lower 5 students can develop their research and presentation skills by undertaking an independent project in the Summer Term.

In Upper 4 (Year 9) the topics covered are: 

  • Peer influence
  • Substance use and gangs
  • Setting goals
  • Respectful relationships
  • Healthy lifestyle
  • Intimate relationships
  • Employability skills

In Lower 5 (Year 10) the topics covered are: 

  • Mental health
  • Financial decision-making
  • Exploring influence
  • Healthy relationships
  • Addressing extremism and radicalisation

In Upper 5 (Year 11) the topics covered are: 

  • Building for the future
  • Next steps
  • Communication in relationships
  • Independence
  • Families

Sixth Form

Students in Lower 6 (Year 12) and Upper 6 (Year 13) have a timetabled one-hour lesson every fortnight, taught by PSHE teachers. 

In Lower 6 (Year 12) the topics covered are:

  • Transition into Sixth Form
  • Managing risk and personal safety
  • Personal finance
  • Relationship values and consent
  • Equality, awareness and inclusion
  • Mental health and emotional wellbeing
  • Drug and alcohol awareness
  • Exploring donation
  • Sexual health
  • Contraception and parenthood
  • Future challenges 
  • Wellbeing and managing stress

In Upper 6 the topics covered are:

  • Financial choices
  • Student loans and planning expenditure
  • Managing risk and personal safety
  • Consent and the law – sexual violence and harassment
  • Substance use
  • Presentation skills and interviews
  • Intimacy and consensual relationships
  • Exam anxieties and managing stress
  • Fake news and misinformation
  • Equality and inclusivity
  • Basic First Aid
  • Keeping safe – substance use
  • Financial advice
  • Preparing for life after school
  • Wellbeing and managing stress

Cross-curricular and pastoral links

Topics covered in PSHE will often be complemented by assemblies, enrichment activities and form/tutor time. The topics covered in assemblies and by external speakers vary from year-to-year to reflect the relevant issues of the day. Examples of some topics include:

  • E-safety
  • Safe drive, stay alive
  • Equality – gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion/belief
  • Positive relationships
  • Resilience
  • Bullying
  • Emotional wellbeing
  • Financial decisions

For further information please contact Philippa Whiteley (Head of PSHE) at: philippa.whiteley@freemens.org

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