PSHE & Citizenship

PSHE & Citizenship at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School.

 

Department Staff

 

Mrs K French - Head of Faculty

Mrs N Calvo Hernandez - PSHE Co-ordinator 

 

INTENT

 

Welcome to PSHE and Citizenship. We aim to deliver a program that helps students:

 

  • learn up to date, accurate and balanced knowledge about the aspects of the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum that are most relevant to their lives.
  • develop skills, language, and strategies they need in order to live healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible, and balanced lives.
  • explore their future career options.
  • gain the skills to be able to find out all about the world around them, locally, nationally and internationally.
  • be safe online

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

Key Stage 3

 

Year 7

Students begin with a ‘getting to know you’ unit, and then move on to consider issues around identity. Students subsequently cover topics that focus upon bullying  - including online bullying - and self-esteem. They find out about puberty and life changes, as well as discussing healthy lifestyles and choices, including the dangers of alcohol and smoking. Students are also given an  introduction to careers education.

 

Year 8

Students begin by looking at different kinds of relationships and how to manage difficult situations in relationships. As part of this unit they explore romantic relationships including same-sex relationships and online relationships. They study topics around managing stress and mental health. They then give more thought to their future careers options, and gain some insight into choosing their options for Year 9. Students spend the final terms of the year, studying Citizenship topics such as the role of government and Human Rights nationally and globally. 


Key Stage 4

 

Year 9

Students initially focus upon Sex and Relationships - exploring issues such as consent, peer pressure, pornography and teenage pregnancy. Students then explore a range of citizenship topics, focusing on democracy, liberty, the law and on understanding the economy. They also discuss a range of topics linked to drugs and alcohol. 

 

Year 10

Students begin with an extensive programme of Sex and Relationships education, exploring attraction, peer pressure, contraception, and communication and many other related issues. After this, they complete a set of careers-based activities, focused around the National Careers Service website. They also study a unit on drugs and substance misuse. They finish with a citizenship unit entitled ‘Living in the wider world’. 

 

Year 11

Students begin by meeting former QE students, who share their experiences of choosing A levels and university. They also complete a unit of work on illegal drugs and their dangers. The students discuss issues surrounding Sex and Relationships, including more controversial topics such as sexual assault, the dangers of promiscuity and issues surrounding sexuality and gender.

 

IMPACT

 

The subject aims to help students to:

 

  • explore, clarify and challenge their own and others’ values, attitudes, beliefs, rights, and responsibilities.
  • have a better understanding of where to go to find accurate and up to date information to help support them. 
  • better understand how to manage risks. 
  • develop positive personal attributes such as resilience, self-confidence, self-esteem, and empathy.