PSHCE

 In PSHCE lessons our focus is on developing our girls' personal and economic well-being. Our philosophy is to help them to obtain the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable healthy lifestyle choices. We want our girls to flourish in an ever increasingly complex society. We encourage them to develop a curiosity about the world in which they live and to critically consider their place in the world, thereby developing their attitudes and values to enable informed choices.

The subject is taught by a team of very experienced staff. It is very well resourced and there is an extensive specialist visitor programme to complement the taught curriculum.

In addition to literacy and numeracy, employers and parents alike want young people to be healthy, able to form good relationships, willing to take responsibility, manage risk and to be resilient. PSHE education is important because it makes a unique contribution to addressing all of these outcomes. Wycombe Abbey School takes its responsibilities very seriously with PSHCE underpinning its ethos.

Staff

Year 7-9

In these year groups pupils receive one lesson per week of PSHCE. The course focuses on community living, friendship, co-operation, individual responsibility, citizenship, health issues and understanding how we learn. Peer relationships are discussed and we work closely with pastoral staff so that any concerns that the girls have can be addressed. We build on the work of the Biology Department when covering health, puberty and sex education. We work closely with the school's medical centre and the school nurse inputs into the curriculum too.

Year 10

In the Year 10 PSHCE is delivered as a carousel system with five specialist staff delivering four lessons in rotation on:

• St John's - First Aid certificated course
• Human Rights
• Careers
• Bereavement
• Risky Behaviours

From Year 11 to Year 13 PSHCE is an integral part of the General Studies programme. Issues such as caffeine addiction, student finance, sex education and understanding stress are covered. The school nurse works closely with the PSHCE team and also provides input into lessons.

In addition to the discrete PSHCE curriculum time, many PSHCE related issues permeate the broader curriculum. We aim to create a cohesive package, reinforcing messages and working in partnership with our parents to support the holistic development of our girls.

PSHCE is a challenging and exciting subject in its own right. The department aims to give students the knowledge, skills and understanding to deal effectively with issues they may encounter so they have a greater understanding of the world and their place in society both now, and in the future. Lessons are interactive encouraging pupil participation through the use of drama techniques, group work, discussion activities and research projects aimed at enriching their experience.

PSHCE education deals with real life issues which affect young people, their families and their communities. It engages with the social and economic realities of their lives, their experiences and attitudes. The benefits of PSHCE education are universal. PSHCE helps to increase children and young people's independence and ultimately enables them to take responsibility for themselves. It prepares them for their future role as parents, employees and leaders by ensuring all pupils have social, political, economic, legal and careers education. PSHCE teaches pupils to understand citizens' duties, rights, responsibilities and opportunities.