PSHE

Personal, Social, Health and Economic
(PSHE) Education

The aim of the PSHE programme at Lancing College is to equip our young people with the skills, dispositions and knowledge to enable them to play a fully-fledged role in the modern world.
 

About the Curriculum

PSHE is taught in all year groups at the College in weekly timetabled lessons during the academic timetable. 

The subject covers a whole range of topics which have direct relevance to the skills of everyday living and to key life choices concerning values, ways of living and relationships. The College follows the statutory obligation to deliver Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) as part of the PSHE programme.

It is taught weekly by a designated team in the timetable in Year 9 and Year 10 and through lectures, seminar and enrichment in Years 11, 12 and 13. Furthermore the subject matter is integrated and extended through our pastoral House systems. The programme uses expertise from within the school such as the safeguarding team, pastoral staff, the school counsellors, the Director of IT, staff of the Health Centre and staff from across a range of departments. In addition external speakers are carefully selected to add expertise in specific areas. 

In all year groups, the key areas of self-awareness, citizenship, inter-personal skills and health are covered and age appropriate RSE occurs in all years from 9–13. The educational concept is to develop a spiral method of learning, preparing students with increasing knowledge of facts, skills and personal attributes that they can hopefully draw on in crunch moments throughout their lives.

Whilst pupils are presented with a variety of opinions for their consideration, these sessions are framed by the context of the College as a Christian foundation striving to provide a safe and supportive environment in which each pupil feels valued as an individual. As far as possible, matters of information are intertwined with moral issues. Housemasters/Housemistresses and Tutors too are encouraged to follow up PSHE matters with the pupils in their care.

Learning Approach

Students are predominantly taught in house groups. The programme is revised each year in response to feedback from stakeholders including students, parents and staff to ensure that it remains relevant and suitable for the school community. 

There is considerable opportunity for cross-curricular learning, with PSHE topics also being addressed in, for instance, Religious Education, Biology, Business Studies, Economics and PE.

Overview of topics covered in the Senior School (Years 9–11):

Year 9Healthy relationships
Marriage
Abusive relationships
Conflict resolution
Smoking and vaping
Alcohol
Personal safety
Bullying
Leadership skills
Mental health
Social media and mental health
Online safety
Nutrition and health
Healthy lifestyles
Legal and illegal drugs
Sexuality
Consent
Introduction to contraception
Sex and relationships in the media
Menstruation
Gambling
Year 10Body image
Personal strengths and weaknesses
Relationships and mental health
Managing emotions
Communication skills
Online safety – protecting personal data
Health choices – organ donation
Bullying
Study skills – effective revision
Managing emergency situations
Personal finance – budgeting
Personal finance – earning
Mental health
Responsible use of social media
Citizens and the law
Cost of living and inflation
Disability and discrimination
Artificial Intelligence
Refugees
Sustainability
Sexuality
Pregnancy
Contraception
Year 11CV writing
Further education options and careers
Personality testing and careers
Gambling
Personal finance – work
Personal finance – budgeting
Study skills and revision techniques
Illegal drugs
Mental health
Online misinformation and extremism
Digital wellbeing
Intimacy and relationships
Sexual health
Sexual harassment in schools

The well planned personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) curriculum is well-matched to meet the needs of pupils and reflects the school’s aims to be diverse and inclusive. 

ISI Report, October 2023