Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Economic Education

The courses provided throughout the school aim to develop awareness of important issues related to life, health, society and global matters.  Through these studies the students should be empowered to make informed, well-considered choices and judgements in reaction to life experiences.

The programme is a flexible one and may be tailored to meet the needs of a changing world.  For each Year group the course is presented in a 50-minute session each week.  A variety of different topics is addressed, and, where possible, external lecturers deliver talks or workshops on their specialist areas. We try to make use of workshops run by professionals to address issues such as Internet safety, bullying and drug education.

Through a programme of spiral learning throughout the school, the following matters are considered:

Personal Issues:

• Understanding personal academic needs such as organizing and presenting work
• Self-esteem, assertiveness, individual values and opinions
• The world of work, jobs, careers advice and research
• Personal learning styles

Social Issues:

• Promoting tolerant attitudes to all sections of society
• Promoting awareness of social issues such as ageism, handicaps, ill health, race and poverty
• Understanding family dynamics
• Conflict resolution
• Positive relationships

Health Issues:

• Understanding the role of diet and exercise in the maintenance of good health
• Addressing emotional issues relating to sexual development and sex education appropriate to the age of the students including contraception, STIs and AIDS
• Providing information relating to the uses and abuses of drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• Personal safety, use of the internet and safety of belongings 
• Managing stress and learning relaxation techniques
• The importance of a healthy mind as well as body
• Eating disorders
• First Aid

Citizenship Issues:

• The importance of rules
• The criminal justice system
• Understanding the development of the European Union and our place within it
• Our government, MPs and elections
• Bullying, anti-social behaviour

Economic Issues:

• Personal budgeting
• Personal tax issues and understanding wage slips
• How the government get money and how they spend it
• Cost of living