PSHE

At Axe Valley Academy, we teach Personal, Social, Health Education as a whole-school approach to underpin students’ development as people and because we believe that this also supports their learning capacity.

Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, provides a programme which offers us a comprehensive, carefully thought-through Scheme of Work bringing consistency and progression to our students’ learning in this vital curriculum area across Key Stage 3 (years 7 to 9). In Key Stage 4, students follow a bespoke programme that continues and builds on the Jigsaw PSHE programme of lower years. The overview of the programme can be seen on the school website.

The content of the PSHE curriculum is also developed through the curricula of other subjects – for example, health education in the science curriculum, diet in the food curriculum, and e-safety in the computing curriculum. Furthermore, assemblies and special guest speakers reinforce the content taught in PSHE lessons. Assemblies, especially, allow us to be responsive to emerging contextual threads in PSHE education. The work experience and careers advice employed at KS4 further develop students’ PSHE education too.

This also supports the “Personal Development” and “Behaviour and Attitude” aspects required under the Ofsted Inspection Framework, as well as significantly contributing to the school’s Safeguarding and Equality Duties, the Government’s British Values agenda and the SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) development opportunities provided for our young people.

PSHE Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 Curriculum Overview