Personal, Social, Health & Economic Education (P.S.H.E.) at Southfields Academy aims to equip students with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills to make safe and informed decisions.  This means we are providing our students with knowledge that will help develop their mental and physical health, financial acumen, personal relationships with others, self-esteem and resilience.  We also develop critical thinkers who can challenge and identify stereotyping, sexism, homophobia and injustice so that they understand key British values of equality and diversity.

The P.S.H.E. programme at Southfields Academy has been developed to build on key learning in primary school and through discussions with Heads of Year we ensure that topics covered are relevant for each year group and allow for deeper learning and critical thinking in each year level.  Baseline assessment at the start of topics taught helps us to gauge what students already know and what common misconceptions are so that we can ensure our curriculum is relevant and informative.

We have planned our programme on a competency based model following three key skills, Independence and Aspirations, Autonomy & Advocacy and Choices and Influences.

At Southfields Academy we believe that Relationships and Sex Education forms an integral part of our P.S.H.E. programme.  Through the R.S.E. curriculum we aim to -

• Provide a carefully planned curriculum that covers human development, relationships, sexuality and family life, in line with statutory requirements and in an appropriate way taking into account the students' age and stage of development.
• Help students develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy for others.
• Help students stay safe in the modern world.
• Prepare students for puberty, the changes their bodies will experience and the importance of health and hygiene.
• Teach students the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies.
• Create a positive culture around the issues of sexuality and relationships.
• Provide a framework within which discussions on these issues can take place.
• Students will have a safe environment where their questions can be answered in an age appropriate honest manner thus developing capacity to decide on issues relating to their body, sexuality and sexual health and to be aware where appropriate support can be sought.

Our P.S.H.E. curriculum is delivered by specialist teachers within the Social Sciences department and is aimed at providing high quality P.S.H.E. education for our students.  The importance of trained staff providing accurate information is central to our curriculum, and, in the absence of this information, students may seek less controlled and informed guidance themselves from the Internet to answer questions they may have about issues covered in R.S.E.  Therefore, our curriculum is focused around providing unbiased information about issues affecting young people and reliable places to go for support.  Our Key Stage 4 programme builds on the skills and knowledge taught in Key Stage 3 and provides greater depth and exploration of Iawa, attitudes, values and risks associated with decision making.

In Key Stage 5 students are offered a PixL P.S.H.E. programme which is organised around the these My Mind, My Health and My Life, which gives students the skills to examine their own lifestyle and make informed healthy choices.

We have also developed a personalised P.S.H.E. programme for our International Group students that takes into account their needs to support them in integrating to life in the U.K.  It is taught and planned around their literacy and understanding.

To support our students' mental health further the P.S.H.E. department runs an enrichment opportunity in the form of the Ice Cube Club, on Thursday Period 6, which follows a mindfulness curriculum.  It is run by Ms Ramirez, our Education Welfare Officer and lead on Mental Wellbeing.

Teaching P.S.H.E. is a partnership with the parents / caregivers, we hope to support you in raising resilient, informed and confident young people.  By following our programme of study and building on opportunities for further discussion at home, particularly when we teach our Relationships and Sex Education, Mental Health and Healthy Lifestyles units.

The aim of R.S.E. is to give young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds, not just intimate relationships.  It should enable them to know what a healthy relationship looks like and what makes a good friend, a good colleague and a successful marriage or other type of committed relationship.  It should also cover contraception, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex (and not applying pressure).  It should teach what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in relationships.  Effective R.S.E. does not encourage early sexual experimentation.  It should teach young people to understand human sexuality and to respect themselves and others.  It enables young people to mature, build their confidence and self-esteem and understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity.  Effective R.S.E. also supports people, throughout life, to develop safe, fulfilling and healthy sexual relationships, at the appropriate time.  Our lessons focus on giving young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, appropriate relationships including:

• Families
• Respectful relationships including friendships
• Online and media
• Being safe
• Intimate and sexual relationships including sexual health

Parents / caregivers have the right to withdraw their children from R.S.E. lessons, but this must be done with a discussion with the P.S.H.E. lead.

Students can extend their thinking by keeping abreast of current events and social issues.  This will support their learning in this subject.

Within the P.S.H.E. programme there is opportunity to develop career opportunities and skills through the use of our START programme.  These opportunities have been build throughout the key stages.