PSHE

Section 1 of the 1988 Education Reform Act places a statutory responsibility upon schools to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. The value of personal and social development is that it allows students the opportunity to develop personal skills, values and self knowledge. This is necessary to exercise their rightful role as members of the community and become valued individuals with personal dignity. It is through this area of learning that we would see students acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to be able to exert influence over their environment. The areas of learning covered can be summarised as: personal growth, social development, spiritual appreciation and moral understanding.

PSHE and Citizenship Lessons

Students focus on the following topics in PSHE:

  • Relationships
  • Safeguarding / Looking after yourself
  • Sexual Health and Growing Up

PSHE and Citizenship Procedures

Relationships and Sex Education

Whilst recognising that children living in other situations should not be made to feel different or less valued, Sex Education is taught in target groups with student’s abilities and cultural beliefs taken into account.

Relationships & Sex Education Guidelines

Internet Safety

As a school we take internet safety very seriously. Our students make use of the internet and it is our responsibility to ensure they use the internet in a safe way. At St. Joseph’s we have a comprehensive PSHE and Citizenship programme. Through teaching and initiatives, such as Anti-Bullying Week, students are regularly reminded of ways to stay safe online.

Student Voice

At St. Joseph’s, we have a very vibrant and active student council. Each class and residential group has a representative. The council meets every two weeks. At each meeting there is a subject focus and a member of the senior leader management give feedback from the previous meeting. Representatives are expected to be good ambassadors for the school, participating in school tours and sitting on the interview panel for prospective teachers.

To gain the ideas and opinions from all students each class has an Ideal Ideas feedback book which they are expected to update and share with all students in their class.