At St Michael’s we do not restrict the teaching of PSHE just within individual PSHE lessons instead it permeates and is embedded through the whole school - including in other curriculum subjects, Collective Worship and through our interventions and extra-curricular opportunities. 

Personal Well Being

The personal development of pupils is a vital part of both their primary and secondary education. The personal well-being element of PSHE of study provides a context for St Michael’s Middle School to fulfil the legal responsibilities to promote the wellbeing of pupils and provide sex and relationships and drugs education. It also provides us with an opportunity to focus on delivery of the skills identified in the framework for Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL). The content is based on the Every Child Matters outcomes and on the government’s guidance on sex and relationships education.

Personal wellbeing helps young people embrace change, feel positive about who they are and enjoy healthy, safe, responsible and fulfilled lives. Pupils will be able to recognise and manage risk, take increasing responsibility for themselves, their choices and behaviours and make positive contributions to their families, schools and communities.

Economic Well Being

The economic well-being element of the programme of study brings together careers education, work-related learning, enterprise and financial capability. It supports the ethos of ‘enjoy and achieve’ and ‘make a positive contribution’. It also provides a context for St Michael’s Middle School to fulfil their legal responsibility to provide opportunities for careers education - this is also achieved across the wider school.

Education for economic wellbeing and financial capability aims to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and attributes to make the most of changing opportunities in learning and work.  Education for economic wellbeing and financial capability improves motivation and progression by helping pupils see the relevance of what they learn in school to their future lives. ‘Nationwide Building Society’ will lead some sessions in Year 6 & 7 to ensure the information is current, relevant and to further community links and to link in with careers. 

We also have developed our Careers' guidance through visiting outside speakers based on local careers and developing links with Bournemouth University. We give our Key Stage 3 children the opportunity to attend Careers Fairs at QE School, and we have introduced a Careers Newsletter and Careers Hub in school. 

Citizenship Education

PSHE and Citizenship is embedded across the curriculum in all subjects studied at St Michael’s Middle and is also an integral part of a wide range of activities which are carried out on a day-to-day basis. Citizenship is delivered throughout the curriculum by all subjects and throughout Collective Worship. 

‘Citizenship involves people working together to make positive differences to the society in which they live – locally, nationally and globally. This process is good for individuals, and essential for strengthening and safeguarding our society and democratic way of life.

Citizenship education involves developing the knowledge, skills and confidence to enable people to make their own decisions and to take responsibility for their own lives and communities. And in many countries – where democratic society and its institutions are facing threats – citizenship education is becoming increasingly important.’ Published 2013

The purpose of the Citizenship curriculum is to provide 'knowledge, skills and understanding' to 'play a full and active part in society'.

It should foster pupils' 'keen awareness and understanding' of democracy, government and law, their skills and knowledge to explore political and social issues critically, weigh evidence, debate and make reasoned arguments', and prepare pupils 'to take their place in society as responsible citizens'.

It helps prepare pupils for life as engaged citizens and to meet its opportunities, challenges and responsibilities.

The new national curriculum citizenship programmes of study provide many opportunities to develop spiritual, moral, social & cultural (SMSC) development of pupils, promotes fundamental British values and help teachers uphold the Prevent Duty. 

Fundamental British values

• Democracy

• The rule of law

• Individual liberty

• Mutual respect

• Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

All of which fall within the citizenship curriculum.

Prevent Duty

The Government's Prevent Duty guidance recommends building pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by:

• Providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues

• Helping them to understand how they can influence and participate in decision-making.

At Key Stage 3

'Teaching should develop pupils’ understanding of democracy, government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

'Pupils should use and apply their knowledge and understanding while developing skills to research and interrogate evidence, debate and evaluate viewpoints, present reasoned arguments and take informed action.'

Pupils should be taught about:

• The development of the political system of democratic government in the United Kingdom, including the roles of citizens, Parliament and the monarch

• The operation of Parliament, including voting and elections, and the role of political parties

• The precious liberties enjoyed by the citizens of the United Kingdom

• The nature of rules and laws and the justice system, including the role of the police and the operation of courts and tribunals

• The roles played by public institutions and voluntary groups in society, and the ways in which citizens work together to improve their communities, including opportunities to participate in school-based activities

• The functions and uses of money, the importance and practise of budgeting, and managing risk.

At Key Stage 2

Whilst Citizenship is non-statutory at Key Stage 2  it permeates through our PSHE curriculum.  During Key stage 2 pupils learn about themselves as growing and changing individuals with their own experiences and ideas, and as members of their communities. They become more mature, independent and self-confident. They learn about the wider world and the interdependence of communities within it. They develop their sense of social justice and moral responsibility and begin to understand that their own choices and behaviour can affect local, national or global issues and political and social institutions. They learn how to take part more fully in school and community activities. As they begin to develop into young adults, they face the changes of puberty and transfer to secondary school with support and encouragement from their school. They learn how to make more confident and informed choices about their health and environment; to take more responsibility, individually and as a group, for their own learning; and to resist bullying.

The school mission statement is: ‘Each person, uniquely made in God’s image, merits the best that we can give’.

The PSHE Curriculum aspires to meet the aims and values of our mission statement through our core values of Aspiration, Belief and Creativity: St Michael’s ABC.

PSHE builds ASPIRATION by teaching young people:

• The skills to evaluate their strengths;  setting realistic goals with criteria for success and the skills to monitor this. 

• Encouraging organisational skills, personal responsibility, initiative, creativity and enterprise with a commitment to learning and self-improvement. Helping them to actively embrace change, to respond positively to new priorities, cope with challenges and embrace opportunities.  

• Promoting confidence when working with others, an ability to adapt to different contexts as well as demonstrating respect for others views. Developing skills and understanding to help form collaborative relationships and an ability to resolve issues to reach agreed outcomes.  

• To become the best ‘citizens’ of the local, national and international communities, by aspiring to have positive and safe relationships with those around them.

PSHE builds BELIEF by teaching young people:

• To process and evaluate information aiding them to make informed and well reasoned decisions, recognising that others have different beliefs and attitudes.

• Recognising and celebrating individual successes and embracing an 'I can' growth mindset attitude, and developing awareness and promoting the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing.

• To actively engage with issues that affect them and those around them. Encouraging them to play a full part in the life of St Michael’s Middle School, and in their further education places, workplace and wider community This includes encouraging involvement in extracurricular clubs and roles of responsibility across the school and  by taking responsible action to bring improvements for others as well as themselves.  

• To foster an environment based on respect and tolerance - to enable belief that their opinions/ideas will be valued and respected, so that they feel safe to share ideas and opinions with their peers and those around them.  

• Developing cultural capital and building confidence and assertiveness.

PSHE builds CREATIVITY by teaching young people:

• To think creatively through exploring ideas independently and with others and finding different ways to tackle a problem and to find imaginative solutions and outcomes.   

• Encouraging self-expression and pupil voice. 

• To share their experiences, and use these to help others understand and have the ability to create opportunities for themselves.  

• To recognise different methods of communication so that they can effectively relate to their peers, parents and staff at school. 

• Opportunities to devise and undergo creative ways of supporting local, national and international charities. 

• To attend a number of theatre-based workshops regarding alcohol/substance misuse/virtual communication/sexual exploitation.  This allows pupils to see these topics brought to life, visually and creatively.  This aids understanding of the content/meaning of the topic for some pupils.

 

Promoting British values at St Michael’s Middle School

Rationale:

The DfE has published guidance on promoting British Values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.  We have a duty to ‘actively promote’ the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

Through PSHE we aim:

• To enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;

• To enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of Britain;

• To encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely;

• To enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in Britain;

• To further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures;

• To encourage respect for other people;

• To encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in Britain.

Democracy:

Pupil voice is important and valued at St Michael’s Middle School, with children being asked their opinions and suggestions about school matters both in PSHE lessons and throughout the wider school.  Leading pupil roles across the school including School Council, Peer Mentors, Anti Bullying Ambassadors, School Ambassadors, Reading Ambassadors, Sports Ambassadors and House Captains are democratically-selected from all year groups to ensure that pupils are able to make valuable contributions to the development of the School and all meet regularly. All the above responsibilities provide excellent role models for younger pupils and often represent the School in different ways, such as showing prospective parents around, leading assemblies and undertaking positive roles to support the school community. 

The Rule of Law: 

Pupils throughout St Michael’s Middle School develop their understanding of what is right and what is wrong.  Student voice are involved wherever possible in writing or amending school policies. Through their daily school life and explicitly in PSHE lessons, pupils develop their understanding of morality through focusing on their actions, responsibilities and consequences.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:

This is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Learning about a wide range of different religions in RE and PSHE offer these opportunities and also support discussions about the issue of prejudice. 

Mutual Respect: 

It is an abiding expectation that all members of the School’s community demonstrate respect and tolerance at all times. We celebrate and highlight  difference and uniqueness within our daily Collective Worship.  Our Student Voice along with staff have contributed to St Michael’s Middle School Policies which encompass our Christian ethos and mission statement: ‘Each person, uniquely made in God’s image, merits the best that we can give’.

 

Individual Liberty:

At St Michael’s Middle School we wholly support the UNICEF’s Rights of the child

http://www.unicef.org/rightsite/files/uncrcchilldfriendlylanguage.pdf

Within the school day we actively encourage students to make considered and wise choices through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education.

Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely through:

• Online Safety and PSHE lessons

• Participation in our numerous extended extracurricular clubs and opportunities

• Through our school ‘Your health matters days’

• Student voice

• Non-uniform days

Collective Worship: At St Michael’s, our daily, dedicated Collective Worship time (where we meet as a class, year group and whole school), gives time to sharing and discussing the British Values. Within this time, members of the school community and outside speakers share examples of the British Values in action and support the children in remembering each value and its meaning within the Christian context of our school. During Collective Worship time they also help underpin and reinforce our work in PSHE lessons. 

PSHE helps to develop and equip young people with the necessary life skills to be healthy, happy and safe individuals as they progress through childhood into adulthood. It promotes adept, capable and assured learners; positive relationships; and a broader understanding of the world around them.

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