Subject overview: Currently (23-24), PSHE is taught to each year group on one afternoon a week under the title of Explorers. PSHE Lead teaches one class, with two lead TAs teaching one class each, and the year group TAs supporting.
This is the latest logistical iteration; subject to change, as we work out the best for children and their adults.
Key strengths:
Fewer adults involved in planning and delivering to streamline learning
Afternoon session has been reduced in subject coverage to PSHE & RWV, removing interventions, allowing all children to be in the PSHE lessons.
Key Areas for Development:
Link to Living Curriculum, cross-curricular, purposeful
Adult & parental engagement
Explorer Journals to facilitate mindful learning as well as teacher assessment
Subject overview: Previously (22-23), PSHE was taught to each year group on one afternoon a week under the title of Explorers. With the support of six regular TAs, plus others dependent on need across the school, the year group is split into groups of 15, with one TA and one workspace consistent over the half term or topic. This is the latest logistical iteration; subject to change, as we work out the best for children and their adults.
Key strengths:
Broad curriculum and learning opportunities.
Positive pupil feedback and enjoyment of lessons.
Key Areas for Development:
Link to Living Curriculum, cross-curricular, purposeful
Adult engagement
Assessment Data Headlines
(DATA ASKS QUESTIONS!)
Strengths:
Areas to investigate further:
CONSULTING WITH NIFL ABOUT HOW BEST TO USE THESE FOR PSHE
Surveys Headlines
(Students/Staff)
Strengths:
Topics are interesting
Children enjoy the hands-on and outdoor learning
Areas to investigate further:
Make PSHE more discreet so the children understand it's relevance and importance.
More effective use of assessment trackers
Learning Walks
(At least one per year)
Strengths:
Content is interesting to the children
Some adults are increasing in confidence in teaching and learning behaviours
Areas to investigate further:
Trim down curriculum, to cover statutory objectives
Deliver more hands-on lessons
Pupil Book Study
(WITH the pupils using considered questioning)
Strengths:
Areas to investigate further:
PSHE JOURNALS PLANNED FOR USE IN 23-24 TO PLACE IMPORTANCE ON SUBJECT AND ENABLE BOOK STUDY BY PSHE LEAD
A strong upper-level response here to connected topics. There may be scope for other subjects to tag PSHE objectives into their curriculum in order for the children to understand the link and connections to this subject.
While real-life, hands on and purposeful scored highly overall, PSHE this year failed to deliver consistently on these points. With interventions and MFL included in the afternoon sessions, PSHE teaching fell into chalk-and-talk, with limited time to complete and produce engaging and exciting learning
The children haven't understood what PSHE is as a discreet subject. Many of the pupils have commented on not doing much learning in that area.
Going forward, there will be much clearer definitions of what PSHE stands for and why it is taught in school (as per DfE expectations).
Of the 296 responses, there was a number of comments about the lessons being short and there not being enoght time to complete activities or learning.
To develop the children's 'sticky memories', PSHE would benefit from being given a full hour of timetabled time. This would also allow for more outdoor learning, art activities, role play; a feature of the feedback given.
The comment, "It is boring and I don't find the point of it." is particularly thought-provoking. This is the only subject where the children can focus on themselves, their personal lives and recognising their physical and metal health. It is important that, going forward, PSHE has more of a presence in the school, across other subjects, and that the children understand it as an outlet for their personal development.
because we I keep forgeting things
not as intresting as the others.
Because I don't feel I have done much of it this year.
We don't do it much but when we do do it the lessons are short and are usually very similiar so i would like to do more regular lessons.dx
we don't do it
Because we don't do much of it and i haven't experienced it
It is boring and I don't find the point of it.
It is my least favourite because we never do it.
I don't enjoy the learning that we do in the subject.
Sometimes we just learn the same thing or we learn something we dont know and if its something we dont know we dont really get enough time to learn it so i dont really understand it.
I find it too confusing and the room is not calm.
While the classroom scored highly, there is clearly a desire to spend more time outdoors. PSHE could include a gardening and environmental element to the Explorer lessons to include this.
In response to the question, "What could the school do to make your learning even better?" the majority of pupils cited more outdoor learning. Also, use of laptops, hands-on learning, and mixing classes for some subjects.
There is scope for these to be incorporated into PSHE, with careful consideration of the statutory learning.