PSHE & Safeguarding Newsletter

Spring 1

Welcome to the WPT PSHE and Safeguarding Newsletter.

We hope you have all settled well into the new year.

Through this newsletter we will share an overview of the topics we cover in PSHE and the links all of these topics have to ensure we are safeguarding your children, developing their knowledge, confidence and understanding of the world they live in. The PSHE, safeguarding and personal development teams across the trust work closely together to ensure we are providing a curriculum that helps children and young people to stay healthy and safe, while preparing them to make the most of life now and in the future.

PSHE and personal development education isn’t just another school subject. It’s a chance to give every child and young person an equal opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive now and in the future. This includes helping them to deal with critical issues they face every day such as friendships, emotional wellbeing and change.

Team around the Child

Within the school year, your child can access support from their form tutor, Non-Teaching Head of Year and Head of Year
Every school has a Safeguarding team, a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) and staff members who are trained to support with mental health, emotional wellbeing, and anti-bullying
Please see your school website for all contact details

Over this next term the topics our students will be covering are:

Y7

Topics: Puberty, Relationships and Wellbeing

Lesson 1 - Puberty and emotions
Lesson 2 - Puberty and physical changes
Lesson 3 - Healthy and unhealthy relationships
Lesson 4 - Managing relationships and conflict
Lesson 5 - introduction to consent
Lesson 6 - Grooming and child sexual exploitation
Lesson 7 - Body image

Y8

Topic: Managing Risks

Lesson 1 - Risk Taking
Lesson 2 - Knife Crime
Lesson 3 - Alcohol Recap
Lesson 4 - Alcohol & Behaviour
Lesson 5 - Alcohol & Emergencies
Lesson 6/7 - Nicotine, vaping and cannabis

Y9

Topic: Relationships and Sexual Health

Lesson 1 - Review of knowledge in Y7/Y8
Lesson2 - Consent
Lesson 3 - Contraception
Lesson 4 - STIs
Lesson 5 - Male condom
Lesson 6 - The impact of pornography and online safety awareness
Lesson 7 - Sexual harassment, harmful sexualised behaviour and stalking

Y10

Topic: Relationships and Sexual Health

Lesson 1 - Healthy relationships
Lesson 2 - Expectations in relationships
Lesson 3 - Relationships, abuse and rape
Lesson 4 - Sexualisation of the media
Lesson 5 - Pornography and its impact on society
Lesson 6 - Deep fakes and AI generated imagery

If you would like any further information about any of the above please visit the school website-PSHE tab or contact ebannister@wickersleypt.org

Emotional Wellbeing at WPT

Wickersley Partnership Trust aims to provide students with a fully rounded PSHE Curriculum, as such we have TLR Holders for each core strand.

My name is Cheryl Douglas and I am the TLR Holder across the Trust for Coordinator of Emotional Health and Wellbeing within PSHE. It is my role to develop lessons linked to mental health across our curriculum as well as providing advice and support to those delivering these types of topics.

This includes;

In Year 7 transition, friendship, bullying in all its forms as well as dreams, future ambitions and aspirations.
In Year 8 stress, anxiety, depression, resilience and self-harm.
In Year 9 attitudes to mental health, how to support others, the impact of loneliness, grief and conflict.
In Key Stage 4 body image, exam stress, depression, anxiety, stress, how to be an ally, understanding neurodiversity and suicide awareness. We support students in how to access mental health support as they move into adulthood and how to manage difficult conversations. Our lessons provide detailed guidance on local and national support organisations and as a team we communicate regularly with our safeguarding and counselling team.

I will work alongside school Mental Health Leads to create a support network for our students, increasing understanding, developing empathy and raising awareness.

There are many useful resources available to those interested in learning more about emotional health and wellbeing, these are signposted throughout lessons and emailed to parents before timetabled sessions begin, I highly recommend these are accessed in

order to gain a full understanding of what we intend to deliver. As a starting point I recommend looking at the following; https://www.annafreud.org/ https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/depressionanxiety-mental-health/ https://www.kooth.com/

Substance Misuse

At WPT, we understand the importance of students understanding how to recognise risky situations and learning ways of coping with these in a way that keeps them safe and healthy.

In each year group, students will learn key skills and knowledge related to the misuse of substances, the law and consequences of such behaviour and where to seek support with this. As PSHE is a spiral curriculum, the skills and knowledge in each year group is age appropriate and develops each year as the student matures. Below is the overview of the topics to be covered in each year group.

Content of Substance Misuse Topic:

Y7 - The physical and psychological risks associated with; alcohol, smoking, e-cigarettes, solvent abuse, and cannabis. Peer pressure scenarios and the law relating to these. British Values and how the police and courts operate.
Y8 - Substance misuse, alcohol misuse, gang exploitation both on and off line, and assertiveness .
Y9 - Healthy and unhealthy friendships-developing an understanding of peer pressure, assertiveness, addiction, education including most prevalent illegal drugs, local cotext updates, laws on legal drugs and medicines. Debates over the criminalisation of drug use and how to access support in their area.
KS4 - How the use of substance can lead to risky sexual behavior and increased dangerous/violent behaviour , alcohol and substances/peer pressure/social situations/first aid, addiction awareness and accessing support.

As a Trust, we recognise that discussing these topics can be difficult as a parent/carer; therefore, on the Trust support website - please go to your school website and click on the emotional health and well-being tab under parents or students.

For more information on this topic, please contact the assistant coordinator for substance misuse at WPT, ebannister@wickersleypt.org

Within each newsletter will also provide you with some support and guidance on ways to support your child with online safety. Please take some time to read our top tips, access recommended websites and don’t hesitate to contact your child’s Non-Teaching Head of Year.

Anti-Bullying

Wickersley Partnership Trust has a robust Anti-Bullying Policy which works in collaboration with our Anti-Bullying Leads and student ambassadors. The PSHE Curriculum uses this as a foundation for our anti-bullying schemes of work which run across the key stages.

Our Anti-Bullying lessons are planned through careful collaboration between the TLR Leads for Emotional Wellbeing and Living in the Wider World, it is through this that all essential elements are included, ensuring students’ understanding is holistic. Throughout our Curriculum we cover the various forms of bullying and the potential impact these can have. From Year 7 we explore the importance of friendship and work closely with students to help them develop their understanding of toxic relationships. Our curriculum supports wider school activities which include assemblies and tutor activities.

A key feature within our curriculum is increasing students’ digital resilience, ensuring students are able to recognise when onlinebullying may be occurring and ways that this can be stopped. Throughout our Anti-Bullying Curriculum students are given the resources and tools to challenge bullying and overcome this.

Supporting your Teen with Online Bullying

Online bullying can be upsetting for both young people and parents. Here are practical tips to help your child feel safe, supported and empowered to take action.

Top 10 Tips for Parents

Listen calmly and without judgement - Let your child talk about what’s happening. Feeling heard is the first step to feeling supported.
Reassure them it’s not their fault - Bullying is never okay and experiencing it does not mean your child did something wrong.
Keep communication open - Regular check‑ins can help your child feel safe to talk when they’re ready.
Save evidence of the bullying - Screenshots, dates and usernames can be useful if you need to report the behaviour.
Use block and mute tools - Most apps and games have options to block or mute other users to reduce contact.
Report on the platform where it happened - Use the reporting tools built into social media or gaming platforms — they help remove harmful content.
Talk to the school if other pupils are involved - Schools have policies to support students experiencing bullying and can take internal action.
Know where to get expert support - There are organisations and helplines that can advise parents and young people directly — see links below.
Support healthy online habits - Encourage breaks from screens, positive online activities and open discussions about digital life.
Seek help if things escalate - If you’re worried about safety or repeated abuse, report it and ask for professional guidance.

Useful Reporting and Support Links

Report Online Safety Concerns

👉 CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command) – for online abuse or grooming concerns: https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/

Support & Reporting Advice

👉NSPCC Online Safety & Helpline – help and guidance for parents supporting children: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk

Child Support & Confidential Help

👉Childline – free, confidential support for under‑19s: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/about-us/our-services/childline/

Childline number: 0800 1111

Further Support

👉UK Safer Internet Centre – advice on reporting and staying safe online: https://saferinternet.org.uk/

RSHE Update for Parents - Statutory Changes from 2026-27

From the 2026–27 academic year, updated statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) will come into effect for all secondary schools in England.

What does this mean for secondary schools?

The updated guidance will:

Strengthen the focus on safeguarding and pupil wellbeing
Ensure learning is age-appropriate, inclusive and clearly sequenced
Place increased emphasis on healthy relationships, consent, and respect
Reflect current issues affecting young people, including online safety, digital relationships, and personal safety
Continue to support pupils in developing the knowledge and skills they need to make safe, informed and respectful choices

RSHE will remain a statutory part of the curriculum, delivered to all pupils, and taught in a way that is sensitive, factual and appropriate to students’ ages and stages of development.

The refreshed RSHE curriculum continues to develop pupils’ understanding of healthy relationships, personal wellbeing and safety, but with some important new areas included.

Key areas your child will learn about include:

Healthy relationships, respect and consent — focusing on respectful behaviour in friendships and romantic relationships.
Online safety and digital wellbeing — including emerging technology topics such as AI‑generated images, deep fakes and the influence of online content.
Misogyny and harmful online cultures — teaching pupils to recognise and challenge harmful attitudes, including negative online influences and myths about relationships.
Mental health and personal wellbeing — including understanding emotions, loneliness, grief and loss, and how to access help and support.
Personal safety skills — helping students identify risks and stay safe in different environments, including online and in public spaces.
Physical health education — including menstrual and gynecological health topics appropriate for secondary pupils

Our school approach

Our updated RSHE policy will be shared with parents towards the end of this academic year

The PSHE team will continue to provide topic guidance to parents throughout the year

School websites will continue to host detailed information about RSHE topics and the lessons delivered to each year group

Parents will be kept informed and supported as developments are introduced

RSHE: Frequently Asked Questions

Will RSHE still be compulsory?

Yes. RSHE will continue to be a statutory subject for all secondary schools.

Will lessons be age-appropriate?

Yes. All RSHE lessons are planned to be age-appropriate, carefully sequenced and suitable for students’ stages of development.

What topics will be covered?

Topics include relationships, health and wellbeing, consent, online safety, and personal safety. Full details of topics taught to each year group will be available on the school website.

When will parents see the updated policy?

The updated RSHE policy will be shared with parents towards the end of this academic year. Parents will have the opportunity to share comments or questions following the policy being shared. All amendments to topics will be reflected on the school website from September 2026.

How will parents be kept informed?

The PSHE team will continue to provide topic guidance throughout the year, and school websites will include detailed information about RSHE lessons delivered to all year groups. Parents can continue to contact their child’s PSHE teacher to request lesson materials and discuss lesson contents in more detail.

Who can I contact if I have questions?

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact the PSHE team, who will be happy to support you.

Page updated

Report abuse