Aims

Our sincerest aim is to teach key themes and develop important competencies that will support Borlase students to develop into happy, confident and resilient individuals and positive contributors to society,  ready for life at school, and life beyond school. 

It will develop curiosity and encourage reflective thinking on current topics that will enable students to understand, embrace, and celebrate diversity. 

It fosters and develops an understanding of safe, consensual and healthy relationships;  it aims to develop character and embed the core value of respect for oneself, respect for other people, and respect for the world in which we live and the world we hope to hand on to future generations. 

The PSHE Curriculum instils the school’s values which embrace British Values and the values of the Equalities Act of 2010.

Borlase students are encouraged to Follow Things Worthy - to show Responsibility, Respect, Integrity, Courage and Kindness.

Curriculum Structure & Implementation

At SWBGS, students are taught PSHE as a discrete subject in Years 7 to 11 for one hour each week.  They are taught by specialist teachers; these are predominantly the Heads of Year in their teaching classes who have PSHE as their first or second subject.  Key support staff also contribute to assisting teachers for appropriate topics, including the school counsellor and qualified matron. 

There is a Head of Department, currently the Head of KS3, and time is given to allow the teachers to share best practice and discuss teaching approaches.  This allows coherence across the KS3 and 4 Curriculum and discussion of age appropriate approaches to topics. Some KS3 and 4 content is also delivered through the school Tutor System, collapsed days and school assemblies.  All departments reinforce Equalities and school values.  Topics are approached in a spiral manner, revisiting issues at different times in an age appropriate manner.  Details of this approach are attached below.

In Key Stage 5, students access the PSHE themes via various routes including scheduled workshops, the weekly lecture series, daily tutor time schemes of work, focus weeks and school assemblies. The Head of Sixth Form works closely with the Head of PSHE, discussing the spiral curriculum and how themes are revisited in an age appropriate way.