PSHE Education

Parent and Carer Information Sheet

Academic year 2026–2027 | Lealands High School
Preparing young people for life, relationships, responsibility and the future.

Our commitment

At Lealands High School, Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education plays an important role in students’ personal development and preparation for adult life.

Our PSHE curriculum provides structured opportunities for students to develop the knowledge, understanding, values and practical skills needed to keep themselves safe, maintain positive relationships, understand their rights and responsibilities, participate in society and make informed decisions about their futures.

We recognise that parents and carers are central to young people’s development. This information sheet explains the purpose of our PSHE provision, the areas we cover and how we ensure that learning is inclusive, age-appropriate and underpinned by safeguarding.

1. Why do we teach PSHE?

Young people face a wide range of personal, social and practical challenges as they grow up. They need reliable information, opportunities to reflect and the confidence to make responsible decisions.

Our PSHE curriculum aims to help students:

• Develop self-awareness, resilience, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
• Build and maintain healthy, respectful relationships.
• Understand their rights, responsibilities and the laws that protect them.
• Recognise risks, respond to unsafe situations and seek help when needed.
• Understand democracy, citizenship, equality and their role in society.
• Develop financial awareness, employability skills and an understanding of the world of work.
• Make informed decisions about education, training, careers and adult life.

PSHE complements the academic curriculum by helping students apply their learning to everyday life. It also supports our wider work around safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, inclusion, wellbeing and personal development.

2. Our approach: a spiral curriculum

Our PSHE curriculum follows a spiral approach. Key themes are revisited throughout students’ time at secondary school, with learning developing in depth and complexity as they mature.

For example, students may begin by learning about personal responsibility, friendship and fairness before progressing to more detailed consideration of consent, the law, democratic participation, financial decisions and career pathways.

This approach enables students to consolidate prior learning, revisit important concepts and apply their understanding to increasingly complex situations.

Our provision is age-appropriate and carefully sequenced. We consider students’ age, developmental stage, prior knowledge and individual needs when planning content, activities and resources.
We aim to create a respectful learning environment in which students can ask questions, explore different perspectives and develop their understanding without pressure to disclose personal experiences.

3. What does our PSHE curriculum cover?

Our provision is organised around four key areas:

A. Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

RSHE is an important and clearly identifiable part of our PSHE curriculum. It helps students develop the knowledge and skills needed to establish healthy relationships, understand their health and wellbeing, and make safe and informed decisions.

Learning may include:

• Healthy friendships, family relationships and romantic relationships.
• Respect, equality, trust, communication and personal boundaries.
• Consent, autonomy and recognising pressure or coercion.
• Puberty, reproduction, sexual health and relevant biological knowledge.
• Contraception and sexually transmitted infections, where appropriate to the year group and planned curriculum.
• Emotional wellbeing, mental health and changes during adolescence.
• Online relationships, digital boundaries and image-sharing pressures.
• Recognising and challenging sexual harassment, sexual violence, misogyny and harmful stereotypes.
• Understanding where to seek reliable advice, information and support.

Our approach to RSHE

RSHE is taught through planned, age-appropriate lessons that build on previous learning. Sensitive topics are introduced thoughtfully, with suitable language and resources.

Students are encouraged to ask questions and engage respectfully. They are not required to share personal or family experiences.

We teach RSHE in line with the statutory requirements and guidance applicable to our school for 2026–2027. Parents and carers can consult the school’s RSHE policy for further information about the curriculum and the arrangements concerning withdrawal from sex education.

B. Keeping Safe and the Law

This area helps students understand how to protect themselves and others, recognise risks and understand the laws and responsibilities that apply to young people.

Learning may include:

• Personal safety, boundaries and recognising unsafe situations.
• Online safety, digital footprints, privacy, scams and online exploitation.
• Bullying, discrimination, harassment and abusive behaviour.
• Child-on-child abuse, grooming, coercion and exploitation.
• Alcohol, smoking, vaping and other substances, including associated risks.
• Understanding relevant laws, age-related responsibilities and legal consequences.
• Crime, antisocial behaviour, peer pressure and making responsible choices.
• Personal safety in public spaces and knowing how to access help.
• Recognising when something is wrong and reporting concerns to a trusted adult.

Our aim is to help students make informed decisions, understand the consequences of their actions and recognise that they have a right to feel safe. We also help students understand that they can seek support if they are worried about their own behaviour or the behaviour of someone else.

C. Citizenship and Democracy

We want students to understand the society in which they live and to develop the knowledge and confidence to participate responsibly.

Learning may include:

• Democracy, elections, voting and political participation.
• The role of Parliament, government, local councils and public services.
• Rights, responsibilities, the rule of law and the justice system.
• Equality, diversity, inclusion and respect for different viewpoints.
• Human rights and the importance of challenging discrimination.
• British values, including democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
• Community involvement, volunteering and social responsibility.
• Media literacy, misinformation and evaluating information critically.
• Personal finance, consumer awareness and understanding the wider economy, where included in the planned programme.

Students are encouraged to consider different perspectives, discuss issues respectfully and develop their own informed views. Teaching promotes critical thinking, constructive participation and respect for others, rather than requiring students to adopt a particular political viewpoint.

D. Careers Education and Preparation for Working Life

Careers education is an integral part of our PSHE provision. It helps students understand their strengths and interests, explore opportunities and make informed decisions about education, training and employment.

Our careers provision aims to help students:

• Identify their interests, strengths, skills and aspirations.
• Understand the relationship between education, qualifications and career opportunities.
• Explore different sectors, occupations and changing employment opportunities.
• Develop employability skills, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability and organisation.
• Understand workplace expectations, professional behaviour and employee rights and responsibilities.
• Learn about further education, sixth forms, apprenticeships, technical education and other post-16 pathways.
• Develop awareness of financial independence, earnings and budgeting, where appropriate.
• Prepare for work experience, applications, interviews and transitions beyond school.
• Recognise that career pathways are varied and that plans can change over time.

Careers learning is designed to help students make realistic, informed and ambitious choices. We aim to ensure that students understand the range of pathways available and are supported to identify options that suit their interests, abilities and aspirations.

Our careers programme works alongside subject learning and other careers activities, such as encounters with employers and education or training providers, work-related experiences and individual careers guidance.

Further information is available through [school careers webpage / careers policy].

4. How do we teach PSHE?

Our teaching is planned, structured and responsive to students’ needs. Depending on the topic, lessons may include:

• Teacher-led explanations and presentations.
• Structured discussions and respectful debate.
• Real-life scenarios, case studies and problem-solving activities.
• Reflection on choices, consequences and responsibilities.
• Videos, written resources and other carefully selected materials.
• Practical activities to develop decision-making, communication and help-seeking skills.
• Retrieval practice and opportunities to revisit previous learning.

We use Pol-Ed resources to support our PSHE curriculum. Developed by experienced educators, with police expertise where appropriate, these resources provide engaging, age-appropriate lessons covering relationships, wellbeing, personal safety and understanding the law.

Pol-Ed complements our existing curriculum and supports pupils to understand risks, consider the consequences of their actions, develop critical-thinking skills and make safe, informed decisions. Lessons are selected to meet the needs of our pupils and support our wider curriculum aims. You can find out more about Pol-Ed and its educational resources by visiting the official Pol-Ed website: https://www.pol-ed.co.uk/

Teachers establish clear expectations for participation and respectful discussion. We aim to provide a supportive environment in which students can explore sensitive issues without fear of embarrassment or judgement.

Students are not expected to disclose private experiences. Questions are addressed sensitively and in line with the curriculum, the student’s developmental needs and our safeguarding responsibilities.

Where appropriate, individual questions may be followed up privately or students may be directed to suitable sources of information and support.

5. Assessing and Reporting in PSHE

Assessment is an important part of our PSHE curriculum. Each unit includes an assessment designed to check students’ understanding of the key knowledge, concepts and learning objectives covered. This enables us to identify what students have understood, address misconceptions and inform future teaching.

Assessments may take one of the following forms:

• Short quiz: checking students’ recall and understanding of key facts, terminology and concepts.
• Case study evaluation: asking students to apply their learning to a realistic scenario, consider possible responses and explain their reasoning.
• Project: allowing students to demonstrate their understanding of a topic through a planned task or piece of work.

The assessment method is selected to suit the content and intended learning outcomes of each unit. Assessment focuses on students’ understanding of the material taught and their ability to apply their learning appropriately.
Reporting on PSHE

Students’ PSHE reports will include an Attitude to Learning (ATL) grade. This reflects students’ approach to learning in PSHE lessons, including their engagement, participation, preparedness and willingness to complete learning activities.

The ATL grade provides parents and carers with information about how students approach the subject. It is considered alongside the school’s wider reporting arrangements to support conversations about progress, engagement and next steps in learning.

6. Supporting students with SEND

We are committed to ensuring that PSHE is accessible and meaningful for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

We recognise that students may have different communication needs, levels of understanding, learning profiles and support requirements. Teaching is adapted where appropriate to enable students to access essential learning and develop practical skills for life.

Support may include:

• Clear, concrete language and explicit explanations.
• Visual resources, symbols, modelling and social stories.
• Repetition, pre-teaching and opportunities to revisit key concepts.
• Breaking learning into manageable steps.
• Adapted resources and alternative ways to demonstrate understanding.
• Additional adult support or smaller-group teaching where appropriate.
• Explicit teaching of personal boundaries, consent, safety, rights and responsibilities.
• Individualised support informed by relevant plans and professional advice.

Adaptations are considered carefully so that students can participate meaningfully in learning about relationships, personal safety, citizenship and future pathways.

Our aim is to promote inclusion, independence, confidence and the knowledge students need to make safer and more informed decisions.

7. Safeguarding and student wellbeing

Safeguarding underpins every aspect of our PSHE provision. We want students to understand how to keep themselves safe, recognise when something may be wrong and know how to access support.

Our approach includes:

• A safe learning environment: Staff establish clear ground rules and handle sensitive issues carefully.
• No expectation of personal disclosure: students are not required to share private or potentially distressing experiences.
• Clear boundaries around confidentiality: students are helped to understand that staff cannot promise secrecy when someone may be at risk of harm.
• Appropriate responses to concerns: Staff follow the school’s safeguarding and child protection procedures when concerns arise.
• Access to trusted adults: students are reminded how to seek help from appropriate members of staff and other support services.
• A whole-school approach: PSHE complements our wider safeguarding, pastoral, behaviour, anti-bullying and wellbeing arrangements.

If a student discloses information that raises a safeguarding concern, staff respond sensitively and refer the matter to the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) or appropriate safeguarding colleague.

Our priority is to ensure that students feel safe, listened to and supported.

8. Statutory requirements and parents’ role

Our PSHE programme brings together statutory education requirements and wider learning that supports students’ personal development.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, our RSHE provision is planned with reference to the Department for Education’s revised statutory guidance, which came into effect on 1 September 2026. Our careers provision is also developed with reference to the applicable careers guidance requirements.

In particular:

• Relationships and Sex Education is compulsory in secondary schools.
• Health Education is compulsory in state-funded secondary schools.
• Citizenship education supports students’ understanding of democracy, rights, responsibilities and participation in society.
• Schools have duties relating to careers education, independent careers guidance and access to information about technical education and apprenticeships.

Parental rights regarding sex education

Parents and carers have the right to request that their child is withdrawn from some or all of the sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE, subject to the applicable statutory arrangements. This does not extend to Relationships Education, Health Education or content taught as part of the national curriculum for science.

We encourage parents and carers to discuss any questions or concerns with the school. Further details about the curriculum and withdrawal arrangements are available in our RSHE policy.

We value the contribution of parents and carers and welcome opportunities to explain the content, purpose and teaching methods used in our PSHE programme.

9. PSHE curriculum timetable: 2026–2027

Appendix A will provide an overview of the spiralled PSHE curriculum taught across the academic year.

Appendix B will provide a curriculum map for each year group, including enquiry questions for each lesson.

The lessons highlighted in the Appendices are colour coded for each area of the PSHE curriculum

• Relationships and Sex Education = Orange
• Health Education = Pink
• Keeping Safe and the Law = Green
• Citizenship and Democracy = Blue
• Careers Education = Yellow

Parents and carers may contact the school if they would like further information about a particular topic, lesson or resource.

10. Working in partnership with families

We believe that effective PSHE education is strengthened by a positive partnership between school and home.

Our aim is to help students become informed, responsible, respectful and resilient young adults who can look after their wellbeing, contribute positively to society and make informed decisions about their futures.

We welcome questions from parents and carers and are happy to discuss our curriculum, teaching methods and the resources used.

PSHE Lead: Mr P. White, Director of Humanities
RSHE Lead: Mr P. White, Director of Humanities
Careers Lead: Miss C. Griffiths, Careers Co-ordinator
Email: admin@lealands.luton.sch.uk
School office: 01582 611600
School policies:

Thank you for supporting our work to provide a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment for every student.

Mr. P. White
Director of Humanities