PSHE Association

The PSHE Association was set up in 2006 with government funding to help support PSHE practitioners across all phases to raise the quality of PSHE teaching and raise its status in the curriculum.

We are a membership organisation as well a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity, governed by a board of trustees. Membership subscriptions are used to provide a range of advice, information and resources including CPD events that will be of most benefit to members in delivering high quality PSHE education.

We work closely with our members to develop effective practice and resources. We represent member views to government and other bodies to influence policy for PSHE education.

The growth and success of the PSHE Association is dependent on the involvement of our members.

We welcome feedback and involvement of practitioners at all levels.

Our mission

To raise the status, quality and impact of Personal Social Health & Economic education (PSHE) and enable high quality PSHE education teaching and learning for all children and young people.

The PSHE Association provides teachers and practitioners with:

• Dedicated advice, consultancy and support by phone or email for an entire year.
• The latest news with our monthly e-newsletter, website and social media. Updating you on curriculum developments, resources, events, CPD opportunities and immediate updates on changes to legislation.
• Access to a huge library of downloadable resources including model schemes of work, review and quality assurance tools, model policies, guidance on reporting and recording.
• Quality assured CPD events and our national conference at significantly reduced rates.
• Membership of our community of over 5000 professionals in a rapidly growing and influential professional membership, working together to ensure that all children and young people experience the highest quality PSHE education.
• Member voice in national policy development
• Guidance on selecting appropriate PSHE resources, training courses etc.
• Opportunities to play an active part in developing and promoting PSHE teaching and learning, for example through action research.

The Association offers a host of resources for teaching PSHE both in the classroom and on and in the follow-up to school trips. Read more here: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/resources_search.aspx?ResourceTypeID=3.

It also offers CPD training: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=336

The Association also offers a Quality Mark for resource providers: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=1129

What is PSHE

PSHE education is a planned programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives. As part of a whole school approach, PSHE develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. Read more about its benefits to pupils and schools HERE.

Ten Principles of good PSHE Education

The PSHE Association has developed the following evidence-based principles of good practice in PSHE education that apply across Key Stages 1 to 4:

1. Start where children and young people are: find out what they already know, understand, are able to do and are able to say.  For maximum impact involve them in the planning of your PSHE education programme.

2. Plan a ‘spiral programme’ which introduces new and more challenging learning, while building on what has gone before, which reflects and meets the personal developmental needs of the children and young people.

3. Take a positive approach which does not attempt to induce shock or guilt but focuses on what children and young people can do to keep themselves and others healthy and safe and to lead happy and fulfilling lives.

4. Offer a wide variety of teaching and learning styles within PSHE education, with an emphasis on interactive learning and the teacher as facilitator.

5. Provide information which is realistic and relevant and which reinforces positive social norms.

6. Encourage young people to reflect on their learning and the progress they have made, and to transfer what they have learned to say and to do from one school subject to another, and from school to their lives in the wider community.

7. Recognise that the PSHE education programme is just one part of what a school can do to help a child to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding they need to fulfil their potential.  Link the PSHE education programme to other whole school approaches, to pastoral support, and provide a setting where the responsible choice becomes the easy choice.  Encourage staff, families and the wider community to get involved.

8. Embed PSHE education within other efforts to ensure children and young people have positive relationships with adults, feel valued and where those who are most vulnerable are identified and supported.

9. Provide opportunities for children and young people to make real decisions about their lives, to take part in activities which simulate adult choices and where they can demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for their decisions.

10. Provide a safe and supportive learning environment where children and young people can develop the confidence to ask questions, challenge the information they are offered, draw on their own experience, express their views and opinions and put what they have learned into practice in their own lives.

The ten principles underpin all of our work including our training, resources, Quality Assurance processes and Professional Development programme for PSHE teachers and practitioners.