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Knowledge & Skills

The Knowledge and Skills overviews show the specific PSHE content students will learn in each unit of study throughout the year. These documents outline both the substantive knowledge (health information, social concepts, and economic understanding) and the disciplinary skills (self-management, relationship building, and critical thinking) that students will develop. Each unit is broken down to clearly identify what students need to know and what they should be able to do upon completion. Through the systematic development of both knowledge and skills, students build personal resilience, social awareness, and the capacity to make healthy, informed choices appropriate to their stage of learning.

Select a unit to find out more...

Relationships & Sex Education
 

Unit Progress Criteria
Knowledge Skills

Managing Unhealthy & Toxic Relationships (To determine what toxic behaviours are, and understand what steps can be taken to resolve or move past these types of behaviour. )

  • Able to identify behaviours that would be considered toxic.
  • Reflect and share past experiences with toxic relationships.
  • Apply strategies to real-life scenarios of how to handle possibly toxic situations.

Repairing Relationships  (To learn and practice strategies for repairing relationships.)

  • Share ways that relationships can break down.
  • Understand the three steps to repair relationships.
  • Practise the three steps on scenarios.

Peer Pressure Survival Guide (Define peer pressure, understand how it feels, why it happens, and learn strategies to handle it better.)

  • Explore how it feels to experience peer pressure.
  • Consider how peer pressure impacts friendships.
  • Identify ways to deal with peer pressure.

Together Against Bullying (To identify bullying behaviours, implement strategies to handle them and learn how to intervene as a positive bystander.)

  • Distinguish between bullying and banter.
  • Develop strategies to manage situations of bullying or a bystander effectively.
  • Model strategies in short bullying scene demonstrations.

Online Relationships (To identify how to be safe online and understand the differences between online and in-person relationships.)

  • Identify scams and unsafe situations online.
  • Understand the differences between friends and being friendly with people.
  • Determine what is required to maintain real relationships beyond social media.

The Many Forms of Relationships (To understand the qualities of different relationship types and to identify the types of relationships to foster in the future.)

  • Explore the many types of relationships that exist in society.
  • Recognise the types of relationships we have and what they bring us.
  • Compare the relationships of friendships, romantic relationships and marriage.

Understanding Consent (To acknowledge the importance of respectful communication in relationships and identify what constitutes legal consent for sexual activity.)

  • Identify the elements required for consent to be granted.
  • Know the legal age for consent where I live.
  • Practise asking for consent and responding with an assertive no.

Power Dynamics & Consent (To understand power in relationships, how it impacts consent, and how to establish boundaries.)

  • Define power imbalances and understand the different types.
  • Communicate boundaries in relationships using scenarios.
  • Practice effective and assertive communication.

Contraceptive Essentials (To compare the suitability of various methods of contraception for people with different lifestyles.)

  • Identify the elements of different forms of contraception.
  • Compare the effectiveness of each.
  • Determine their suitability based on people's lifestyles.

Discussing Pornography (To recognise the dangers of pornography on behaviours and attitudes towards sex.)

  • Identify common misconceptions around pornography.
  • Recognise the harmful behaviours that result from these misconceptions.
  • Identify ways to address the issues presented by pornography.

Assessing The Trustworthiness of Others (To recognise warning signs of untrustworthiness in people and determine the appropriate response.)

  • Recognise untrustworthy behaviours.
  • Determine common situations where people are deceived.
  • Create effective strategies to handle unsafe situations.
Introduction to FGM (To define FGM, examine the myths surrounding it and identify actions to prevent it.)
  • Define FGM and why it occurs.
  • Identify myths surrounding FGM.
  • Identify ways to provide support to eradicate it.

Health & Wellbeing
 

Unit Progress Criteria
Knowledge Skills

First Aid Beyond Emergencies (Understand basic first aid strategies, including treating cuts and grazes, sprains and strains, nosebleeds and making slings.)

  • Know how to treat a nosebleed, cut and graze and a sprained joint.
  • Can apply these skills to a scenario.
  • Understand what is required to receive formal first-aid training.

Oral Hygiene (To recognise the importance of oral hygiene in overall health and to identify effective habits that sustain it.)

  • Identify why oral hygiene is important.
  • Determine the habits that lead to good oral hygiene.
  • Identify improvements to oral hygiene routines.

Health & Hygiene (To learn about hygiene, why it's important and how best to maintain it.)

  • Identify why hygiene is important and how to maintain it.
  • Understand bacteria and viruses causing illnesses due to poor hygiene.
  • Identify ways to improve my personal hygiene.

The Mind-Body Connection (Understand the mind-body connection and the science behind how physical exercise impacts mental health.)

  • Understand the connection between physical fitness and mental health.
  • Recognise the impact exercise has on improving mental health.
  • Identify strategies for improving mental fitness and physical health.

Drug Awareness (To become informed about drugs and to explore why some people might or might not choose to take illegal drugs.)

  • Can identify different classifications of drugs and their impact.
  • Examine why some people might or might not choose to take illegal drugs.
  • Recognise that being drug-free is a common choice and that most people don't use drugs.

Alcohol and Social Inhibitions (To identify the impact and consequences of alcohol and substance use on social situations.)

  • Identify the reasons why people use alcohol in social situations.
  • Recognise the physical and social consequences from using alcohol.
  • Identify strategies to avoid and prevent alcohol fueled scenarios.

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs (To develop a growth mindset and effectively handle limiting beliefs when encountering challenges.)

  • Understand why failures are opportunities for growth.
  • Compare growth and fixed mindsets.
  • Practice a growth mindset in an origami challenge.

Resilience Toolkit (To examine what makes a person resilient and build a resilience toolkit to use in the future.)

  • Recognise elements of resilience.
  • Identify how resilience can benefit their lives.
  • Build a resilience toolkit to use for future challenging situations.

Optimising Character Strengths (To evaluate the use of character strengths and determine the impact of underusing, overusing, and optimally using them.)

  • Identify my top character strengths.
  • Reflect on the ways I use my strengths.
  • Evaluate times when I have used my strengths inappropriately.

Strengths-Based Thinking (To grow self-confidence by identifying my strengths, talents and unique abilities.)

  • Identify my strengths.
  • Understand why knowing strengths helps build confidence.
  • Create a vision board of strengths.

Taking Control With Worry Time (Determine the differences between worry and anxiety and apply strategies to help manage worry and anxiety.)

  • Describe the differences between worry and anxiety.
  • Learn how to manage worry using the "worry time" strategy.
  • Practice 5,4,3,2,1 strategy to deal with anxiety.

Changing Emotions (To better understand my emotions and how they change with age, and have strategies to help manage strong emotions when they arise.)

  • Name strategies in a range of scenarios.
  • Understand how emotions change with age.
  • Practice feel, deal and heal to manage strong emotions.

Living in the Wider World
 

Unit Progress Criteria
Knowledge Skills

Sharing Information Online (To understand the dangers of posting information online and what needs to be considered beforehand.)

  • Compare the sharing of information in person and online.
  • Through scenarios, identify the consequences of digital sharing.
  • When sharing information online, consider how trust plays a role.

The Limitless Internet (To understand the dangers and avoid viewing and posting inappropriate content online.)

  • Know how to avoid viewing inappropriate content online.
  • Identify the risks and ramifications associated with sexting.
  • Evaluate scenarios to determine how to avoid similar situations in the future.

Gender-Based Discrimination (Understand gender-based discrimination and develop strategies to challenge and prevent it.)

  • Identify different forms of gender-based discrimination.
  • Understand gender discrimination's impact.
  • Develop strategies to challenge gender-based discrimination.

Racism and Discrimination (Identify and combat racism and religious discrimination through understanding, awareness, and strategic action.)

  • Identify learned behaviours
  • Be able to detect subtle microaggressions
  • Implement anti-discrimination and racism strategies

Homophobia (To examine homophobia, what it is, why it happens, and how we can stand up against it and become an ally.)

  • Able to define homophobic terminology.
  • Identify homophobic behaviours.
  • Practise standing up against homophobia and how to be an ally

Knife Crime (To recognise the problem of knife crime and its consequences. )

  • Know the definition and laws around knife crime.
  • Identify the relationship between knives and safety.
  • Recognise the consequences for carrying knives.

Drug Laws UK (To identify the laws around different categories of drugs and their corresponding penalties.)

  • Identify the major controlled drugs.
  • Recognise the different classes of drugs.
  • Identify the different types of drug related crime and their penalties.

Exploring the Democratic Process (Identifying the key aspects of the democratic process.)

  • Recognise the underlying values of democracy.
  • Identifying the representative nature of Parliament.
  • Identifying the process of general elections.

How laws are made (To understand the structure of Parliament and how laws are made.)

  • To understand the two house system of Parliament.
  • To know the composition and purpose of each House.
  • To know that various stages involved in making a law.

Religious Freedom in the UK (To identify the importance of religious freedom in society. )

  • To identify what religious freedom means.
  • To identify why religious freedom is important.
  • To understand what religious discrimination means.

The Role of the Courts & Tribunals (To compare the roles of tribunals and courts in the UK legal system.)

  • Identify the purpose of courts and tribunals.
  • Recognise the hierarchy of courts and tribunals.
  • Play the role of judge and sentence a criminal case.