Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education has in various forms been part of the National Curriculum for schools in UK since 2000. Some aspects, but not all, have been compulsory. PSHE education is defined by the schools inspectorate Ofsted as a planned programme to help children and young people develop fully as individuals and as members of families and social and economic communities. Its goal is to equip young people with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthily, safely, productively and responsibly.
Contents
In Wales, the comparable element of the state school curriculum topic is Personal and Social Education (PSE). In Ireland, it is Social, Personal and Health education (SPHE). It is also known as PSHEE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education), PSED (Personal, Social and Emotional Development) and PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education).
PSHE topics
Topics covered within PSHE are grouped in three core themes: (i) health and wellbeing, (ii) relationships, and (iii) living in the wider world; and include:
Recent developments
The UK government published in May 2005 the "SEAL" pack (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) for primary schools to teach emotional "literacy" (sic) and personal growth overtly through PSHE and the curriculum. This is to be supported also in secondary schools in England and Wales with a similar pack, still in development, called "SEBS" or Social, Emotional and Behavioural Skills. It is also sometimes referred to as variants of PSHEE (Personal Social Health Economic Education).
In January 2011 a large study of PSHE education in primary and secondary schools in England was completed by the Centre for Education and Inclusion Research (CEIR) at Sheffield Hallam University. This research was based on a nationally representative survey and in-depth case studies to map and assess the delivery and effectiveness of current provision in English primary and secondary schools.
In July 2011, the Department for Education launched an internal review of personal, social, health and economic education to look at the content and quality of teaching of PSHE in schools. Closing date for the responses to the review was Wednesday 30 November 2011.
The Government’s PSHE education review concluded in March 2013, stating that the subject would remain non-statutory and that no new programmes of study would be published. However in July 2013 the PSHE Association produced a revised programme of study ‘based on the needs of today’s pupils and schools’. Their programme of study identifies the key concepts and skills that underpin PSHE education and help schools to fulfil their statutory responsibilities.
Publications
There are many independent publications supporting the teaching of PSHE in schools in the UK: