Physical, Social, Health and Citizenship Education

The PSHCE programme contains elements of Citizenship, Sex Education, Politics, Environmental Education, Health and Careers.

As part of the PSHCE programme, students have the opportunity to take part in a number of workshops. One such workshop was the 'Building Experience Workshop' that aimed to help understand the links between the construction of buildings and their day-to-day schoolwork.

The activity encouraged the students to work together; to listen and value one anothers ideas. The pictures above and to the right show the students building a dome using elastic bands and rods.

Other such workshops have included a visit from the Somerset Sex Education Bus, a workshop on drugs and alcohol (picture shown below), and a fire safety awareness focus week (see picture shown bottom right).

SEX EDUCATION

All students are offered the opportunity to receive a comprehensive, well-planned programme of sex education during their time at Swanmead Community School. The School believes that good quality sex education is crucial for young people. It must keep abreast of what young people are doing and must inform children at an early age. The law requires sex education to be given in such a manner as to encourage students to have due regard to moral considerations and the value of family life. It will be complementary to and supportive of the role of parents in educating their children about sexuality and relationships.
Swanmead Community School aims to deliver a programme which will help students cope with the physical and emotional challenges of growing up and give them an understanding, not only of human reproduction, but also of family and other personal relationships. Students' questions are answered sensitively with due consideration to moral, religious and/or cultural factors bearing on the discussion of sexual issues.

CAREERS EDUCATION

Although Careers Education does not form a separate subject it is intended that the knowledge, skills and processes contained in our whole school curriculum can be applied to and be of value in adult life.In addition to the overall aims that have been stated previously, the curriculum also contains aspects of the development of economic awareness and enterprise skills through a range of student activities such as running fund-raising events, organising talent shows, community service and working with young children. The Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education programme also provides opportunities for students to develop their self-esteem and helps them to become more aware of their own strengths and needs.At this stage in students' education it is seen as more appropriate that careers education activities involving off-site visits to places of work arise out of a wider scheme and form part of the school's overall curricular objectives. Longer off-site excursions often contain visits to places of work as part of the planned programme. Within the general framework of the curriculum the students are made aware of the industrial and commercial opportunities available both locally and nationally.