PSHE Personal, Social and Health Education

The health and wellbeing of our students are our highest priority and the PSHE programme is central to the pastoral care offered to girls at Godolphin. Expert external speakers who are leaders in their fields come into the school to deliver talks and workshops on important issues, such as e-safety; relationships and sex; peer pressure and consent; drug, alcohol and smoking/vaping awareness. In addition to external experts, PSHE sessions are delivered by Form Tutors or experienced teachers with the help of the Medical and the ILN team: through activities and discussion we help our students develop personal qualities such as self-esteem, a strong sense of their own identity, emotional intelligence and digital awareness.

Relationships and Sex Education is set in the context of respect for individual decisions and beliefs and making informed choices. We place great emphasis on issues of sexual consent which we cover in an age-appropriate way as part of our Relationships and Sex Education modules.

– In the Lower School we specifically discuss what constitutes a positive and healthy relationship; puberty; consent; peer pressure and associated risky behaviour as well as an introduction to STIs, contraception and fertility & pregnancy outcomes.

– These themes are recapped in Year 10 with further investigation of the sexual consent, positive and healthy relationships and the impact of accessing pornography. The Equality Act 2010 is discussed more in Key Stage 4 alongside topics such as domestic violence, forced marriage and honour based violence.

– Year 11 follows on with scenario discussions about drugs and alcohol awareness; freedom and festivals; consent and the law; sexual abuse and harassment; the influence of pornography. Teachers will introduce students to addiction as well as body awareness focusing on smear tests and breast checks.

– In the Sixth Form these topics are covered again with the focus given to being safe within the context of university life and the workplace. External speakers, such as It Happens, The Sex Lies and Love Project and Bob Tait play an important role in our Sixth Form programme, delivering presentations in small groups on topics such as addiction, pornography, and choices within healthy relationships.

Our PSHE/RSE scheme of work is a constantly evolving programme and we listen, and adapt content to incorporate feedback and suggestions from our students; our aim is to ensure that all students have access to the support and information they need.

Complimenting the PSHE/RSE curriculum, each girl is encouraged to take a lively interest in social and current affairs and in the world around them. There is a strong focus on making an active contribution to the community beyond the school gates. Environmental awareness is promoted throughout the school with a ‘green’ approach to travel, waste and consumerism.

Good physical and emotional health and wellbeing are key to our students’ development. The importance of exercise, nutrition and sleep is explored in order to give girls the confidence to make positive choices about their health. The need for balance in the girls’ hectic lives is encouraged through mindfulness and relaxation sessions and by teaching them how their bodies and minds function, so they can look after themselves better during times of stress.

The PSHE programme is reviewed and updated annually to keep the content current and so that new issues can be addressed.