PSHCE

PSHCE, or Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education has been taught at St George's School since 2002. It becomes a compulsory subject in all UK schools in September 2010.

All pupils from Years 1-8 participate including choristers, and our pupils in Years 3-8 have one lesson of 35 minutes per week (less for younger pupils). Topics range from 'Knowing Myself' in Year 1 to 'Rich World, Poor World' in Year 5. Year 7 topics include 'Children's Rights', whilst Year 8 topics range from 'Government, Voting and Elections' to Drugs Education.

The purpose of PSHCE is to help pupils understand the world in which they live, beyond the confines of the safe walls of the family home and school. PSHCE helps children see things from the perspective of others, not least their teachers and parents! Individual children also learn to realise that they may have more in common with their peers than they initially realised; they derive strength from this.

Ideas and opinions are formed during discussion, and every child is encouraged to participate. Such sessions may be teacher-led or pupils may discuss between themselves in small groups; the Pupil Council is the official 'voice' of the pupils, and this meets at least once a term with the Headmaster and Mr Churchouse.

Matters of immediate concern, eg bullying are always guaranteed immediate priority during lesson time. Pupils welcome this, and interestingly, when the problems are dealt in this way, the children often come away with an understanding of why things may have gone wrong, helped as often as not by viewpoints expressed by their peers.

The pupils at St George's invariably recognise their good fortune to be given the chance of a good education and sound home life. They appreciate this all the more when they hear of the misfortune of others in the world. Their response is to empathise, and to want to do something to help those less fortunate than themselves. They are generous in their giving, and are a credit to their communities for the degree of humanity they display.