Why is PSHE education important in schools today?

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) education became a statutory part of primary and secondary curriculums in September 2020.

Since then, schools have made huge in-roads in how they deliver this subject and it is growing in significance all the time. The PSHE Association suggests one hour per week should be spent on PSHE, and there are a variety of ways schools achieve this. Many have a dedicated lesson as well as special days covering key topics, such as Safer Internet Day.

However, as a relatively new statutory element of the curriculum, there are still a number of challenges facing the teaching of PSHE. The most imperative one is time – fitting in an hour of teaching into an already-packed week can be really tricky. Not to mention the sometimes tricky subject matter and parent push-back for more controversial topics. It can be a subject that is fraught with bumps in the road.

Nevertheless, PSHE remains a very important part of school life, one which has the power to impact the development of children’s personal and academic achievements. Well taught PSHE lessons have strong links with children’s success in other areas, with studies showing a link between pupil health and wellbeing education with stronger attainment levels (Public Health England, 2014).

Let’s explore some of the reasons why PSHE is so important in schools today:

1. It helps to keep children safe

A big part of PSHE education is helping children to understand who to talk to when they are worried. Breaking down this barrier is the first step towards keeping children safe. But PSHE learning goes deeper than this too; talking about subjects that may have previously been kept quiet means children learn what behaviours are right and wrong. This gives them the knowledge and vocabulary to express concerns.

This extended knowledge and vocabulary gives children more autonomy over their own health and wellbeing, so they can make positive decisions and set up good habits for the future. This provides a strong foundation for better mental health and wellbeing in later life.

2. It supports life long wellbeing 

Learning the different objectives within PSHE provides children with the skills to help them understand their mental health and wellbeing. These tools, for instance how to manage big emotions, mean that children are better equipped to support, manage and get help with their own mental health and wellbeing.

3. It increases resilience and emotional intelligence

The development of these softer skills help children to become well-rounded individuals. “PSHE education provides an opportunity to provide or enhance skills such as perseverance, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, self-management, self-respect, team work, locus of control, time and stress management” (DfE, 2015).

Feeling confident and resilient helps children’s readiness to learn in other areas of the curriculum.

4. It reduces stigma 

A number of topics within the PSHE curriculum, for example menstruation, have historically been kept quiet. Some of these topics were not openly spoken about within families, friendship groups or at school. As the subject brings more awareness and more opportunity for open discussion, children can talk freely about how they feel without judgement.

5. It prepares children for the next step 

Key transition points, such as moving to secondary school, are much easier to tackle when skills such as confidence, resilience and self-awareness are built in to the curriculum. Common feelings often found in these transitional moments become normalised, meaning children find it easier to share their concerns.

6. It builds empathy

The nature of the PSHE curriculum means there is opportunity to talk about people from different backgrounds, different types of family units and other cultures. Protected Characteristics are taught alongside the PSHE curriculum. This means that children see themselves in books, and also see others. Collectively, this not only helps children to feel ‘seen’ but also increases empathy. The subject allows children to ‘walk a mile in their shoes’, so to speak.