Personal, Social and Health Education

Our tailor-made PSHE programme is designed to equip all our young people with essential life skills and personal development opportunities, empowering them to Create Your Future. Be who you are; become who you aspire to be.

We hope that our resources and assembly schedule give students the chance to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them, while providing a safe space to explore questions and unfamiliar topics. Our PSHE curriculum is rooted in our founding Be Belper Values alongside the national British Values. All content follows the government’s statutory PSHE guidance. As a result, students are supported to lead confident, happy, healthy, and responsible lives—both as individuals and as active members of modern British society.

These sessions also give students valuable time with their tutor to discuss current and relevant issues that may arise during the year.

Across the year, students will explore six key topics, one per half term:

  • Autumn 1: The Be Belper Values / British Values
  • Autumn 2: Relationships & Sex Education – Unit 1
  • Spring 1: Living in the Wider World
  • Spring 2: Health & Wellbeing
  • Summer 1: Relationships & Sex Education – Unit 2
  • Summer 2: British Values

We are committed to sharing our PSHE curriculum with parents so they feel informed and confident supporting conversations at home. The learning journey for each topic and year group can be accessed here:

Our PSHE programme is built into the structure of our school day because we believe it is an essential part of our educational offer and central to shaping well-rounded young people. Students receive one hour of PSHE each week, delivered through two 20-minute morning sessions with their tutor and a further 20 minutes during their weekly assembly. Throughout the year, students revisit previously studied content, consolidating and building upon prior knowledge.

PSHE sessions follow a clear, consistent format that provides a predictable and supportive environment for exploring a wide range of topics. Students use whiteboards, engage in structured discussions with their peers, and share ideas as a class. At the end of the second weekly session, students complete a short task in their workbook to check their understanding of the material covered.

Each unit also begins with a shared set of expectations, agreed upon by students, to ensure an open, respectful, and safe learning environment. Please see our PSHE expectations below:

PSHE Rules

For more information, please see our PSHE School Policy.

If you have any questions regarding the curriculum offer please contact the Belper School Office FAO Hannah Evans (Deputy Headteacher in charge of curriculum).

 

Religious Education (Key Stage 4)

All students in Year 10 and 11 will receive their Compulsory Religious Education via a series of dedicated assemblies and lesson time within PSE, co-ordinated by the teacher in charge of Religious Education.  In addition, a number of Tutor Time sessions each half term will be devoted to exploring a Thought for the Day, delivered by tutors and specialist RE staff.

Students who wish to study GCSE Philosophy and Ethics of Religion will need to choose the subject as one of their options.

Topics which may be covered in Year 10 and Year 11 PSE and Thought for Day include the following:

  • Life After Death
  • The Problem with Evil
  • Religious views on society
  • Morality
  • Consequences
  • Life’s big questions
  • Holocaust (religious perspective)
  • Marriage
  • Crime and Punishment

PSHE Education Aims – Post 16

• To develop students confidence and responsibility and to make the most of their abilities;

• To develop a healthy, safer lifestyle; and

• To develop good relationships and respecting differences between people.

What does it mean for students in the Sixth Form at Belper School?

PSHE Education and Citizenship are integrated into all aspects of life at Belper School & Sixth Form; classroom teaching, tutor groups, socials times, and enrichment opportunities. The development of the whole person is central to Belper School & Sixth Formers education.

The Sixth Form Team meet individually or collectively with the schools Careers Advisor throughout the year to discuss the continuous development of PSHE education and Citizenship within the school and to organise the programme of talks, lectures and workshops. 

PSHE Delivery Post 16

Tutor groups receive dedicated times to the delivery of PSHE for both Years 12 & 13. The aim of PSHE education in the Tutor Group is to allow development of these and other ideas in discussion groups led by the form tutor. The form tutor is not expected to be an expert in these fields but, as an informed adult, should be able to prompt lively and productive discussion. Students should start to appreciate some of the decisions that could face them now and in later life. A structure of sessions is available at the start of the year as detailed below, however, the timing and delivery method of these is not fixed in order to allow flexibility with specific interests and/or needs of groups and individuals.

 Assemblies are held once per fortnight and delivered by the Head of Sixth Form, a senior member of staff or an outside speaker. Throughout the year there are a number of set themes that are linked to Moral, Spiritual or Cultural themes.

Outside speakers provide a wealth of specialist expertise and support covering a wide range of topics. Guests  to the Sixth Form include:

The Derbyshire Sexual Health Partnership Team, the Teenage Cancer Trust, The Co-Operative Bank, Student Finance England, The Anthony Nolan Foundation, The Blood Donation Service, The Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Team, The University of Nottingham, Derby University and Oxford University. Employers from local industry including Rolls Royce and Boots.

In addition we also have outside theatre groups covering Road Safety Awareness and alcohol misuse.

Access to specialist support. The students have access to our in house CEG team that offer IAG either to tutor groups, focus groups or individuals. The focus is to cover the key aspects of WRL and advice and guidance on the appropriate routes either during their time in the Sixth Form or for plans Post sixth Form including employment, Higher and National Apprenticeships and Further & Higher Education.

Students can access the School’s nurse once a week

·Students can also receive additional guidance with regards sexual health as part of the Derbyshire ‘C’ Card scheme

The school has a number of online resources for Post 16 students including Unifrog in addition the school has a well established intranet that can signpost students to relevant links to outside agency websites.

For more information please contact the appropriate Head of Year.