Personal development rooted in trust, safety and emotional growth.

At The Orchard School, Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is more than a subject — it’s woven into the fabric of school life. For pupils with SEMH needs, understanding themselves, building safe relationships, and navigating the wider world is fundamental to lifelong wellbeing.

We deliver a carefully planned PSHE curriculum across both the Primary and Secondary Phases, tailored to our pupils’ developmental needs, EHCP outcomes, and lived experiences.

Our PSHE Curriculum Focuses On:

• Emotional regulation and self-awareness
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Friendships and social skills
• Managing feelings and building resilience
• Safety, risk and personal boundaries
• Belonging, identity and diversity
• Preparing for adulthood and independence

Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

RSHE is a statutory part of our wider PSHE offer and is delivered in a way that is safe, age-appropriate, and emotionally sensitive.

Progression Across Key Stages

Key Stage 2 (Primary)

Focus: Relationships Education and Health Education

• Families and people who care for me
• Friendships and respect
• Online safety
• Mental wellbeing
• Basic health and hygiene (including introduction to puberty)

Key Stage 3 (Lower Secondary)

Focus: Relationships and Sex Education & Health Education

• Developing healthy relationships (respect, consent, peer pressure)
• Physical and emotional changes (puberty, body image, self-esteem)
• Online and media influence
• Sexual health awareness (introduction to reproduction and contraception)
• Mental health and coping strategies

Key Stage 4 (Upper Secondary)

Focus: Advanced RSE & Personal Development

• Healthy intimate relationships (consent, respect, avoiding exploitation)
• Sexual health and safety (contraception, STIs, support services)
• Life online (risks of pornography, grooming, digital footprints)
• Emotional wellbeing (coping with change, grief, mental health strategies)
• Preparation for adult life (responsibilities, legal rights, health services)

How We Teach PSHE & RSHE

• Delivered by familiar, trained staff who understand our pupils’ communication and SEMH profiles
• Lessons are supported by visuals, social stories and real-life scenarios
• Embedded through The Orchard Way, regulation spaces, key adult conversations and pastoral support
• Regularly revisited to consolidate learning in safe, therapeutic ways

Working in Partnership

We work closely with families and offer clear information about curriculum content and delivery. Parents have the right to request withdrawal from specific elements of sex education in line with statutory guidance.

If you would like to read our full RSE policy or have any questions about the content, please contact Mr McFarnell (Assistant Headteacher) via the school office. We welcome parent engagement and are happy to discuss how we deliver these topics in a way that supports your child’s needs.