Bedales Block 5 Students Experience a Day of PSHE

Bedales Block 5 Students Experience a Day of PSHE

16/02/2011

What is PSHE?

PSHE education equips children and young people with the knowledge and skills to deal with a range of issues they face as they grow up. It covers: drugs and alcohol education, emotional health and well-being, sex and relationship education (SRE), nutrition and physical activity, personal finance, safety, careers education and work-related learning.

Initiated by Bedales Director of Student Welfare, Becks Hobson, our Block 5 students (Year 11) experienced a day dedicated to some of the core PSHE topics appropriate for this age group. The aim of the day was to boost awareness of some of the choices that may be presented to them in the latter part of their teenage years, so that they can make informed decisions. Topics discussed ranged from student finance and university preparation to health and the consequences of excess alcohol and taking drugs.

The students experienced fascinating lessons and talks on subjects they may not have had the opportunity to talk about in such depth before. They were given a real insight into scenarios and decisions they may be presented with as young adults both pre and post graduation.

The day featured the following lessons:

• “Excess” a session run by DRED, a presentation team who raise awareness of substance misuse issues across the UK.  The lesson focused on the choices students may make in their first summer as older teenagers desiring greater freedom, making students aware of the consequences of their actions in legal and emotional terms. Students learnt about the effect that both illegal, and legal drugs such as alcohol, caffeine stimulants and other readily available substances, can have.

• “Life after Block 5” looked at university preparation, to gap or not to gap and how to have a summer to be remembered, not regretted.

• “Current affairs” discussed the key issues affecting society today such as: the protests in Egypt, recent Wikileaks articles, and the ramifications now and for future generations. Students were encouraged to think about the wider effects of issues affecting different countries.

• “Economic Well being” focused on real- life finances, salary expectations as a graduate trainee in different industry sectors, tackling student debt, managing living expenses post graduation and how to make more of earnings through investment.

• “Dealing with Stress and Anxiety” run by Roger Lane Consulting to help students develop techniques to manage nerves and feelings of fear, stress and anxiety, using scientific facts coupled with practical advice and techniques.

Commenting on the day students said:

‘An eye opener’ 

‘It was really nice to have a day where you could start to think about life after Bedales and start to get mentally prepared.’

‘It really made you think about planning your life’

‘I now know what it is like going through the university application process after receiving very useful advice from someone who helps lots of students year after year.  I also feel better informed on the danger of excess alcohol and drug-taking and it was really interesting to hear how the issues we hear on the news could potentially affect us in the future. I think they should run a PSHE day every year and for every block.”

Becks Hobson said: “We also felt it very important to involve the parents in PSHE, which is why we held it on Block 5 Parents’ day. Parents were given the chance to speak to the speakers from DRED and Roger Lane Consulting to understand the information and advice given to their children so that they are empowered to support their children at home with some of life’s choices as a young adult. This was the first day of its kind at Bedales and we firmly believe it was time well spent with the students to ensure they receive support and guidance as they embark on the next stage of their lives. At Bedales we educate through head, hand and heart and PSHE is an increasingly  important part of students’ overall development.”

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