Well another summer holiday has been and gone and after three training days the students return to school today. Throughout the summer I have been updating the mapping of PSHEE and Citizenship at KS3 and updating our Horizons course at KS4. At KS3 we don't have a separate lesson for PSHEE and Citizenship but instead map it into other subjects, for example in drama students look at the issue of bullying, in Humanities students look at politics and government and across all subjects the PSHE and Citizenship requirements are met. Students in Year 7 will begin their Identity theme which covers a number of PSHEE and Citizenship issues about self-esteem, family types, socialisation, learning behaviour, relationships but also includes a range of geography, history, R.E. and performing arts skills and themes.

In KS4, students have a lesson called Horizons, the idea being that they are looking to the 'horizon' or future. During these sessions, students have PSHEE, Careers, Citizenship, Philosophy & Ethics and also their own options, e.g. self-defense, mandarin, delivered through various means. The first half term will involve a number of speakers visiting the school to talk about various PSHEE issues. This week we have an excellent speaker, Nick Dwyer, from an organisation called 'Solve It' which looks at substance abuse. The following week we have the equally excellent Susie Rice from the Teenage Cancer Trust. Both speakers have visited the school a number of times and the feedback from students has always been wonderful.

We have lots of other events coming up throughout the year, including a crime day; and drugs drama and workshop called 'The Buzzed'. One of the big targets for PSHEE and Citizenship this year is the introduction of a more manageable recording system for PSHE and Citizenship, more details on this as it unfolds.