At St Peter’s School, PSHE is an integral part of every pupil’s development—supporting their emotional wellbeing, social awareness, personal safety, and preparation for life beyond school.
Across the whole school, PSHE is designed to be age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful. We aim to equip pupils with the confidence, resilience and knowledge they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Structure and Delivery
- Reception – Year 6: PSHE is delivered by form tutors, fostering trusted relationships and age-appropriate dialogue. Pupils receive one 40 minute PSHE lesson per week.
- Years 7–8: Pupils benefit from a dedicated team of specialist PSHE teachers, ensuring consistency and subject expertise. This is also delivered in weekly 40 minute sessions. We also welcome external speakers for certain topics.
- Years 9-11: Pupils continue with one lesson per week and benefit from regular guest speakers delivered in our “Lessons for Life” programme, which discusses multiple topics from the PSHE curriculum from the perspective of an expert or professional speaker.
- Sixth Form: Our Sixth Form pupils benefit from a weekly 40-minute StEP session throughout three terms—starting in January of Lower Sixth and continuing through to December of Upper Sixth. They also have access to the Lessons for Life programme and other enriching talks
PSHE through the school
In the early years, our PSHE curriculum builds the foundations of emotional intelligence, respectful relationships, and responsible decision-making. Through interactive lessons, discussions and activities, pupils explore topics such as:
- Friendship, relationships and respect for others
- Physical health and emotional wellbeing
- Online safety and digital wellbeing
- Belonging to a diverse community
- Growing, independence and responsibility
Pupils are encouraged to express their views, ask questions, and develop a strong sense of personal identity. The programme supports pupils as they progress through each stage of their schooling, with regular opportunities for reflection, discussion and guided learning.
As the children progress through the school, the PSHE programme is shaped by a spiral curriculum that introduces and then revisits key themes with increasing depth and maturity.
From Year 7, pupils are introduced to different career types and tackle stereotypes within the workplace. As they progress through the school, they continue through the spiral curriculum to cover age adapted subject themes they have covered in previously, such as:
- Mental Health and wellbeing
- Friendships and influence
- Positive relationships and sex education
- Living in the wider world
- Careers
Throughout the Senior School we offer the Lessons for Life programme, where pupils learn valuable knowledge outside of the curriculum. The programme runs year-round and consists of engaging talks and presentations by our own specialist team and featuring occasional guest speakers on wide-reaching topics such as how to look after their finances, drug awareness and digital responsibility.
The overarching aim for Lessons for Life is to provide pupils with:
- accurate and relevant knowledge
- opportunities to turn that knowledge into personal understanding
- opportunities to explore, clarify and if necessary, challenge their own and others’ values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities
- the skills and strategies they need to live healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives
The personal development of pupils spiritually, morally, socially and culturally plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve. The Lessons for Life programme reflects, reinforces and makes a valuable contribution to all these school aims and supports all related school policies.
For Sixth Formers, this is further enriched by our Sixth Form Lecture Series and Super Saturdays, which explore topics from critical thinking and Oxbridge applications to self-defence.
Our Sixth Form pupils benefit from a weekly 40-minute StEP session throughout three terms—starting in January of Lower Sixth and continuing through to December of Upper Sixth. The programme focuses on real-world knowledge and essential life skills, with topics including:
- Finance and money management
- Personal safety and self-care
- UCAS and university preparation
- Study skills and academic resilience
- Super-curricular enrichment and careers insight
Each lesson is informed by subject specialists from departments such as Business, Careers and the Health Centre, ensuring content is accurate, up-to-date and relevant. Resources are shared with pupils via Teams, and every session includes clear guidance on where to find further support or information.
The PSHE curriculum is actively supported by our wider pastoral, safeguarding and medical teams, and signposts for additional support are built into lessons. Pupils are encouraged to explore personal values, reflect on beliefs, and develop practical strategies for healthy and balanced lives.
Parental Engagement
Parents are kept up to date with planned PSHE topics through termly overviews via email and our EvidenceMe App, and we host parent information sessions. Our partnership with Tooled Up Education gives families access to expert-led resources and guidance on parenting, wellbeing and more.
Tooled Up Education
Tooled Up Education collaborates with schools worldwide, offering tailored support to enhance home-school partnerships and promote holistic child development. The platform's mission is to equip every adult in a child's life with the resources needed to nurture self-confident, curious, and digitally resilient young individuals. Through its extensive and growing library, Tooled Up Education continues to be a valuable resource for families seeking to navigate the challenges of modern parenting. All staff and parents at St Peter’s have access to the full library of resources.
What Makes St Peter’s different?
Our all-through model allows us to seamlessly transition and reinforce key PSHE themes across year groups. Heads of PSHE meet regularly to share expertise, coordinate speakers, and ensure consistency. This joined-up approach gives pupils a cohesive, meaningful PSHE journey from ages 2–18.
PSHE at St Peter’s is more than a subject—it’s a key pillar of our commitment to developing the whole child. Through responsive teaching, specialist input, and a strong pastoral foundation, we ensure every pupil has the tools to thrive in school and beyond.
If you would like to know more about PSHE at St Peter’s or how we support pupils and families, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.