Planning and teaching an effective PSHME curriculum is a unique journey. It helps children and young people to be safe, healthy and prepared for life’s opportunities.

Year 5: The focus this term was on the benefits of a balanced lifestyle and its effects on wellbeing. It included aspects such as mental wellbeing, risks of an inactive lifestyle and balancing screen time.

Year 6: The Year 6 lessons centred around Media Literacy. They explored the role of the internet, the dangers involved if not appropriately supervised and how young people are exposed to social media at an early age. The second half of the term was spent studying relationships, looking at friendships, managing change and showing empathy and support.

Year 7: The first half of the term was preparing the boys to be economically savvy. They delved into the attitudes, values and emotions in relation to finance. The second half of the term saw the Year 7’s looking at the attitudes and social norms regarding substances such as tobacco, alcohol and caffeine based energy drinks.

Year 8: The Year 8 boys spent the first half term learning about first aid and how to manage their personal safety when out and at home. They were also part of a drug presentation done by Simon Leigh of Addiction Therapy. It was an awesome experience to see the boys realise the dangers of using and abusing drugs. Mental health was the topic covered next. The lessons revolved around attitudes to mental health and how to build resilience and reframe disappointments and setbacks.

Find out more about our Curriculum offering at Durston House.

Mrs Williams – Head of PSHME