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Sex and Relationships Education Minisite

An enquiry approach to SRE

Using the KS3/KS4 Programme of Study

The National Curriculum Personal Wellbeing Programme of Study replaced the non-statutory framework for PSHE in September 2008. It offers an excellent opportunity to get away from the rag bag of topics approach to PSHE and the associated doom and gloom of don’ts in many young people's minds.

It is based on a number of key concepts that underpin personal wellbeing:

  • Personal identities
  • Healthy lifestyles
  • Risk
  • Relationships
  • Diversity

And key processes (skills development) including essential skills that pupils will need to learn to make progress:

  • Critical reflection
  • Decision-making and managing risk
  • Developing relationships and working with others

The range and content includes:

Key Stage 3

c. physical and emotional change and puberty
d. sexual activity, human reproduction, contraception, pregnancy and STIs and HIV and how high-risk behaviours affect the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.
j. different types of relationships, including those within families and between older and younger people, boys and girls, and people of the same sex, including civil partnerships
k. the nature and importance of marriage and of stable relationships for family life and bringing up children.

Key Stage 4

a. the effect of diverse and conflicting values on individuals, families and communities and ways of responding to them
b. how the media portrays young people, body image and health issues
d. the benefits and risks of health and lifestyle choices, including choices relating to sexual activity and substance use and misuse, and the short and long-term consequences for the health and mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals, families and communities
e. where and how to obtain health information, how to recognise and follow health and safety procedures, ways of reducing risk and minimising harm in risky situations, how to find sources of emergency help and how to use basic and emergency first aid
f. characteristics of positive relationships, awareness of exploitation in relationships and of statutory and voluntary organisations that support relationships in crisis
h. parenting skills and qualities and their central importance to family life
j. the diversity of ethnic and cultural groups, the power of prejudice, bullying, discrimination and racism, and the need to take the initiative in challenging this and other offensive behaviours and in giving support to victims of abuse.

Is there scope for using the concepts, processes, range and scope in creating an enquiry approach, as is sometimes used in history or citizenship, to teach PSHE in an engaging, coherent and relevant way?

This question was posed by a PSHE consultant who works with the national PSHE association during the national healthy schools conference on PSHE.

Key points for using an enquiry approach

  • It should be student-centred
  • It must still be closely planned by the teacher
  • The teacher should guide the learning (to ensure breadth and depth)
  • It should involve negotiation.

How does the approach work?

Take a concept, for example relationships

Find a big question to guide the enquiry, for example

“What kind of relationships might I form in the next few years?”

Consider the skills and processes of the Programme of Study, for example 

“Developing relationships and working with others”

“Decision-making and managing risk”

The big question might be too big so you might want to introduce some smaller, organising questions to explore the concept.

  • What are the different relationships I have now?
  • What kind of relationships do I want as I grow older?
  • How do I feel when I meet new people
  • Is it different if they are younger or older, same or different sex, if they have the same or different backgrounds to me?

Decide which activities are most appropriate, for example

  • Divide the organising questions among the group to research
  • Offer case studies /scenarios to consider that can help structure thinking and provide challenge
  • Undertake thought showers…

“My class could discuss and produce thought showers about types of relationships – friends, family, teachers, people in the community etc. We could explore case studies or scenarios that promote exploration of both positive and negative aspects of meeting new people”

Check learning outcomes (use the range and content) for example:

j. different types of relationships, including those within families and between older and younger people, boys and girls, and people of the same sex, including civil partnerships
k. the nature and importance of marriage and of stable relationships for family life and bringing up children.

This is a work in progress and Jan Campbell (the workshop leader) invited us to express an interest in working together to take this forward.

This original idea and others based on some of the key concepts are going to posted on the PSHE Association website and we are keen to work with interested Cornish secondary schools to explore this further, possibly as part of Healthy Schools Plus. If you are interested, contact us.