Personal, Social and Health Education in schools, curriculum guidance, lesson plans.

These resources may help if you're completing our healthy schools awards.

PSHE overview

PSHE helps pupils develop the knowledge, skills and qualities they'll need to deal with the opportunities, challenges and responsibilities they'll face as they grow up.

PSHE includes the teaching of Relationships and Sex Education and broadly covers:

  • health and wellbeing
  • relationships
  • living in the wider world

According to the PSHE Association, by teaching pupils to stay safe and healthy, and by building self-esteem, resilience and empathy, a PSHE programme can help pupils develop the skills and qualities they need to:

  • do better in school
  • attend school more regularly
  • have better chances of getting a job

This is especially the case among disadvantaged pupils.

Research from the PSHE Association shows that PSHE can address:

  • teenage pregnancy
  • substance misuse
  • unhealthy eating
  • lack of physical activity

PSHE can also help with emotional health.

For more evidence on the benefits of PSHE, visit the PSHE Association website Go to https://pshe-association.org.uk/ (opens new window).

PSHE in schools

Most of the PSHE education became compulsory for all schools in September 2020. This covers:

  • Relationships Education at key stages 1 and 2
  • Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) at key stages 3 and 4
  • Health Education from key stage 1 to 4.  This is sometimes referred to as RSHE, which covers approximately 80% of the PSHE curriculum.

Statutory Guidance is available from the Department of Education Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education (opens new window).

The PSHE Association has a programme of study on their website to help you decide what content to teach, and when.

PSHE in Bristol schools

Bristol Healthy Schools' supports the PSHE Association recommendations:

“The most effective model of delivery for PSHE education is a sequenced, spiral programme that builds on prior learning as pupils progress through school. And like any other school curriculum subject, it needs regular curriculum time – at least an hour a week ideally” (PSHE Association 2022).

Using outside visitors

We provide guidance and planning sheets for using outside visitors in your PSHE lessons:

  pdf Outside visitors: best practice guidance (461 KB)

PSHE teaching resources

Curriculum guidance

The PSHE Association set out guidance around curriculum content for schools.

Relationships and Sex Education

The Sex Education Forum Go to https://www.sexeducationforum.org.uk/resources (opens new window) has useful advice, resources and lesson plans around consent, gender identity, HIV, pornography and more.

The NSPCC has a set of lesson plans and films called It's Not OK Go to https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/schools/its-not-ok/ (opens new window). They focus on recognising concerning behaviour and healthy and unhealthy relationships.

The Oak Teacher Hub Go to https://teachers.thenational.academy/subjects/rshe-pshe (opens new window) has PSHE units for early years up to key stage 4.

For any other topic areas, use the PSHE Association's resource search tool Go to https://pshe-association.org.uk/resources-landing (opens new window).

Mental Health lesson packs and practical advice

A set of lesson plans developed by BANES Public Health aimed at primary Go to https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/camhs/banes/primary-school-resource-pack/ (opens new window) and secondary Go to https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/camhs/banes/secondary-school-resource-pack/ (opens new window) schools.

Public Health England have produced a set of lesson plans and practical advice Go to https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/schools/topics/mental-wellbeing/overview (opens new window) covering the following topic areas:

  • one-to-one relationships
  • positive friendships
  • bullying and cyberbullying
  • self-care
  • physical and mental wellbeing
  • unhelpful thoughts
  • building connections
  • worry
  • social media
  • sleep
  • dealing with change
  • transition to secondary school
  • puberty
  • online stress and FOMO (fear of missing out)
  • alcohol
  • exam stress
  • body image in a digital world

Training and support for staff

Healthy Schools can provide information about training around PSHE.