Learning and undertaking activities in personal well-being contribute to
achievement of the curriculum aims for all young people to become:
- successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
- confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling
lives
- responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
The importance of personal
well-being
Personal well-being helps young people to embrace change, feel positive
about who they are and enjoy healthy, safe, responsible and fulfilled lives.
Through active learning opportunities young people recognise and manage
risk, take increasing responsibility for themselves, their choices and behaviours
and make a positive contribution to their family, school and communities.
As young people learn to recognise, develop and communicate their qualities,
skills and attitudes they build knowledge, confidence and self-esteem and
make the most of their abilities. As they explore similarities and differences
between people and discuss social and moral dilemmas they learn to deal
with challenges and accommodate diversity in all its forms. The world is
full of complex and sometimes conflicting values. Personal well-being helps
young people explore this complexity and reflect on and clarify their own
values and attitudes. They identify and articulate feelings and emotions,
learn to manage new or difficult situations positively and form and maintain
effective relationships with a wide range of people. Personal well-being,
therefore, makes a major contribution to the promotion of personal development.
Personal well-being
This non-statutory programme of study for personal well-being is designed
to update and complement the existing non-statutory framework for personal,
social and health education. The content of this new programme of study
is based on the first four outcomes of Every Child Matters and on the
Department for Education and Skills guidance on sex and relationships
education. Most aspects of the content are non-statutory; however, sex
and relationships education (SRE) is a statutory element of the curriculum
at key stages 3 and 4. The presentation and headings of this programme
of study follow the format of the programmes of study for other subjects,
to support cross-curricular planning.
Personal well-being addresses the requirements of the core theme of personal,
social and health education within the National Healthy Schools programme.
This is essential for achieving National Healthy school status. Well-planned
learning in personal well-being programmes can help schools fulfil new
requirements to promote the well-being of pupils (Education and Inspections
Bill 2006).
Personal development
Personal well-being makes a significant contribution to young people's
personal and character. Evidence of this, drawn from personal well-being
provision, can contribute to schools' self-evaluation forms (SEF).
Key
concepts
There are a number of key concepts that underpin the study of personal
well-being, pupils need to understand these concepts in order to deepen
and broaden their knowledge, skills and understanding.
Key concepts
These are provided to help learners understand and think critically about
issues as they learn in personal well-being. They are not intended to
provide an exhaustive list of every concept addressed in personal well-being.
The same concepts can be used at all key stages to help common understanding
of personal well-being and aid progression.
Personal
identities
- Understanding that identity is affected by a range of factors including
a positive sense of self.
- Learning that how personal qualities and attitudes, skills and achievements
are evaluated affects confidence and self-esteem.
- Understanding that self-esteem can change with personal circumstances
such as those associated with family and friendships, achievements and
employment.
Personal identities
Understanding personal identities and the factors that contribute to them
is essential to accepting and valuing who we are. It is also an important
factor in developing confidence and self-esteem and being able to make
the most of attributes and abilities and celebrate achievements. There
are strong links with citizenship education. By exploring personal identities
in personal well-being young people are better able to address the citizenship
concept of identities and diversity which requires understanding to be
further developed in a local, national and global context. This links
with the concept of diversity as identities in a pluralistic society are
explored, and contributes to the Every Child Matters outcomes enjoy and
achieve and make a positive contribution.
Healthy
lifestyles
- Recognising that healthy lifestyles, and the well-being of self and
others, are dependent on information and making choices.
- Understanding that physical, mental, sexual and emotional health affects
our ability to lead fulfilling lives and that there is help and support
available when it is threatened.
- Being aware that growth and change are a normal part of growing up.
Healthy lifestyles
Staying healthy is affected by physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental
and economic circumstances. Pupils will learn about the need to make informed
decisions about behaviours and consider the short- and long-term consequences
of their actions on themselves and others. This concept links with the
concept of healthy, active lifestyles in physical education and contributes
to the Every Child Matters outcome be healthy. It contributes to the National
Healthy Schools theme of emotional health and well-being.
Risk
- Understanding risk in both positive and negative terms and understanding
that individuals need to manage risk to self and others in a range of
situations.
- Appreciating that pressure can be used positively or negatively to influence
others in risky situations.
- Developing the confidence to try new ideas and face challenges safely,
individually and in groups.
Risk
Risk is an important part of everyday life. Having the confidence to take
risks is essential to enjoying and achieving in learning and life. However,
the ability to recognise, assess and manage risk is essential to physical
safety and mental and emotional well-being. The concept of risk is also
relevant to financial capability, enterprise and career choices so links
should be made to learning for economic well-being. The concept of risk
is closely linked with that of healthy lifestyles and contributes to the
Every Child Matters outcomes stay safe and achieve economic well-being.
Relationships
- Understanding that all our relationships affect everything we do in
our lives and that relationship skills have to be learnt and practised.
- Understanding that people have multiple roles and responsibilities in
society and that making positive relationships and contributing to different
groups, teams and communities is important.
- Understanding that relationships can cause strong feelings
and emotions.
Relationships
The ability to develop relationships with a wide range of people is essential
to being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, being able to
make a positive contribution and to achieving economic well being. The
concept of relationships links with all the other concepts and is a constant
theme through all of personal well-being. It contributes to all five Every
Child Matters outcomes.
Feelings and emotions
The National Healthy Schools Programme (emotional health and well-being
theme) requires that 'the school has clear, planned opportunities for
pupils to understand and explore feelings using appropriate learning and
teaching styles'.
Diversity
- Appreciating that there are similarities as well as differences between
people of different race, religion, culture, ability or disability, gender,
age or sexual orientation.
- Understanding that prejudice, racism and discrimination must be challenged
at every level in our lives.
Diversity
This concept links with both personal identities and relationships. When
considering personal attitudes and behaviours towards diversity it is
important to identify similarities as well as differences between people.
Learning to empathise with others helps people accommodate difference
in their lives and accept their responsibility to challenge prejudice
and discrimination wherever it is encountered. With other concepts in
personal well-being, the concept of diversity contributes to the Every
Child Matters outcome make a positive contribution. Links should be made
with the concept of identities and diversity in citizenship education
and with learning in religious education.
Key
processes
These are the essential skills and processes in personal well-being that
pupils need to learn to make progress.
Key processes
These all support the development of personal, learning and thinking skills
(PLTS) by providing a context for young people to become independent learners,
creative thinkers, reflective learners, team workers, self-managers and
effective participators.
Critical reflection
Pupils should be able to:
- reflect critically on their own and others' values
- reflect on personal strengths and achievements and areas for
development
- recognise how others see them and give and receive feedback
- identify strategies for meeting personal targets and reflect on their
effectiveness
- reflect on feelings and identify positive ways of managing strong emotions
and behaviour.
Critical reflection
Involves asking probing questions such as 'how do I know that the information
is accurate?', 'what does it tell me about choices I should make?', 'how
could I behave differently?', 'what is the impact of my behaviour on others?'
etc. Critical reflection particularly supports the development of PLTS
areas of independent enquirers, creative thinkers and reflective learners.
Links should be made with the process of critical thinking and enquiry
in citizenship.
Values
There are many complex and often conflicting values in society and the
exploration of these and clarification of personal values is an important
part of personal well-being.
Strengths, achievements and areas for development
This links closely with learning for economic well-being. Care should
be taken to avoid repetition.
Decision
making and managing risk
Pupils should be able to:
- use knowledge and understanding to make informed choices about safety,
health and well-being
- find information and support from a variety of sources
- assess and manage the element of risk in personal choices and situations
- use strategies for resisting unhelpful peer influence and pressure
- know when and how to get help.
Decision making and managing risk
This involves finding and using accurate information, weighing up the
options and identifying risks and consequences of each of them in order
to make an informed choice. These skills can be applied to most situations
including those that involve issues relating to health, personal safety,
relationships, leisure and learning opportunities. This is particularly
important when learning is taking place outside the classroom. Decision
making and managing risk particularly support the development of PLTS
areas of independent enquirers, self managers and effective participators.
Developing
relationships and working with others
Pupils should be able to:
- build and maintain a range of positive relationships
- negotiate within relationships, recognising that actions have consequences
- use skills of communication, negotiation, assertiveness and empathy
- value differences between people and demonstrate empathy and a willingness
to learn about people different from themselves
- challenge prejudice and discrimination assertively.
Developing relationships and working with others
Personal learning and thinking skills including communication skills are
central to developing good relationships. The ability to actively listen,
to empathise and understand the consequences of aggressive, passive and
assertive behaviour in relationships is important for personal and social
development, and for challenging inappropriate behaviour safely. Developing
relationships and working with others particularly support the development
of PLTS areas of team workers and effective participators. Links should
be made with citizenship processes of advocacy and representation.
Range and content
This section outlines the breadth of the subject on which teachers should
draw when teaching the key concepts and key processes.
The study of personal well-being should include:
- examples of conflicting values encountered in society and the clarification
of personal values
- the knowledge and skills needed for setting realistic targets and personal
goals
- physical and emotional change and puberty
- sexual
activity, human reproduction, contraception, pregnancy, and
sexually transmitted infections and HIV and how high-risk
behaviours affect the health and well-being of individuals,
families and communities
- facts and laws about drug,
alcohol, and tobacco use and misuse and the personal and social
consequences of misuse for themselves and others
- how a balance in diet
and making choices for being healthy contributes to personal well-being,
and the importance of balance
between work, leisure and exercise
- ways of recognising and reducing risk, minimising harm and getting help
in emergency
and risky situations
- a knowledge of basic first aid
- the features of positive and stable relationships,
how to deal with a breakdown in a relationship and the effects of loss
and bereavement
- different types of relationships, including those within families, between
older and young people, boys and girls, people of the same sex including
civil partnerships
- the nature and importance of marriage and of stable relationships for
family life and bringing up children
- the roles and responsibilities of parents and carers
- the similarities, differences and diversity among people of different
races, cultures, ability, disability, gender, age and sexual orientation
and the impact
of prejudice, bullying, discrimination and racism on individuals
and communities.
Range and content
When teaching the key concepts and processes and planning to address range
and content the relationship with citizenship education should be considered.
For example, when planning learning in relation to health issues the personal
health aspects are part of personal well-being and the public health and
policy aspects contribute to citizenship learning. The use of national
and local statistics can help planning by informing priorities and learning
activities by making issues real to young people in a local area. The
social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programme will be made
available to schools in September 2007. It provides a framework and some
resources to help deliver social and emotional skills within the personal
well-being curriculum.
Sexual activity
When planning work in relation to sexual activity it is helpful to consider
national and local data on sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancies
etc.
High-risk behaviours
This includes risks associated with early sexual activity and link with
work on drug use and misuse. Links with potential for work in citizenship
on impact of HIV/AIDS on whole communities/countries.
Drug, alcohol and tobacco use and misuse
This should include medicines, alcohol, tobacco, volatile substances and
illegal drugs. When planning work in relation to drugs, alcohol and tobacco
it is helpful to consider national and local data on their use and misuse.
This helps both planning and provision.
Diet
When learning about diet links should be made to initiatives such as Food
in schools and to the National Healthy Schools Programme theme of healthy
eating.
Balance between work, leisure and exercise
When teaching about the balance between work, leisure and exercise links
should be made with PE and the PE and School Sport initiative. The Olympics
provides an ideal opportunity to engage young people who may not otherwise
show any interest in exercise. Links should be made to the National Healthy
Schools Programme theme of physical activity.
Emergency and risky situations
Organisations such as the Red Cross and St John's Ambulance Brigade have
information about first aid and dealing with emergency and risky situations.
Relationships
This includes features of friendships and dealing with breakdown in friendships.
In discussing positive relationships the negative aspects of some relationships,
including use of violence and other forms of abuse, may arise and should
be addressed.
Impact of prejudice, bullying, discrimination
and racism
When learning about the impact of prejudice, discrimination and racism
links should be made with the school's anti-bullying policy including
the importance of challenging homophobic bullying (information can be
obtained from the Anti Bullying Alliance website), compliance with the
Race Relations Amendment Act and the requirement for schools to respond
to community/social cohesion. Links should be made with work in citizenship,
geography and history.
Curriculum
opportunities
During the key stage pupils should be offered the following opportunities
that are integral to their learning and enhance their engagement with the
concepts, processes and content of the subject.
The curriculum should provide opportunities for pupils to:
- make real choices and decisions based on accurate information obtained
through their own research using a range of sources, including the internet,
other media sources and visits/visitors
to and from the wider community
- meet and work with people from the wider community both in school and
through external visits, for example community health professionals and
drug advisers
- use case
studies, simulations, scenarios and drama to explore personal
and social issues and have time to reflect on them in relation to their
own lives and behaviour
- take part in individual and group discussion to consider personal, social
and moral dilemmas and the choices and decisions relating to
them
- work as members of groups and teams, taking on different roles and responsibilities
- evaluate their own personal
development and learning, set realistic targets and goals for
future life choices and develop strategies for meeting them as part of
the school's response to personalised learning
- identify sources
of help and support and take responsibility for providing accurate
information to others
- make links
between personal, social and health education and work in other subjects
and areas of the curriculum and out-of-school activities.
Curriculum opportunities
Personal well-being provides active and practical opportunities for the
development of personal, learning and thinking skills. These opportunities
may also present opportunities to develop citizenship learning. It is
important that the learning outcomes for each of citizenship and personal
well-being are clear and that the achievement of each is checked so that
the different and distinct outcomes are not confused.
The internet and other media sources
Pupils should have opportunities to research, interpret and use a wide
range of sources of information to inform their decision making. This
includes looking at the ways in which different media portray young people
and health and social issues and present a balanced or partial view of
issues. This provides opportunities to link with other parts of the curriculum,
including citizenship, English and ICT. Internet safety should be addressed
explicitly.
Visits/visitors
When planning visits or inviting external contributors to the classroom
it is important that the input is part of the overall planned learning
objectives and that the messages are compatible with the school's values
and policies.
Case studies, simulations, scenarios and drama
Can be used as distancing techniques. They allow issues that are very
sensitive and that may impact on young people personally to be explored
and discussed without reference to young people's lives and family circumstances.
Social and moral dilemmas
Effective personal well-being teaching requires regular exploration of
social and moral dilemmas that may be relevant to young people as they
grow up. Pupils will need to learn skills and ground rules to ensure work
is carried out showing sensitivity to those who may be affected by such
issues.
Personal development
Personal well-being makes a significant contribution to young people's
personal development and character.
Sources of help
These include national organisations such as Relate, FPA, Brooke, RoSPA
and Childline, 'Ask Frank' and many more including local services. These
organisations can also provide information about helpful websites.
links between personal, social and health education
and work in other subjects and areas of the curriculum
There are many ways in which links can be made between work in personal
well-being and other subjects and areas of the curriculum. Examples include
linking work on sex and relationships, drugs, alcohol and tobacco with
work in science and linking diversity and dealing with prejudice and discrimination
with work in citizenship, history and RE. It is important that links are
planned and coordinated and that young people have time to reflect on
the sum of their experiences in order to maximise their learning and its
impact on their lives.
