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Home > Academic > Personal, Social and Health Education

Personal, Social and Health Education

When our pupils arrive at King's in the 3rd form, they attend weekly PSHE Life Skills lessons.  It is our aim to encourage them to reflect on their experiences, and understand how they are developing personally and socially.  PSHE lessons continue fortnightly in the 4th and 5th form, and there are also supplementary sessions run for all years on a variety of topics, including areas such as internet safety, study skills, careers and future choices.

In the 6th form we run a Key Skills course.  Every pupil attends a variety of workshops on careers, critical thinking, PSHE, spirituality and IT skills.  This course is designed to develop skills, broaden experience, and complement AS Level courses.  The PSHE element involves discussion of, amongst others, alcohol, sex education and health, life at university including finances, and topical issues.

We promote the active involvement of pupils in all sessions.  Pupils develop enquiry and discussion skills, learn to make decisions, solve problems, work independently and in groups, and learn from each other.  Presentations and debates are often pupil lead.  As issues in the wider world arise we include these in our discussions or activities, from whole school general elections to pupils being encouraged to bring in thought provoking news articles.

The syllabus is complemented by a series of talks given by outside specialists and the school’s medical officers.  All 3rd form pupils take part in the Standing Tall Workshop which aims to improve self-confidence, whilst teaching pupils modern manners and social graces.  We also have Taunton's school police liaison officer visit us, working with whole year groups in the case of the internet safety lecture that all 3rd formers attend, and with small PSHE classes, covering drugs, alcohol and bullying.

Staff profile

Head of department Rebecca Grove came to teaching and King's with a background in research and development.  She loves the outdoors and now finds herself assisting with the Army cadets, coaching hockey and netball, and volunteering on Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.  She also works as an assistant housemistress and tutor in Taylor house as well as a tutor to 6th form students, and is a member of the careers team.

Kirsty Davies is Acting Head of PSHE while Rebecca Grove is away on maternity leave.

PSHE is taught by a wide spectrum of staff at King's, from housemasters and housemistresses to academic subject teachers to members of the senior management team - even the Headmaster.  Many of our staff attend courses related to issues surrounding teenage life to ensure that we are abreast of current trends.  We also have a CEOPs trained member of staff in the IT department who is on hand to assist pupils with internet safety, and who runs internet safety workshops.