Personal, social, health and economic education in schools (England)

What is PSHE?

The PSHE Association defines personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) as:

a school curriculum subject that helps children and young people stay healthy, safe, and prepared for life – and work – in modern Britain. When taught well, PSHE education also helps pupils to achieve their academic potential.

What provision do schools currently have to make?

PSHE is a non-statutory subject, but the Government expects all schools to make provision for it.

The Department for Education guidance on PSHE makes clear that it is largely up to schools to determine what is taught, with teachers “best placed to understand the needs of their pupils.”

The Government provides funding to various bodies, principally the PSHE Association, to support the teaching of PSHE.

Statutory requirements

While PSHE is not statutory, a good deal of material often covered in PSHE is statutorily required as part of Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education.

In March 2017, the then Education Secretary, Justine Greening, announced her intention to put Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) on a statutory footing. She also announced her intention to create a power to make PSHE statutory in future, following further work and consultation.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 provides for PSHE to be made statutory at all schools in England through regulations. The Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019 provide for statutory health education in schools from September 2020. Schools were encouraged to adopt the new curriculum early, from September 2019.

Guidance on physical health and mental wellbeing education is included as part of the statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education.