This week Julian Knight MP, Chair of the APPG on Financial Education for Young People spoke out in support of statutory PSHE. The Youth Parliament once again chose ‘a curriculum for life’ as one of its potential campaign priorities. The Government released an updated version of its commons library briefing on sexual harassment in schools, and across Europe Restart a Heart Day was marked.
Julian Knight MP calls for statutory PSHE with a strong economic strand
Speaking at Young Enterprise’s financial education forum meeting, Conservative MP for Solihull and recently appointed Chair of the APPG on Financial Education for Young People Julian Knight vocally supported statutory PSHE. During his speech he said that: “It’s essential the government’s consultation results in statutory PSHE with a strong economic strand” and encouraged those present to make the case strongly once the Government launches its consultations on PSHE and RSE.
Youth Parliament prioritises a Curriculum for Life in its 2017 ballot
The British Youth Council and UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) have released details of their 2017 ballot. Just under a million young people have voted for the five issues they’d most like to see debated in the House of Commons by young elected representatives. This debate will decide UKYP’s priority campaign for 2018, and once again a ‘curriculum for life’ – focussing on aspects of PSHE and Citizenship – has been voted as one of the key issues of importance for young people. This year the issues that are prioritised are:
- A curriculum for life, including finance, sex and relationships and politics
- Making public transport cheaper, better and accessible for all
- Work experience hubs for 11-18 year olds
- Voting at 16 in elections and referendums
- Protecting LGBT+ people against discrimination.
Updated commons library briefing on sexual harassment in education
An updated commons library briefing on sexual harassment in education has been published, with an overview of guidance on what schools, colleges and universities are expected to have in place to fight sexual harassment in all stages of education. The paper states amongst other things that all schools must have a child protection policy in place, and refers to Government measures to strengthen the status of relationships and sex education – and potentially PSHE in its entirety – on the curriculum.
Restart a Heart Day 2017
On October 16 the annual European Restart a Heart Day took place. On this day of action across Europe with the aim of teaching life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills to as many people as possible. To coincide with this the British Heart Foundation launched its PSHE Association quality assured Call, Push, Rescue resource.