Programme of Study FAQs

The PSHE Education Programme of Study (key stages 1–5) is the only national programme of study for the subject and is regularly signposted to by the Department for Education for schools to use.

Through its three core themes (Health and Wellbeing, Relationships, and Living in the Wider World) our Programme of Study provides schools with a framework for creating a programme which matches their pupils’ needs. It covers the breadth of PSHE from relationships and sex education (RSE) and health, to economic wellbeing and careers, setting out suggested content for each key stage.

With the Relationships, Sex and Health Education elements of PSHE compulsory in all schools* from September 2020, the Programme of Study has been fully updated to support schools to prepare for the statutory changes. The Department for Education’s statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education, sets out what schools must cover in primary and secondary phase from September 2020, though not all that they should cover as part of broader PSHE education, and does not specify content for each key stage.

This Programme of Study therefore provides a comprehensive programme for each key stage, that fully covers, but is not limited to the statutory requirements.

* Health education is already a requirement in independent schools as part of compulsory PSHE education.

The statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education is comprehensively covered by the Programme of Study’s learning opportunities across all three core themes. Even though much of ‘Living in the wider world’ is not included in the statutory requirements, the theme as a whole remains vitally important for pupils’ personal development and economic wellbeing, as well as in supporting schools to meet the Gatsby benchmarks for careers education, as part of the DfE Careers Strategy.

The final section of the Programme of Study sets out the content grids from the DfE statutory guidance for Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education, mapped to the Programme of Study, clearly identifying the Programme of Study learning opportunities that address each bullet point from the statutory guidance.

The Department for Education’s statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education sets out the content that is compulsory for schools to teach from September 2020. What a school teaches beyond that content is a decision for them, however we strongly recommend that schools teach the statutory content within a broader, comprehensive PSHE education programme for the following reasons:

• The Department for Education (DfE) says: ‘All elements of PSHE are important and the government continues to recommend PSHE be taught in schools’.
• If the non-statutory elements of PSHE education are not taught, the ‘personal’ aspects of economic wellbeing will be lost. PSHE complements the financial education covered through Citizenship and Maths, but covers the personal aspects of economic wellbeing.
• PSHE education is the vehicle through which schools can best ensure they meet many of the Gatsby benchmarks. DfE data shows that the most common approach to careers education is delivery through PSHE lessons (87%), including the crucial early learning in primary years that raises aspirations and broadens understanding of the world of work.
• Health, relationships, economic wellbeing and successful careers are all linked. PSHE is the glue that binds them together. It gathers all of these aspects of preparing for modern life together into a coherent curriculum subject.

The essential structure of the Programme of Study remains the same, identifying learning opportunities for each key stage from key stage 1 to 5, based on three core themes: Health and Wellbeing; Relationships; and Living in the Wider World. However, we have taken the opportunity to revisit the learning opportunities for each stage, revising and updating them where necessary and ensuring that they fully cover the DfE’s new statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education. They have also now been grouped under subheadings within each core theme.

As the Programme of Study includes — but is not limited to — the new statutory content, to help schools identify how and where the statutory content is addressed, we have also added a section at the end of this updated edition. This sets out the content grids from the statutory guidance for Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education, mapped to the Programme of Study, clearly identifying the Programme of Study learning opportunities that address each bullet point from the statutory guidance.

We would encourage all schools to move towards using the updated Programme of Study from September 2020. However, schools can be confident that continuing to use the 2017 edition (archived here) in conjunction with our ‘We’ve got it covered’ mapping document (which maps the 2017 Programme of Study to the new DfE statutory guidance for Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education) will enable them to plan a comprehensive and effective PSHE programme.

The essential structure of the updated Programme of Study remains the same as the 2017 edition, identifying learning opportunities for each key stage from key stage 1 to 5, based on three core themes: Health and Wellbeing; Relationships; and Living in the wider world.