PSHE
At The Stable School our PSHE Curriculum is designed with the specific needs of our learners in mind and is reflective of TSS’s aims and ethos. Our ethos focuses on enabling learners to make well informed and positive choices for themselves that lead to them becoming confident young adults who value inclusivity and are prepared for all that their futures may bring. Learners are taught and continually encouraged to respect other people, with particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010. Learners study a different topic every half-term and topics build on one another. For example, in Year 7, students focus on learning how to build relationships safely, laying a foundation for understanding the basics of social interactions and communication. By Year 9, the curriculum evolves to help students identify respectful relationships, likely delving deeper into understanding boundaries, consent, and mutual respect. Finally, in Year 10, students explore the concept of healthy relationships, likely encompassing emotional well-being, effective communication, and the qualities that contribute to positive and sustainable connections. This structured approach not only recognises the evolving maturity of students but also ensures that they receive relevant and meaningful insights into relationships throughout their educational journey.
At TSS we understand that PSHE lessons need to be fluid when dealing with topical situations in the lives of our learners, and current affairs that may affect them. We will not hesitate to change the content of lessons should the need arise, for example if a learner has lost a parent, we will be sensitive when discussing families, if situations arise in the school and a learner uses discriminatory language, we will use our PSHE lessons to educate learners around this topic. Similarly with local, regional, national, and international events, our PSHE will be flexible to meet the needs of young people in an ever changing and often confusing world. We actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs through our approach to supporting learners with their behaviour and attitudes as well as PSHE. Our Careers curriculum encourages learners to be citizens.
Our PSHE curriculum is planned as per the guidance provided by the DfE and reflects the schools aims and ethos Our objectives are:
- To ensure all children and young people attending TSS leave prepared for the world and all that their futures may bring.
- That all children will learn to value inclusivity.
- To know, understand and respect the 9 protected characteristics.
- Support learners to become confident, independent and thoughtful.
- To promote learners to be free thinking and to verbalise their opinions in a respectful manner.
- Ensure learners understand their feelings and emotions using the Zones of Regulation.
- To establish trust so learners can ask for help and support from adults at TSS.
- To ensure that learners understand and celebrate the differences in people.
- For learners to understand and celebrate diversity.
- For learners to be aware of the importance of physical well- being and how to maintain it.
- Learners understand and are aware of the importance of mental well being.
- To know that there is a two-way relationship between physical and mental health.
Actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
RSE
At The Stable School, good relationships are fundamental to our ethos. Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is lifelong learning about relationships, emotions, looking after ourselves, different families, sex, sexuality and sexual health. It involves acquiring information, developing skills and forming positive beliefs, values and attitudes. RSE has a key part to play in the personal, social, moral and spiritual development of young people.
The aims of relationship and sex education (RSE) at our school are to:
- Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place.
- Teach children the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies.
- Develop confidence in talking about feelings and relationships.
- Help children develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy.
- Have the confidence and self-esteem to value themselves and others.
- Prepare children for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene.
- Create a positive culture around issues of relationships and sexuality.
- Understand about the diverse range of different relationships, and families, and their importance for the care and support of children.
- Behave responsibly within relationships.
- Be able to recognise unsafe situations and be able to protect themselves and ask for help and support.
- Understand the role of the media in forming attitudes.
- Understand that offence can be caused by the use of sexual terms as an insult.
Parents have the right to request children are removed from lessons teaching certain elements of RSE. Information on this can be downloaded here.
Careers & Post 16
At The Stable School we are committed to implementing a careers programme that focuses on both raising learner aspirations and broadening their horizons. We ensure all our learners are well informed; enabling them to make these aspirational choices which are both realistic and meet their needs for the future.
Throughout their time at school, learners will have the opportunity to take part in a range of activities to support their understanding of post-16 and future careers. The careers programme sets out the activities and opportunities for our young people from Year 7 to Year 11 across each term.
This will include employers’ visits to school, raising awareness workshops, careers fairs, and trips to colleges and Universities. In Year 11, all learners will have one-to-one careers guidance delivered by a Level 6 independent qualified careers adviser. Learners will be supported throughout Year 11 with a post-16 transition planning meeting held in September with parents/carers, and close support continued through the year.
We have developed a strategic plan to ensure the school is working towards the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks with a highly personalised approach. This 1:1 approach significantly increases the chances of the young person successfully transitioning on to a post-16 setting of their choice and ensures both their current and future needs are at the forefront of decision making.
The following Stable School values are embedded into the careers programme:
Purpose – To ensure every learner has a positive destination and can flourish independently post 16.
Mission – For all young people at the school to be good readers, good learners and good people.
Vision – To deliver high-quality teaching and education with a strong, coherent curriculum, and excellent personal development opportunities.
Values – We believe in the right of every learner to access a high-quality education and that we are here to enable all learners to achieve, regardless of need. We do this specifically for our learners through high-quality, personalised, trauma informed, therapeutic approaches.
The Stable School ensures that its curriculum meets the needs of all learners so that they can thrive and succeed. Our KS4 options is designed to enable access to accredited qualifications for all learners to maximise their potential and succeed in their chose pathway Post-16
Employers
We welcome the opportunity to link up with employers and to strengthen our ties with businesses in the local area. This includes meeting with employers and organising visits to workplaces or for employer visits to our school. Â If you would like to talk to our learners, then please review our Provider Access Policy and email melissa@thestableschool.co.uk .
Our Year 10 learners also undertake work placements at the end of June each year. Â If you are able to accommodate one of our learners for this experience, we would love to hear from you.
Careers Education
Careers education involves both the careers programme and careers taught within the curriculum.
The careers programme sets out the activities and opportunities for our young people from Year 7 to Year 11 across each term.
LA Partner Review of The Stable School Careers Provision
“The Stable School offers a varied and full careers education and guidance programme with an experienced Careers Leader who works hard to develop activity and a whole school approach to careers across all eight Gatsby Benchmarks which indicates a quality careers education and guidance provision for the learners at the school. The Stable School is not officially signed up to Dorset Careers Hub (we are waiting for the decision on the next cohort of schools to be invited) , but the school is very much part of the network, and the Careers Leader is very proactive when engaging with events and the local network. The Careers Leader regularly completes the Compass evaluation tool which links directly to the Eight Gatsby Benchmarks and provides a nationally recognised form of self-evaluation.
The School commissions a Level 6 IAG trained Adviser to fulfil Gatsby Benchmark eight and the Careers Leader also works very closely with the PSHE which ensures work is joined up and careers across the curriculum is considered. The Stable School enable students to work towards AIMVOCs as well as offering vocational options in health, lifestyle, science, construction, digital technology, catering and creative design to offer a varied curriculum.
The Careers Leader engages well with external events and offers of support and works well to develop relationships with local employers (e.g. Bournemouth University), universities, colleges and training providers. For example, Â the schools brought a group of students to the Careers and Apprenticeship Show in March which is an opportunity for students to talk with over 80 exhibitors.
The number going out on work experience (Year 10s at the end of June) has increased over the last few years. Some students might not always be ready for work experience, but the objective is to support as many as possible to access. Work experience features prominently in major political party manifestos this year, and we know the evidence points to a reduced likelihood of becoming NEET as well as improved academic performance if work experience is part of a learner’s experience of school.
The CEC will be asking schools to focus on the following for 24/25. The Stable School is already delivering a lot of activity which relate well to these objectives.
- Increase the number of high-quality experiences of the work-place for students and teachers.
- Amplify apprenticeships, technical and vocational routes and support Provider Access Legislation (PAL)
- Target interventions for economically disadvantaged young people
- Connect careers provision in schools, colleges and providers to meet local economic need through LSIP (learning Skills Improvement Plan)”