March 2013: The Department for Education (DfE) issued the outcome of its personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education review. In an accompanying statement Education Minister Elizabeth Truss said that PSHE “remains an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education” and that the DfE believes “all schools should teach PSHE, drawing on good practice”. She did however go on to stress that PSHE education overall would remain a non-statutory subject and that no new standardised frameworks or programmes of study would be provided for schools. It is of course deeply disappointing that PSHE remains a non-statutory subject. It is however important to note that all schools have a statutory duty to provide a curriculum that is broadly based, balanced, meets the needs of all pupils and:
Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
A schools’ ability to meet these obligations can only be fulfilled if a comprehensive PSHE programme is in place.
