Latest news with #PSHE
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Northampton primary school lessons to focus on mental health
A primary school said it would focus more on pupils' mental health during its PSHE lessons due to concerns that children had growing emotional needs, especially after the Covid Hunsbury Primary School in Northampton has redesigned its Personal, Social, Health and Economic teaching with more emphasis on mental resilience and coordinator, Kelly Roberts, said: "We were noticing our children were coming in [after Covid] with a range of different needs, particularly around mental health. It was really screaming out that it was a gap [in the curriculum] and something we could help our children with."The plans followed feedback from pupils and parents, the school said. Ms Roberts said: "The purpose is to support the children's mental health and give them strategies for positive mental fitness."One of the school's other initiatives is a Kindness Ambassador programme, where older pupils make sure everyone feels included during break an ambassador in Year Six, said: "Anyone can apply to be one. They go out and make sure everyone is happy and that everyone has someone to play with."Polly, from Year Five, added: "I've learned to be kind to myself and believe in myself. Don't say mean words, because it can hurt feelings - even to yourself."The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is due to hear evidence around the impact of the pandemic on children from 29 September to 23 October. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Evening Standard
01-05-2025
- General
- Evening Standard
Schools 'could get dedicated staff to tackle violence against girls'
However, a new survey conducted by TeacherTapp of up to 6,000 staff members found that 55 per cent of secondary teachers felt they lacked the confidence or expertise to teach PSHE effectively. Almost a third (31 per cent) of those delivering PSHE said they had never received any formal training, and 45 per cent said they were unsure how to address incidents such as witnessing a sexual assault.
Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
My son wanted to transition – a routine screening for autism would have saved years of heartbreak
My second son, Jack*, was first diagnosed with autism aged 17. I had my own suspicions when he was at primary school; I sensed there was a difference between him and other children, but I didn't know what. His teacher told me that he was 'very bright' and Jack was always ahead of his peers academically. But his older brother had been clever too so it didn't cause me any real concern. He was certainly very particular and liked to organise his toys very meticulously, the Thomas the Tank Engines he collected and his beloved dinosaurs were always lined up with great precision. Jack always gravitated towards traditional 'boys toys', he'd never had any interest in playing with the kitchen sets and dolls like his younger brother had enjoyed, or had ever expressed any desire to dress up as a girl. He was very black and white in his thinking, and was always fussy about having the labels cut out of his clothes as he didn't like the feeling. Being sensitive to sensory things like this, I now realise, is common with neuro-divergent children. So when I discovered on the family iPad a letter Jack has composed, declaring his trans identity, I was confused and surprised. Jack was 13 when we found it. My husband and I had no inkling of this before we found that letter, which seemed to have been copied and pasted from somewhere. Jack being so bright had always been the person in the family who most enjoyed using the iPad. I think I'd set up parental controls but he'd clearly been able to smoothly navigate these. The letter was heartbreaking: it explained that he believed he'd always felt different, had been born in the wrong body, and now he realised he was transgender he hoped my husband and I would still love him. We sat him down to ask him about why he was feeling this way, but he just closed up. 'I don't want to talk about it,' he insisted. In hindsight I think he was too young to comprehend what he was saying. I'd only heard of transgender at this time from seeing bits on TV and the news, not understanding what to make of it I went to speak to his teacher at secondary school. I wondered if there was bullying going on, but Jack had never has issues with friendship groups before. He'd recently hit puberty though, and was increasingly awkward in social situations. So are many teens you'd think – but I've since discovered that it's common for neuro-divergent children to reach puberty and start disassociating with their own bodies as they undergo natural developmental changes. The teacher I spoke to was very casual and said 'we deal with transgender children all the time'. I also learnt for the first time that Jack had taken part in a PSHE lesson a few weeks earlier about transgender ideology and people being 'born in the wrong body'. I'm sure this was when the idea was seeded. We were advised to speak to the school counsellor, who recommended that we speak to the Tavistock and consider putting Jack on puberty blockers. These were described to us as like being 'pressing a pause button' to allow Jack to have some time to make a decision about his gender. She also gave me the Mermaids website to refer to for advice. Jack said that he wanted to be known as a girls' name, though mainly he seemed to be taking on a female identity when he was online, changing his profile picture and the like. My husband, Ian and I were hugely confused. If Jack had announced that he was gay neither of us would cared, but changing his gender as a teenager seemed extreme. There was no way I'd allow him to consider any drugs, I decided, until Jack had been seen by a therapist. With the long NHS waiting lists we decided to pay for a private assessment in the end, which indeed confirmed Jack's autism diagnosis when he was 17. By then I'd begun searching the internet looking for advice and found support groups, such as the Bayswater Support Group, for parents of trans-identified adolescents and young people. I found our story was horribly common, and so many of the parents I spoke to in the group also had neuro-divergent children. Then when lockdown hit things got very bad, Jack began self-harming. I blame the fact he was spending more and more time online with other people his age who all believed they were transgender and were trying to buy hormones online. Every time I'd try to talk to him he seemed embarrassed. He was very cold and became more and more isolated from the family. He became increasingly distant until, when he was 18, Jack left home for nine months to stay with friends and became entirely estranged from us. At one point his thinking was so unclear he'd even accused us of abusing him. It was the darkest time imaginable and I ended up being signed off work. The only thing that got me through was the support of my husband along with the other parents I met in the support groups who were going through similarly horrendous experiences. Jack kept in touch with only sporadic texts, and most days I didn't want to get out of bed, but I refused antidepressants as I felt there was no point – blocking my pain wouldn't return my son to me. But I had to keep going for the sake of my other kids. Then, out of nowhere in May 2022, when Jack was by then 19, he messaged saying he wanted to come home to collect some things from the house. We welcomed him with open arms, we were so happy to see him and made sure not to challenge him on anything as I'd learnt from other parents this could make a child (although he was of course technically an adult by then) shut down even more. He was still dressed in his old hoodie. But I noticed he'd grown his hair long and his nails too, and I spotted fresh self-harming scars on his arms. I hugged him with all my might. We were over the moon when Jack said he wanted to return home to live with us the next week. And a few weeks after that he came into the kitchen one day carrying a bin liner of clothes which I knew were his female clothes. When he announced 'I want to put this in the bin,' I didn't interrogate him but feigned disinterest. I was desperate not to rock the boat. A couple of days after he said: 'I want to get my hair cut short again.' I've learnt that with autistic boys these changes can happy very quickly. It was another two more weeks before I dared to directly ask my son 'are you still identifying as trans, and do you still want to be female?' He looked right back at me and replied: 'No Mum, I'm not transgender – I'm just autistic.' And that was that. That's why I welcome the news that the NHS will now ensure every child referred to a gender clinic will be screened for autism, because after everything we have been through, and all the other parents of transgender children I have met, there really is a disproportionate amount of autistic children with gender dysphoria. If these tests had been available to us on the NHS years before we would have possibly saved our family thousands of pounds that we paid for private tests and therapy - and years of agonising heartache. Today, Jack in 22, he's in full time employment and his mental health is good. He's flying high and I couldn't be happier or more relieved. We have talked through everything and he has told me that he now believes the autism played a huge part in him believing he was transgender. How uncomfortable he felt as a teenager entering puberty, how he disassociated with his body and felt socially awkward and how that led him down towards a path of online transgender influencers. *Names have been changed. An expert's view Nicola Lathey is a speech therapist and founder of The Owl centre which specialises in assessment and therapy for neuro divergent children and adults. Here she explains the connection between neuro diversity and gender dysphoria. The news that the NHS will now be screening all trans gender children for autism is not a surprise as there is such a strong correlation between neuro-divergent children and young people and gender dysphoria. I meet parents everyday who are desperate to help and support their children to manage and accept their differences. Masking and anxiety Many children with autism feel a need to 'mask' who they are to try to fit in with their peer group. Often autistic children can be very anxious, (approximately 40 to 60 per cent of children with autism experience clinically significant anxiety which is considerably higher than 5 to 10 per cent prevalence of children without an autism diagnosis), and a large part of that can be down to the pressure of feeling the need to 'mask' how they might really feel. Seeking a label Often neuro-divergent people are actively seeking a label to help them to understand themselves better. Hyperfocus is a trait of autism so some people might hyper-focus on gender identity and pursue black and white answers wishing to change. So while you might imagine the number of trans children would reduce if they are all assessed for autism, this might not be the case as they can fixate on something – which might well be gender. There's a strong urge for autistic children to 'find their tribe'.
Wales Online
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Welsh council responds to claims pupils were taught about choking during sex
Welsh council responds to claims pupils were taught about choking during sex The council's PSHE syllabus was this week brought up in Parliament but the local authority has now responded after reports in the national media A Welsh council's curriculum was raised in parliament in Westminster this week by Tory former MEP, Baroness Jacqueline Foster (Image: Manchester Evening News ) A Welsh council has said it stepped in to remove information about choking from its sex education curriculum which had been drawn up by a domestic abuse service. Bridgend Council denied teaching pupils about choking during sex after reports of a draft version of its sex education material intended to be used in schools was released to some national press earlier this month. The draft sex education material drawn up by the council's domestic abuse service, Assia, included references to asking for consent before choking a sexual partner. The matter became so widely circulated that it was raised in Parliament this week. It had been intended for PSHE lessons for older teenagers aged between 15 and 17 at secondary schools in Bridgend and had been put together last year. The initial presentation issued guidance like: 'Consent should also happen every time sexual choking is an option, not just the first time.' Article continues below The presentation said: 'It is never okay to start choking someone without asking them first and giving them space to say no. Make it clear that they have a right to say no if they don't want to be choked and their no should be respected and if it's not respected that is sexual assault. Consent under threat is not consent. Consent should also happen every time sexual choking is an option, not just the first time.' After screenshots of the initial presentation emerged last week it drew much criticism, including from Michael Conroy, the founder of Men at Work which trains teachers how to deliver PSHE lessons, who claimed the material was a reaction to growing issues of violence within pornography. The draft material was also described by London's victims' commissioner Claire Waxman as 'deeply concerning' and it was raised in Parliament this week by Tory former MEP Baroness Jacqueline Foster. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Baroness Foster said: 'Unfortunately I have recently been made aware that a council-funded sex education presentation shown in schools to young underage children told them how to safely choke their girlfriends during sex, saying it must always be done with consent, suggesting strangulation can be done safely which of course it cannot. 'Official data shows an increase in reported cases for adults which also link strangulation to cases of sexual assault, rape and even murder. And despite a new non-fatal strangulation offence being introduced in England and Wales in June, 2022, by the last government reflecting the dangers this act is clearly being ignored by those adults pushing this agenda - who are literally breaking the law. 'So does the minister and his colleague, the Secretary of State for Education, support these presentations being given in schools, which I hope they don't? And hopefully does he agree with me that those responsible, who are knowingly breaking the law, should be immediately removed from their posts and reported to the police?' Home Office minister David Hanson said he would refer the concerns raised to his education colleagues and was sure they would contact the peer to get more information. He added: 'It sounds horrendous but having not seen the material I can't comment in detail on it but I will make sure it is referred to those who can.' But on Thursday, after being approached by WalesOnline on the matter, a spokesman for the council explained the material surrounding choking was provided to the council by Assia for the council's perusal, but was never taught in classrooms because that part of the presentation had been removed before pupils saw it. The council said it was a "classic example of how misinformation can generate headlines". In a statement the council said: "Several national newspapers have claimed to have seen slides from a 2024 Powerpoint presentation stating that 'choking' a partner should never be carried out without first obtaining consent. However, the slides were part of inaccurate or out-of-date information that was either updated or removed before the presentation was ever used in a classroom. "Developed by the Assia domestic abuse service following reports that teachers were fielding difficult questions from older pupils around consensual behaviour, the presentation was offered to secondary schools in Bridgend county borough last year as part of a pastoral support programme, but only after it had been fully vetted and checked. "This process included deleting out of date or inaccurate information, updating details to be fully compliant with the likes of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, removing some slides altogether, and ensuring that non-fatal strangulation was rightly described as being an illegal, dangerous and criminal act. "While the updated presentation was offered to all secondary schools, only one school accepted the offer, and it was delivered to an audience of 15–17-year-olds in October last year. At no time were any of those pupils informed that it is okay to 'choke' somebody as long as you have obtained consent." Councillor Martyn Jones, cabinet member for education and youth services, said: 'Having looked into this matter closely and after checking all our records and facts, the suggestion that older pupils have been taught to consent to damaging sexual behaviour is simply not true. 'All pastoral advice used by local schools is carefully designed to be age-appropriate, and to encourage teenagers who are maturing into young adults to develop healthy, respectful relationships where there is no abuse of any kind. 'It appears that inaccurate information from a draft version of the presentation was shared with the media by individuals who had the best of intentions as they thought it had already been used in classrooms. However, the truth of the matter is that the slides in question had been deleted and updated long before the final version of the presentation was ever delivered. 'This entire affair is a classic example of how misinformation can generate headlines, and cause widespread misunderstanding. Bridgend county borough council takes its safeguarding responsibilities very seriously, and we continually monitor all materials aimed at children and young people to ensure that they are age appropriate. We do not use inappropriate materials within schools, and anyone who approaches the Assia domestic abuse service regarding this issue will be informed that non-fatal strangulation remains an illegal, dangerous and criminal act.' Article continues below
The Independent
13-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Nearly half of all students want more budgeting and financial education at school
Nearly three in five university students want more education on financial choices and budgeting at school, a survey has suggested. More than two in five (44 per cent) undergraduates wanted more teaching on career pathways in Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) classes, according to the poll for the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank. The survey, of 1,105 full-time undergraduate students domiciled in England, found that the majority (83 per cent) said their time in school or college prepared them well for their studies in higher education. But only 38 per cent said the curriculum in school or college left them 'ready for life and ready for work'. In July, the Government launched its curriculum and assessment review, which is being led by education expert Professor Becky Francis. The consultation on the review in England closed in November and an interim report is due to be published early this year. Students were asked in the poll about which aspects of the PSHE curriculum they found helpful, and which topics they wanted to know more about. Overall, 59 per cent said they wanted to know more about financial choices and budgeting in these classes. The Hepi report said: 'This may be more pressing because of the financial challenges students increasingly face while studying in higher education. Start investing with Trading 212. Capital at risk. 'Some 56 per cent of students now work part-time during term. Of those who do not work, a third say it is because they cannot find a job. 'They may therefore benefit from more careers experience and education in school.' The poll, which was carried out by Savanta in November and December, suggested that 63 per cent of students want more vocational skills – and around half want more digital and IT skills (52 per cent) and more oracy skills (49 per cent). The report has called for students to be given more education on financial planning at school, and that every young person is given a 'pathway mentor guarantee' – a one-to-one conversation with an expert in careers pathways to advise them on the best post-16 choices. He added: 'It is time to rebalance the GCSE curriculum back towards creative subjects which are sadly neglected in the current system. 'The volume of assessments is overwhelming teachers, never mind pupils, so the number of these must be cut down. 'And more space might be given to the things students feel are lacking, like financial education and budgeting.' Tom Middlehurst, deputy director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'It's great to see that most students feel the curriculum prepares them well – but it's also apparent that there are problems that need to be fixed. 'Much of this is to do with the previous government's emphasis on a highly academic diet of subjects and lots of examinations.' Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'Schools want to offer a varied, balanced curriculum but are constrained by tight budgets, lack of specialist facilities and limited curriculum time.' She added: 'The curriculum review is a chance to reform the system and deliver learning that is relevant, reflects society's diversity and gives all students access to meaningful qualifications across a broader range of academic, arts and vocational subjects, using a variety of assessment methods.' Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: 'We know there are parts of the current curriculum and assessment system that work well and other parts that need improvement to support all young people to achieve and thrive. 'Our independent, expert-led curriculum and assessment review will ensure students benefit from a cutting-edge system that is fit for purpose and will ensure they leave school ready for work and ready for life. 'The review is ongoing with a final report and recommendations due to be published in the autumn, as we continue to deliver on our plan for change.'
