Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain

The Importance of PSHE: a philosophical and policy perspective on Personal, Social and Health Education

Though part of the National Curriculum, Personal, Social and Health Education has a low profile in schools. It has no clear content, it is not assessed, and its teachers have no directly relevant training. This is surprising given the potential of PSHE to influence the behaviour of young people in positive ways. A recent government report on 'Personal Responsibility and Behaviour Change' explored ways in which government could and should influence behaviour, but neglected the role of PSHE in this regard. 

This, argues Graham Haydon, was a 'missed opportunity'. We all have an interest in what Haydon calls the 'ethical environment', i.e. the world of values within which we live. Our world of values includes a generally liberal outlook, which means that we are wary of various forms of coercion. PSHE, argues Haydon, provides an important non-coercive way of influencing the ethical environment. It involves educating children towards the making of responsible choices by encouraging them to think in informed and sensitive ways about the options that are open to them. 

To date, PSHE has been conceived largely in terms of lists. It includes sex and relationship education; drug, alcohol and tobacco education; careers education; and so on. IMPACT 10 provides a much-needed rationale for this area by exploring the concept of values education. It does this in a way that is practical and informed as well as philosophical.

Table of Contents.

Introduction: A world of choice
A missed opportunity for policy-makers

• The current profile of PSHE
  The scope of PSHE
  The values connection 
• Public policy in a world of values
  Should government influence the ethical environment?
  Influencing the ethical environment through the curriculum.
  A better ethical environment? Who is to say?
• Bringing together the personal and the social
  The policy perspective again
  Recognising the importance of PSHE

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