What are the significant benefits of good PSHE education for learners with SEND? Find out with Lynn How.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education has been a part of our curriculum for years but it is not until more recently that educators have considered how the subject can be interwoven into our whole school ethos. I would consider that in order to churn out well-rounded students, our education system needs to continue to fine-tune its focus in this area.
For learners with SEND, PSHE education is a crucial aspect of education that encompasses a wide range of topics. It can offer significant benefits and support to overall development and wellbeing and, if you flip this 180 degrees, this subject also ensures that learners without additional needs grow up to be tolerant, empathetic and have more understanding of those who need a bit more help and support.
Key advantages for learners with SEND
There are a number of key advantages for our learners with SEND.
Emotional wellbeing and mental health
Firstly, PSHE education promotes emotional wellbeing, providing a safe and supportive environment for learners with SEND to explore and understand their emotions better with the help and support of class teachers and learning support assistants. It helps them develop emotional literacy, self-awareness and coping strategies to manage their feelings effectively – and also teaches their peers these strategies. Sometimes learners without additional needs struggle to cope with certain behaviours that their peers with SEND needs may exhibit. This is understandable, so explicit teaching around this is needed to enhance peer tolerance levels.
As children get older, they are more able to spot similarities and differences, and acceptance of self can be a massive challenge. Children with SEND needs can often have mental health issues, or go on to have mental health issues in adulthood. High-quality PSHE education can support the prevention of this. With a focus on mental health and wellbeing, PSHE education helps learners with SEND to understand and manage their mental health challenges, seek support when needed and promote positive mental health practices.
Social skills
Learners with SEND often face challenges in social interactions. PSHE education focuses on teaching social skills – such as communication, empathy and understanding boundaries – which can improve pupils’ ability to form and maintain positive relationships with peers and adults. For pupils requiring a little extra help in this area, communication can be supported by extra interventions.
Personal development
PSHE education can also foster personal development by encouraging learners to set goals, build self-confidence and develop a positive self-image. This can be particularly beneficial for students with SEND, who may struggle with self-esteem issues. It would be useful for schools to consider explicitly what issues are common for those with SEND needs.
Personal safety
PSHE education covers essential topics like personal safety, online safety and understanding boundaries, which are crucial for learners with SEND, as they may be more vulnerable to exploitation or harm. Role play and social stories can be powerful tools here.
For learners with additional needs, it would be useful to consider whether some of these concepts are appropriate to teach pupils who are significantly below age-related expectations. It would be worth discussing the curriculum’s suitability with parents so it can be delivered in a way that is more meaningful and useful to individual pupils.
Life skills and healthy lifestyles
PSHE education aims to equip learners with essential life skills, such as money management, decision-making, and understanding rights and responsibilities, which are crucial for their transition to adulthood and independence. Again, it would be useful to consider a more personalised approach for learners with SEND. It may be that their personalised curriculum will already incorporate a lot of these important skills to support pupil independence.
The PSHE education curriculum includes teaching about healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and physical activity, which are essential for learners with SEND to maintain their overall health and well-being. For some learners, there may be additional challenges around areas such as puberty, eating and hygiene (among others) and it may be worth asking your school nurse or external organisations to support with extra specialist sessions.
Fostering holistic development
Ultimately, PSHE education fosters a culture of inclusivity and acceptance in the classroom and school environment – playing a vital role in promoting the holistic development of learners with SEND, empowering them to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives. It provides them with the necessary tools and support to navigate challenges, make informed decisions and build positive relationships with others.
It also helps all learners understand and appreciate individual differences and develop empathy and respect for others, creating a more supportive and understanding community.
PHSE education is a valuable subject for everybody and I would urge schools to consider how their curriculum interweaves with everyday school life.
For example, schools where this is done well are able to get out in front of potential issues – such as mental health and personal safety – to support their pupils more effectively. Staff role model to an excellent standard, with staff and pupils building strong relationships.
If you had to write a report about the inclusivity of PHSE education and how it is embedded into everyday practice in your setting, what would you say and how could you improve it?
Author
Lynn is a SEND and wellbeing consultant, author and is the editor of @TeacherToolkit. She has 20 years of teaching experience during which time she has been an assistant head, lead mentor for ITT and SENCO. She loves to write and has her own blog. She also hosts a Facebook group which supports teacher wellbeing.
