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Press release: Improvements being made in the teaching of personal, social, health and economic education

Most schools are equipping children and young people with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills to live healthily, safely, productively and responsibly, a report published by Ofsted today has found.

The report Personal, social, health and economic education in schools shows provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) was good or outstanding in more than three quarters of the 165 maintained schools visited across England.

However, in just under one in four of the schools visited, the quality of teaching was variable and teachers’ subject knowledge and expertise were not good enough. The report found that the teaching of PSHE education is most effective when there are discrete, regularly taught lessons supplemented by activities across other subjects.

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert said:

'It is pleasing to see that most of the schools visited were good or outstanding at teaching the subject. However, there were some weaknesses and schools should continue to promote professional development in PSHE education so that teachers strengthen their knowledge and skills in the subject.

The new study programme to improve economic well-being and capability, introduced as part of PHSE in 2008, is not yet well established. In addition, some schools still struggle to teach their pupils effectively about sensitive but important issues such as the misuse of drugs and alcohol.'

Although the report found that the majority of schools in the survey taught PSHE well, most secondary schools have not yet effectively implemented the new programme of study, introduced in 2008, to include economic well-being and financial capability.

In addition, there were some weaknesses in the teaching of high-risk areas such as the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

In over half of the secondary schools visited, students’ knowledge about the social risks and physical effects of excessive alcohol consumption was undeveloped.

A common misconception among the students in secondary schools was that heroin and cocaine were the drugs responsible for most deaths every year; when in fact the number of deaths directly attributable to tobacco and alcohol is much higher and these drugs are more widely available. In around a third of primary schools visited, knowledge and understanding of drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, were one of the weakest aspects of PSHE.

The survey did find examples of good practice in drugs education more generally. In one primary school, where the pupil’s achievement in PSHE was outstanding, their learning about the misuse of drugs, such as smoking, was supplemented with visits from theatre companies, external speakers and input from the school nurse. The pupils could communicate the dangers of smoking and alcohol, and knew the importance of saying no, staying active and eating healthily.

Even though the teaching and learning about sex and relationships were good in the majority of secondary schools visited, it was no more than satisfactory in a third of schools. Students in some secondary schools said their sex and relationships education was too late and too limited to be of much use.

In all the secondary schools visited, students learnt about different sorts of bullying and how to deal with it. For example, one school set up a bullying intervention group, supported by the NSPCC, and students were trained by the charity to support those who had been bullied.

The better schools provided a wide range of interesting extra-curricular activities, such as music and drama productions, school councils and residential visits, where students could develop and practise their personal and social skills.

PSHE education is a part of the National Curriculum and is intended to support pupils’ learning and personal development. Across all the schools visited, the pupils enjoyed lessons and saw the relevance of what they were learning.

Notes For Editors

1. The report Personal, social, health and economic education in schools can be found on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/090222.

2. Of the 165 schools that were inspected, none were rated inadequate overall in their section 5 inspection. All of the schools visited for this subject survey had been rated Outstanding, Good or Satisfactory overall in their latest section 5 inspection.

3. The report is based on evidence from inspections of PSHE in schools between September 2006 and July 2009.

4. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

5. Media can contact the Ofsted Press Office through 020 7421 6899 or via Ofsted's enquiry line 0300 1231231 between 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday - Friday. Out of these hours, during evenings and weekends, the duty press officer can be reached on 07919 057359.

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