What we learnt from our members and local expert speakers!
99% of delegates who completed our evaluation survey would recommend our Regional PSHE Seminars to others
“Such helpful conversations and so good to speak to other local colleagues and form connections... [The] practical workshop session was amazing and I am taking away so many ideas!”
Delegate, Yorkshire & the Humber regional seminar, 2024
“Very informative... Great to network. Leaving with a new enthusiasm for PSHE!”
Delegate, London regional seminar, 2024
“I don't feel as alone and have made useful and meaningful links”
Delegate, East of England regional seminar, 2024
This summer, we hosted a series of face-to-face PSHE seminars in eight regions across England. We were delighted to meet over 230 members in total, representing a broad range of school phases and settings from all over the country.
Your PSHE education community
Our regional seminars programme started in summer 2023 to bring together PSHE communities at a local level — to network, share knowledge and discuss key PSHE issues specific to their area and context. Each seminar features keynotes and updates from the PSHE Association team and local speakers in the region.
Our locations
This year’s series kicked off in Manchester (North West) in early June, shortly followed by Cambridge (East of England) and Leeds (Yorkshire and the Humber). Members based in the East and West Midlands, South East and South West then came together in Birmingham, Canterbury and Bristol respectively. In July, we met with delegates in Newcastle for our North East event, before closing our 2024 regional seminars in London.
PSHE Association keynote on the draft RSHE guidance
Each seminar opened with a detailed keynote from a member of the PSHE Association senior team addressing the content and implications of the draft RSHE guidance (released 16 May 2024 by the Department for Education).
This keynote broadly covered:
- Our main concerns regarding setting age restrictions for RSHE, including safeguarding and teaching specific topics such as puberty, online gaming and financial harms, harmful sexual behaviours, and FGM
- Problematic changes to the guidance related to inclusion, particularly LGBT+ inclusion
- The notable absence of pupil voice in the draft guidance, with a review of key evidence from young people about their needs and experiences of RSHE
- Some positive updates to the current guidance including new content on vaping (primary), grief, loss and bereavement (primary), AI and Deepfakes (secondary), menstrual and gynaecological health (secondary), and personal safety (primary and secondary)
Delegates had the chance to discuss their thoughts, and ask any burning questions about how to respond to the guidance during the open consultation period.
Read our full analysis of the RSHE draft guidance here.
Workshops
Delegates attended one of two workshop options:
- “Not just ticking boxes: take your PSHE provision to the next level” — focused on identifying “quick wins” to help delegates take their provision from compliance to excellence, with tips for developing leadership skills and curriculum design;
or
- “Bringing RSHE to life: practical classroom activities” — showcasing a range of interactive classroom activities for making relationships, sex and health education engaging and pupil-centred.
Attendees emphasised how valuable and inspiring they found this dedicated time for hands-on CPD, commenting that the workshops unlocked new ideas on how to “make PSHE teaching more practical & fun” for pupils and “move [their PSHE] provision forward”.
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Keynote speakers — what’s happening in your region?
Our local PSHE expert speakers shared timely and relevant insights from their work supporting schools and discussed local data on some of the key issues affecting young people within their area. Delegates had the opportunity to ask pressing questions about key aspects of PSHE education and share experiences from their own provision in the live Q&A panel, which also featured PSHE Association Subject Specialists.
Below, we’ve highlighted some of the brilliant work happening around the country to support schools and young people through PSHE education:
North West (Manchester)
- Ellen Weedon (Oldham Safeguarding Children Partnership) presented the main findings from Oldham’s most recent #BeeWell survey for young people. She also highlighted Oldham’s high level of engagement with local PSHE/RSHE curriculum networks, and signposted ongoing support for schools including conducting a county-wide RSE survey and developing their staff CPD offer.
- Sophie Collins, Eleanor Coleman-Reed & Cat Chester (Manchester Healthy Schools) gave an overview of recent initiatives led by Manchester Healthy Schools, which included developing a practical tool for building teachers’ confidence “beyond the PowerPoint” and responding to a local need for more guidance around intersectionality through faith-inclusive staff training.
East of England (Cambridge)
- Rebecca Clift (Department of Language and Linguistics, University of Essex) presented her recent conversation analysis research using video-recorded family arguments. She also spotlighted the University of Essex’s new quality-assured resource Communication Matters, two lesson plans aimed at year 9-11 students which explore communication strategies in the context of navigating conflict.
- Cathy Murphy & Steph Hoskin (Cambridgeshire PSHE Service) gave a data-led presentation on behavioural trends across different demographics of young people including bullying, sexual activity, and self-harm. They also highlighted a series of local training and resource programmes on personal development, conflict resolution, and peer mediation for Cambridgeshire schools.
Yorkshire & the Humber (Leeds)
- Helen Lord (Health & Wellbeing Service, Leeds) gave an interactive presentation on Leeds’ recent My Health, My School pupil-perception survey, and shared a successful case study of introducing several mental health support resources to a Leeds-based primary school through the MindMate Champions Programme.
- Bryony Turford (Red Kite Alliance) discussed the main training needs reported by PSHE leads across Yorkshire primary schools, before presenting the RKA’s three-point support programme for local schools, including running termly PSHE profile meetings.
East & West Midlands (Birmingham)
- Amanda Evans (Public Health, City of Wolverhampton Council) demonstrated how Wolverhampton’s recurring Health Related Behaviour Surveys capture student health data at both a local authority and individual school level. She discussed how local schools can use this data to take a whole school approach to PSHE through policy review and curriculum development.
- Jane O’ Byrne (Derbyshire County Council) highlighted the Building Effective Relationships Together Award, an award scheme devised to support schools in implementing the RSHE guidance; conducting CYP surveys and working with national RSE experts to develop a toolkit for secondary schools.
South East (Canterbury)
- Sam Whittaker (Consultant for East Sussex County Council & Assistant Headteacher) walked delegates through the main elements of East Sussex County Council’s PSHE support packages for local state-funded schools, including CPD webinars and training videos, lesson packages and local PSHE consultancy support.
- Zoe Fish (Kent School Health) showed how Kent School Health uses data-visualisation software to identify and track the top priorities for local schools in supporting their young people, including emotional wellbeing, universal health, and internet safety.
South West (Bristol)
- Mel Turner (Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning) presented how GHLL helps to support pupil and staff wellbeing and their PSHE curriculum, including access to free training and surveying platforms, live school visits, and termly bulletins. She also highlighted other initiatives in Gloucestershire dedicated to supporting young people’s mental health such as Young Minds Matter and myHappymind.
North East (Newcastle)
- Elaine Robson (Education North Tyneside) presented ENT’s 2023 survey results for PSHE leads on local schools’ current approaches to their RSHE policy, parent consultation, and curriculum inclusivity. She also broke down how ENT have responded to gaps in resources and training, and showcased how schools have evidenced pupil learning over the past year.
- Eve Conner-McGill (Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council) presented local SHEU data to highlight the top challenges for primary and secondary pupils across Stockton-on-Tees. She showed how several council-led support initiatives have had a measurable positive impact on these local challenges such as increased uptake of school meals, mental health services, and use of public health data.
London (London)
- Kate Smith (Healthy Lives, Tower Hamlets) introduced the main RSE challenges and corresponding solutions implemented in Tower Hamlets schools, particularly in terms of proactive engagement with parents and local communities including religious leaders. Kate also presented on various local programmes encouraging physical activity, healthy eating and emotional health in young people.
- Zoe Barkham Manlow & Elizabeth Spendlove (Croydon Education Partnership) spoke about some of CEP’s ongoing projects with Croydon schools including drawing up a Wellbeing Charter Mark, delivering their first Wellbeing Conference, and termly wellbeing forums for schools to discuss all aspects of PSHE.
Networking session
Each seminar closed with an informal networking session to give delegates the chance to connect with fellow PSHE colleagues over drinks and nibbles and meet some of our team, including the dedicated Subject Specialist co-ordinator for their region. It was great to hear from our members in person and see those who attended valuing the opportunity to talk with their peers in a more relaxed setting.
“[The session] allowed time to network with colleagues and develop personally as a practitioner” Delegate, East & West Midlands regional seminar, 2024
“[this was] very helpful for me starting out in the new role of PSHE lead, [it’s] a great way to meet more experienced teachers in the role and to get advice from them."
Delegate, London regional seminar, 2024
Final thoughts
Across all regions, delegates highlighted the strong sense of community created through the seminars, empowering them to share ideas and anecdotes, and discuss best practice with colleagues from a range of school settings. They also valued having the time and space to do some big-picture thinking around their PSHE provision, beyond what happens in the classroom.
“valuable time to step back from your work and consider the wider issues, reflect on your provision” Delegate, East & West Midlands regional seminar, 2024
“[a] great opportunity to find out what other counties / LAs / Schools are doing”
Delegate, South East regional seminar, 2024
“I was able to ask questions and get good answers from experts”
Delegate, North East regional seminar, 2024
Would you like to attend one of our future regional summer seminars?
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