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Core theme: Health & Wellbeing
Physical health

Learning about physical health includes food choices, physical activity, balanced lifestyles, drugs and alcohol education, first aid, sleep, dental health and more.

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Schoolchild carrying school dinner tray
Teaching about physical health helps pupils make informed decisions. Our tools and lesson plans support effective, age (and stage) appropriate teaching.
Subject Specialist
Karen Summers
Subject Specialist

Teaching about physical health

Schools must now teach about physical health as part of statutory Health Education. We’ve got all the tools and resources you need to plan, sequence and deliver this content effectively through your PSHE education curriculum.

The Association really helped me to introduce preventative drugs education to my PSHE curriculum. I see a real difference in my pupils’ understanding of the risks and harms.

PSHE Association member

See where physical health fits within your PSHE education curriculum using our Programme of Study (key stages 1-5). Use our Programme Builders to build a programme tailored to your pupils’ needs.

We update these Programme Builders regularly with quality assured lesson plans. These include our suite of lesson on food choices, physical activity and balanced lifestyles and our Sleep Factor and drugs education materials. You’ll also find lessons on first aid and much more in our resources library.

Browse lesson plans

Planning for pupils with SEND
Plan PSHE for pupils with SEND in mainstream and special schools.
SEND FPC

Training and events

  • KS3-5

    Online CPD: RSHE: Successfully implementing the new 2025 statutory requirements (secondary)

    18 Sep
    £195 per person
    Want to get up to speed with the new 2025 statutory requirements for secondary Relationships, Sex and Health education? This interactive online course will explore the new content and expectations for schools, as well as practical ideas and classroom strategies for leading, teaching and assessing high quality, inclusive Relationships, Sex and Health Education.
See all live CPD
KS 3-4

Effective drug and alcohol education – secondary
30 mins School plus members

Learn how to address current trends in drug and alcohol-related issues through the PSHE curriculum and as part of a whole-school approach.

See all on-demand training

Guidance

Selecting and working with visitors and speakers
KS1-5
Ensure external visitors or speakers make a safe and effective contribution to your school's PSHE programme.
Choosing PSHE education resources
KS1-5
15 top tips to help you choose PSHE education resources to use in the classroom.
Survey your pupils and colleagues
KS1-5
Gain invaluable feedback on what’s working well and what to improve.
Handling complex issues and creating a safe learning environment
KS1-5
Guidance and top tips on setting ground rules and distancing learning in PSHE education.
See all guidance

Research and evidence

Drug and alcohol evidence review
Published: March 25, 2022
Evidence review exploring key research and strategies to help teach effective drug and alcohol education at KS1-4.
The link between pupil health and wellbeing attainment
Published: October 11, 2021
KS1-4
Published by Public Health England, this report outlines evidence that promoting pupil health and wellbeing as part of a whole-school approach can also have a positive impact on educational outcomes.
Good policy and practice in health education
Published: October 11, 2021
Collaborative report from the UNODC, UNESCO and the WHO, examining the fundamental responsibility the education sector has to protect children and young people from substance use.