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Trinity Lifebites (PSHE)

PSHE, or Trinity Lifebites as we call it, is for equipping our students to make good decisions and be informed, well-rounded individuals who can fulfil their God-given potential. We want our pupils to be ready to serve others and prepared to be confident leaders in society. The Trinity Lifebites programme aims to develop skills to help our students to make informed, considered decisions and strategies as they navigate their way. This includes right now and along the complex, dynamic road towards adulthood. Integral to this is learning to be resilient and how to get support when needed. The evidence shows that programmes that help develop social and emotional skills improve behaviour, attendance, and academic attainment. 

One study on 7000 pupils, where they were taught to build positive relationships, mindfulness, physical activity and acts of kindness, showed a significant increase in levels of well-being and exam scores increased by 20%. So how do we do this at Trinity?

By encouraging and supporting pupils to be ‘in control’. Research suggests that growth in young people’s feelings of and essential skills in ‘being in control’ of their actions may have multiple benefits. This included reduced gambling, reduced drinking, smoking and aggression, and increased civic participation and social activism. So our focus is on supporting our pupils to develop strategies to self-control, self-regulate, building confidence, resilience, perseverance and reduce stigmas, all integrated into a whole school approach.

We deliver this through a regular diet of bitesize nuggets to prepare and support our students. Our programme is carefully designed to include all the statutory requirements plus financial education, careers and leadership development. Life Bites is delivered in three parts:

  • In assemblies
  • In form time by form tutors who are more likely to understand if a topic may be a sensitive issue to their tutee. 
  • By subject staff who regularly see the pupils. 

Through student council, student surveys and learning walks we see that this approach has positively impacted the engagement in these sessions. Subject specialists are passionate about their areas of expertise so it make sense that the Computing team will include LifeBites session on being safe online; Science looks at drug education, puberty and sex education. The History department will tackle ideas like anti-Semitism.

At the start of each year, parents will be sent a programme with the topics covered in our spiral approach, enabling parents to discuss these at home too. We work with the pastoral team to ensure that topics are presented at the most appropriate time. All material is carefully put together for Year 7-11 by Mrs Gale, who ensures that the Christian ethos of our school is reflected in the programme. The Sixth Form team continue this with our senior students. As she says: ‘As a mum, I think of my children sitting in these lessons: what is it that they need.’

Our students are clearly sign-posted to where they can receive additional support including the pastoral team, safeguarding team, the chaplaincy, teachers, parents and outside organisations such as Childline, Young Minds and SHOUT.

Here are some highlights from a recent survey identified by our students:

‘Lifebites is an opportunity to learn other things and prepares us for the future’  7NTH

‘Lifebites lets us talk about things outside the curriculum’    9BHE

‘We cover topics that are helpful to us as young people.’ 8AHO

‘Inspirational’ 10PSM

‘We learn more about TELLS, and it spreads awareness.’ 11KGO

If you have any further questions please contact Mrs Gale using dgale@trinitysevenoaks.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

   

  

 

 

 

 

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