Developing Girls' personal, social and emotional wellbeing
Early Years: Circle Time
The Student Care programme in Early Years focuses on supporting the wellbeing of children and ensuring their holistic development. Rooted in the British PSHE framework, it emphasises three core areas: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships, and Living in the Wider World. The implementation of the PSHE curriculum follows a structured format, employing the Jigsaw approach, which facilitates learning through fun, age-appropriate experiences.
Collaboration with the Psychology team is integral, with weekly class observations and close coordinations to understand each child's journey. Early intervention and seamless integration of emotional and academic support, including Special Educational Needs, are prioritized.
The programme also emphasizes strong connections with families, fostering partnership and open communication. Various forms of support, including individual counselling, group sessions and specially catered talks, are provided, with parental involvement encouraged. The school community is guided by shared values, with an emphasis on kindness, respect, and effort, to set examples for children to follow.
Primary: Personal, Social and Health Eduacation (PSHE)
PSHE lessons are led by the form teacher, supervised by the year level psychologist. The main objective of this programme is to promote and develop girls’ personal, social and emotional wellbeing, and skills. The methodology used in these lessons is “The Circle”; the circle embraces everybody, establishes a sense of belonging and facilitates communication. Some of the issues addressed through this programme are: managing emotions; developing friendships, empathy, self-esteem and being assertive; conflict resolution, integration, the safe use of technology and understanding /embracing puberty.
This programme is developed throughout the Primary Section; each session focuses on a specific theme and is explored and discovered through activities. The Grade 4 and 5 VDP programme has a basic structure but it has a high level of flexibility; the direction of lessons is frequently steered by the particular needs and concerns of the group.
“We love PSHE - we get to know and understand ourselves better.”
Secondary: PSHE - Personal, Social and Health Education
“Who is going to teach the knowledge and skills I will need to manage all the ‘first moments’ of my life and to stay healthy and safe?”
Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) provides learning experiences in which girls can develop and apply skills, explore personal attitudes and values, and acquire appropriate knowledge and understanding. The specific aims of the PSHE programme are:
- to develop girls’ self-esteem and a sense of personal responsibility
- to promote self-respect, respect for others and celebrate diversity
- to equip girls to live safe, healthy lives
- to prepare girls for the choices and opportunities of lifelong learning
- to empower girls to participate in their school and communities as active and responsible citizens locally, nationally and globally
- to develop leadership qualities and skills
- to foster positive attitudes and behaviour towards the principles of sustainable development and global citizenship
- to prepare learners for the challenges, choices and responsibilities of work and adult life.
“....To educate girls to take responsibility to meet the challenges of life and reach their potential in a nurturing environment.”