We believe that students deserve a broad and ambitious Ethics, Philosophy and Citizenship curriculum, rich in skills and knowledge, which ignites curiosity and prepares them well for future learning or employment. Our Ethics, Philosophy and Citizenship curriculum will give students the opportunity to:

•Explore different cultures, beliefs and opinions to develop students understanding of the world and to help the to create their own views about relevant issues;

•Enhance students reading ability through the delivery of carefully chosen texts to support reciprocal reading;

•Enjoy a wide range of topic areas that include ethics, philosophy, economical wellbeing and issues relating to modern life;

•Develop cultural capital that will help remove barriers to achievement in school, future learning and the world of work;

•Experience learning that is ‘outside the academic’ throughout the year;

•Develop an understanding of Relationship and Sexual Education including healthy relationships and LGBTQ+ relationships;

•Produce ‘meaningful work’ of which they can be proud;

•Articulate and express their ideas, views and opinions about a wide range of topics clearly, confidently and respectfully;

•Develop their character, including resilience, confidence and independence, so that they contribute positively to the life of the school, their local community and the wider environment.

PSHE education reflects the fact that students are moving towards an independent role in adult life, taking on greater responsibility for themselves and others.

About one third of EPC curriculum follows the locally agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (SACRE). The programme of study will help students to understand the role of religion in a person’s life, compare different faiths and recognise how personal beliefs and faith play an important part in political, environmental and social affairs.

The knowledge and skills the students will learn and develop through the EPC curriculum will benefit them for the rest of their lives. It will widen their knowledge and understanding of different cultures around the world, be able to recognise and appreciate a range of viewpoints different to their own and help them to be an active citizen in British society. In addition, the EPC curriculum will equip students with a range of personal and employability skills which will benefit them greatly when they move on to the next stage of their life.

The direct impact of PSHE lessons is often difficult to prove, as many factors which contribute to pupils’ well-being and behaviour lie outside of the school environment. While there are many studies which have shown that interventions within the realm of PSHE education can result in short- and/or long-term benefits for pupils.​

Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is a planned programme of school-based learning opportunities and experiences that deal with the real life issues children and young people face as they grow up. ​

It comprises two strands: personal wellbeing and economic well-being.

The personal well-being strand covers issues such as: ​

• sex and relationships education; ​

• drug and alcohol education; ​

• emotional health and well-being; ​

• diet and healthy lifestyle; and ​

• safety education. ​

The economic well-being strand covers issues such as: ​

• careers education; 

• work-related learning; ​

• enterprise education; and ​

• financial capability.​

RSE has been shown to reduce unwanted pregnancies and there is limited evidence that it can increase the likelihood of pupils using contraception during sex.​

There is some evidence which suggests that good quality RSE can have a protective function such as delaying initiation of sex, reducing frequency of sex or the number of sexual partners and increasing the use of condoms or other contraceptive measures (Kirby & Laris, 2009; UNESCO, 2009; NICE, 2010). An international review of sex education programmes concluded that curriculum-based programmes did not have harmful effects and did not hasten the initiation of sexual activity or increase sexual activity (UNESCO, 2009). The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TPIAG) stated that, ‘Good RSE taught by trained professionals gives children and young people the knowledge and life skills to resist peer, partner and media pressures and to understand issues such as sexual consent and responsibility’ (TPIAG, 2010).​

Drugs and alcohol education can enable young people to make healthy choices and have evidenced impacts on smoking, drug use and alcohol intake.​

Emotional health and well-being A report by the chief medical officer of England stated that promoting physical and mental health in schools can reinforce children’s attainment and achievement that, in turn, can improve their well-being (Brooks, 2012). The evidence shows that effective emotional health and well-being programmes can have positive effects for pupils​

Careers education, information, advice and guidance interventions can make a difference to pupils, including increased self-confidence and enhanced decision-making skills which can act as precursors to longer-term socio-economic outcomes (Hughes & Gration, 2009).