Personal and Social Education

Personal Social Education (PSE) is how students come to understand themselves and their relationships with others. A foundational element of our programme, it is a key that unlocks learning in the other four elements of the Learning Programme.

With an ability to recognise and regulate their emotions, form friendships and work both independently and collaboratively towards goals, students use their learning in the PSE programme to become active, self-directed learners and individuals.

At the heart of our educational philosophy is the belief that we prepare students not just for university, but for life. It is the skills and qualities students develop, as much as the knowledge and understanding they gain, that will define the quality of the life they live. PSE underpins everything we do, so that students feel truly valued by the adults who are leading their learning. They develop the confidence to become the effective and committed agents for change needed to shape a better world.

Students experience the PSE programme through explicit learning opportunities, such as morning meetings, mentor or advisory time and PSE lessons. These opportunities also connect to Child Safeguarding, enabling students to understand their bodies and emotions as well as recognise and manage unsafe situations. Personal and social learning also takes place implicitly through our school culture, in the way we interact with each other, and how learning is structured for groups of students. Grade or school assemblies build a sense of community as well as reiterate our values. 

Our Wellbeing Principles underpin the creation of the environment based on the underlying concepts of an individual need for autonomy, connectedness and competence. We use these needs to cultivate a caring supportive school environment where our whole community can thrive and learning can take place. 

Personal and social learning also intentionally builds the skills and qualities of the UWCSEA profile by asking students to take an active role in everyday problem-solving, which reinforces the concepts of both the wellbeing and learning principles.