Bringing PSHE to life through human stories part III

The uncertainty and lack of routine that has been a feature of the last year can cause mental health and anxiety issues for some children and young people. Physical health and mental wellbeing starts with being taught about the benefits and importance of daily exercise, good nutrition and sufficient sleep. Giving pupils the language and knowledge to understand the normal range of emotions that everyone experiences should enable pupils to articulate how they are feeling, develop the language to talk about their bodies, health and emotions, and judge whether what they are feeling and how they are behaving is appropriate and proportionate for the situations that they experience. Next up in our series to help bring PSHE to life for your students is a focus on physical health and mental wellbeing and respecting others, even when we are very different:

Emphasis should be given to the positive two-way relationship between good physical health and mental wellbeing, and the benefits to mental wellbeing of physical exercise and time spent outdoors. School is often a safe haven for children and young people where they can ensure they maintain health and wellbeing - from eating at set meal times, having a balanced diet and getting some form of light exercise daily. Here are three storyworlds and films which will help to highlight to students the importance of keeping physically well during these difficult times.

Everyone has a different home life and it is important to teach that everybody is unique. People look different from each other, like and dislike different things and might have different beliefs or customs from each other. It is a good time to highlight the need to show the same respect to others, understand how everyone is uniquely valued, regardless of how different they are.

Here are three storyworlds and films which will help to highlight to students the importance of respecting others when they make different choices or have different preferences or beliefs:

These interactive areas, multimedia content, and real-life stories offer an ideal stimulus for discussions on respecting other people and their differences. Some topics covered could be sensitive, so we remind you to watch all content and make your own professional judgement around its suitability for your students before showing it in class or assembly.

This is the third part of a three part series. Part 1 looked at characteristics of positive relationships and how to treat each other with kindness, consideration and respect - you can read it here. Part 2 looked at discussing and understanding families sensitively and helping pupils to believe they can achieve, and persevere with tasks - you can read it here.