Tackling PSHE: top attraction ideas

Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) studies can cover a multitude of areas from healthy eating to internet safety to finances and money budgeting. It is an important part of education, and making sure that all children have the opportunity to gain life skills and learn more about how the world works is extremely valuable.

Personal 

Kidzania in London is a great place to take pupils who want to get a realistic glimpse into the life of adults including work and careers. The attraction has everything from fake supermarket checkouts to a vets to a pit shop challenge for children to get hands-on with real activities which could spark an interest in a future career. Not only this, but it helps motivate pupils to work together as a team and build confidence.

Sutton Life Centre in South London offers visiting schools activities and resources suitable for Citizenship and PSHE, as well as safety and the environment. Resources include a modern public library, an outdoor climbing wall, a sports pitch, media lab, eco-garden and meeting rooms. There is also a Life Skills Zone for school visits aimed at Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils. The Life Skills Zone is described as “part movie set, part learning experience”. Tours of the zone can allow pupils to learn more about Citizenship and personal safety, as well as get hands-on with evocative lighting and interactive elements.

Social & RSE

Recently it has been revealed that RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) is to become mandatory in Secondary schools, offering pupils tips and education of life skills as well as relationship advice and proper education when it comes to sex and growing up.

Getting pupils thinking seriously about RSE can be a tricky business but trips to museums which look at Biology such as the Science Museum in London could be a potential and in turn might get students thinking more about the human body and how it works, tying in with PSHE as well.

Residentials can be a great way of building confidence and working as a team as well as learning how to communicate with one another. NST and Select School Travel are both examples of tour operators which can aid you and your class on an abroad school trip or residential. 

Health 

Farms are a great way to get pupils thinking proactively about what they eat. West Lodge Rural Centre in Kettering allows school groups to learn about animals and farming. There is also a trail for pupils to follow to get them out in the fresh area and to get them using thinking skills.

With obesity in children still being a major issue, it is more important than ever to make sure pupils get the correct education when it comes to food. Supermarkets such as Tesco offers school trips via the Tesco Happy Eat Project, which allows schools to go around and behind the scenes of a Tesco store and learn more about where the food they eat comes from as well as the business behind it.

Safety Centre and Hazard Alley in Milton Keynes, meanwhile, offers pupils a chance to learn about road safety and other potential hazards which can’t so easily be taught from within a classroom. At the centre there are mock roads and houses for pupils to learn what to do in case of a fire or how to cross roads safely.

Economic 

Teaching pupils about money and how the economy works might sound intimidating but there are plenty of attractions which can help with teaching this difficult subject. Although economics might be more of Secondary subject, getting pupils involved from a young age can be beneficial. A trip to the Bank of England Museum is a good idea for getting pupils engaged in money and they can learn about the history of it as well as its worth within the economy. It also offer resources for school visits to help groups understand the role of the bank itself.

For Secondary schools, a trip abroad might be on the cards, and tour operators such as Adaptable Travel offer economic focused trips. Learning about businesses can also tie in with PSHE and many attractions now offer Key Stage 4 workshops which look at marketing, and customer service as well as how the business is run. For example the London Dungeon’s Show Curator workshop takes pupils behind the scenes to find out how the attraction runs and puts on horrifying and thrilling shows.

The National Justice Museum is also another option which can tie in with PSHE. Learning about justice and how the justice system works is a valuable asset to have and pupils can get involved in fun and educational role play activities whereby they take on a historical and judicial case.