wellbeing, curriculum, pshe

Our approach to wellbeing

Chigwell School takes a proactive approach to the promotion of mental health and wellbeing. Our Wellbeing Curriculum (PSHE) content is designed by the Head of Wellbeing Curriculum in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements and is delivered on a weekly basis in Years 7 – 9 and a fortnightly basis in Years 10-13 by form tutors in a safe and nurturing environment.

Age-appropriate, culturally inclusive content

The material provided is appropriate to the age and range of cultural backgrounds of the pupils and the spiral curriculum is designed to allow pupils to build on their knowledge as they progress through the school.

Equipping pupils with the knowledge, skills and tools to lead fulfilling and enriching lives.

Chigwell school standing outside under flowering tree

A proactive, whole school commitment

The Wellbeing Curriculum is designed to allow pupils to actively work on improving their own wellbeing whilst they are at Chigwell School as well as allowing them to prepare for life beyond school. Lessons in the Wellbeing Curriculum seek to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to lead fulfilling and enriching lives whilst helping them to develop the resilience and decision-making skills to overcome the inevitable obstacles along the way.

Our five pillars of wellbeing

Chigwell School’s Wellbeing Curriculum is based around five pillars of wellbeing: Emotional, Career, Social, Financial and Physical.

What pupils gain from the Wellbeing Curriculum

Resilience and confident decision-making

This ensures that the core themes laid out by the national curriculum framework are covered as well as statutory Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education. Chigwell School defines Sex Education as the teaching about the facts about the full range of contraceptive choices, efficacy and options available; choices in relation to pregnancy; how the different sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, are transmitted; the prevalence of STIs and the long and short term impact they can have on those who contract them and key facts about treatment.

Social and Emotional wellbeing

The Social and Emotional pillars cover topics such as family, bullying, friendship, healthy intimate and platonic relationships, pornography, prejudice, LGBTQ+, mental health and wellbeing. Lessons seek to teach pupils coping mechanisms for common stressors in life, an awareness of when to recognise the signs of a more serious problem in themselves or friends and the confidence to seek help when they need it. Further to this, pupils will explore cultural identity, diversity, social injustice and the UK political system.

Physical health, finance and careers

Under the Health pillar, pupils will look at issues such as screen time, gaming, drugs, alcohol, healthy diets, party and festival scenes. The Finance pillar introduces lessons on budgeting, taxes, sensible vs dangerous borrowing and how to build a credit score. Careers lessons look at how the job market has changed and will continue to change, industry stereotyping, CVs, interview skills and work shadowing.

Promoting respect, tolerance and inclusion

Our Wellbeing Curriculum also encompasses Protected Characteristics and Fundamental British Values, which are a government-mandated set of principles for spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, emphasizing democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. These values are promoted to prepare students for life in modern Britain, ensure unity, and prevent radicalisation and extremism.

Sydney Louis Claudia Jemima Year 3 and 4 Chigwell School

Related Information about Wellness Curriculum

Explore the documents and resources below to learn more about our Wellbeing Curriculum.

The Sixth Form Wellbeing Curriculum

How the Programme Works

In the Sixth Form, Wellbeing lessons are tailored to concerns most relevant to the needs of our older students. We follow a distinct theme each half term, designed to get our young people ready for the challenges and opportunities of life inside and outside Chigwell now and when they leave. We deliver sessions on issues including substance abuse, dealing with the pressure of expectation, safe driving and coercive relationships. and in the first year of Sixth Form, the Wellbeing programme dovetails with our Enrichment structure. For example, Wellbeing sessions on student life and student finance at the end of the Lower Sixth are complemented by Enrichment presentations about the UCAS application and writing a personal statement. There is an emphasis on transition to adult or university life in the Middle Sixth.

Lower Sixth

Half-termly themes linking into once-fortnightly enrichment slots:

Independence & Responsibility
Communication
Community
Future
Exam Readiness
UCAS Readiness

Middle Sixth

Half-termly themes:

What the World expects from you
Personal boundaries
Standing on your own two feet
Transition skills

Policies, presentations and sample lessions

RSE Policy

Read our Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Policy, including how topics are taught, how we ensure content is age-appropriate, and how parents and pupils are supported. Find the RSE Policy here.

Statutory RSE topics for 2026 teaching and beyond

See the statutory RSE and Health Education topics that schools are required to cover from 2026 onwards, and how these align with our programme. Find the full document here.

Parent presentation

Explore how our wellbeing curriculum supports your child through every stage of school life. Find the parent presentation here.

Sample lesson

See what a Wellbeing lesson looks like in practice, including typical activities, discussion themes and key takeaways. Find sample lession slides here

Where to find help

If you are worried about anything that is discussed in your Wellbeing lessons, you can talk to any member of staff at school, including a teacher you feel comfortable talking to, your tutor, Head of Year/HM, the Chaplain or staff in the Wellbeing Centre.