Learning for Life time at Fyling Hall is a chance to reiterate the point of education and learning. It is the PSCHE programme at our school and for various year groups, it encompasses slightly different elements. Led by our Head of Enrichment, Mr Instone, it is delivered through assemblies live sessions or recordings and 45 minute tutor group sessions. Below we share extracts from our Learning for Life Policies and Procedures 2020-21 . . .

Our Vision

Tutor time, assemblies and the Learning for Life lessons are all valuable contact time with students. Although there is no examined component, these outlets give us the opportunity to plug gaps in the National Curriculum and broaden students’ general knowledge as well as developing new skills.

To this end, the sessions should be entirely relevant and engaging to the students and their lives. If done correctly, these sessions should be something the students look forward to as they give a break from academic study to look at their wider lives and their futures. Many of the elements can be student led. With our new timetable and following our Covid-19 precautions and procedures, we have dramatically less tutor, assembly and Learning for Life contact time. This has resulted in this new more focused programme, splitting the many topics into whole-school activities (where the tutors lead the material to make it year group appropriate) and year group specific sessions.

We are taking the elements of PSCHE to stand for:

• Personal: aspects of personal life, psychology, growth, beliefs, values and learning and life skills.
• Social and Societal: aspects of living and working together including friendships, relationships, citizenship, community, the rule of law and democracy. Living in a multicultural and diverse world
• Communication: speaking, debate, discussion, coping with criticism, presentation and social skills and internet use.
• Health: maintaining a healthily lifestyle both physically and mentally including diet, mental wellbeing, sexual health, other diseases such as cancer and an understanding of drugs both legal and illegal.
• Earning and Economics: a broader topic than simply ‘employment’. Earning and economics includes investments, pensions, enterprise and entrepreneurship as well as money and budget management, employment and employability.

A whole school approach

Students are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of Fyling Hall and the wider community. In so doing students develop a sense of self-worth and self esteem. We teach them how society is organised and governed. We ensure they experience the process of democracy in school through the School Council. We teach about rights and responsibilities. They learn to appreciate what it means to be a positive member of a diverse, multicultural society. Learning for Life includes all students regardless of their social, ethnic or religious background. It also aims to encompass all the needs and abilities of everyone.

• To give pupils the knowledge and develop the self-esteem, confidence and self awareness to make informed choices and decisions
• To develop thinking skills and reflective learning
• To encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely
• Generate an atmosphere where questions and discussion on matters can take place without any stigma and embarrassment
• To enable pupils to make sense of their own personal and social experiences
• To promote responsible attitudes towards the maintenance of good physical and mental health, supported by a safe and healthy lifestyle
• To enable effective interpersonal relationships and develop a caring, respectful and considerate attitude towards themselves and others
• To further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures
• To establish opportunities for increased pupil involvement in the life of the school and local community
• To encourage a caring attitude towards and responsibility for the environment
• To develop work skills and to nurture a positive attitude towards learning with students and teachers sharing and respecting each other’s views.
• To help our pupils understand and manage their feelings
• To enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;
• To enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England
• To encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
• Recognise that the wider community has much to offer and we aim to work in partnership with relevant professionals and other school partners.

Our aim continues to be to nurture your child’s confidence and self-esteem, enabling them to maximise all aspects of their potential through our very special commitment to the educational, pastoral and co-curricular aspects of modern education, embracing the full range of academic, cultural, sporting and social interests. Learning for Life time is an incredibly important element of this!