Personal and social development

In a world where societal structures are changing on a regular basis and it could be suggested that in some cases children are ‘hot housed’ to look and behave like little adults, being a child may well be regarded as very complicated. For most children, growth spurts and adolescence are all part of the physical experience which requires a healthy and nutritional diet. Alongside this physical development, which includes the developing social and emotional aspects in the ‘affective domain’ of the brain, is the challenge to develop a moral sense of rights and responsibility (Marzano and Kendall 2007). From birth to KS1 and KS2, children experience significant periods in their life. These might include going to nursery and to school, coming to terms with family relationships and making friends. These require a sense of developing maturity and cognisance of, for example, right and wrong, what it is to share and be happy. This chapter seeks to explore the contentious relationship between the non-statutory guidance and recent legislation, reflecting in particular the teaching of sex education in schools across the key stages and the issue of emotional health and well-being. The breadth of the current Personal, Social and Health Education and Citizenship at Key Stages 1 and 2 (PSHEC) Guidance (DfEE/QCA 1999) should prepare children for the complex issues of relationships and their own personal growth and awareness. However, it could be argued that a notional, target-driven curriculum does not fully support the principles embedded within the curriculum, most noticeably in the area of children’s emotional health and well-being. The tensions between differing purposes of education, the values-based faith perspective and state-based secular education will be explored.