The Stafford Borough Supporting Schools Programme (SSP) is designed to complement and enhance the PSHE curriculum and also contribute to the Ofsted framework and with issues including ‘British Values’. PSHE education equips pupils with the knowledge, skills and understanding that they need to develop strategies that are required to live healthy, safe and happy lives. It also provides opportunities for children to reflect on their own behaviour, challenge and clarify their own values as they progress through the life course. Under section 78 of the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010 the PSHE curriculum must:
•Promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and
•Prepare pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
(Source: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/ )
The SSP initiative is designed to be an enhancement of the current PSHE curriculum offered in schools. The initiative contributes to this by providing pupils with appropriate information that with help to build their confidence, resilience and self-esteem. It will support them to make safe, informed choices, understand what influences their decision making and also the consequences that decision may have. The ideology of the programme is based upon prevention and early help support to either avoid issues from occurring or to stop issues from escalating any further. This can range from issues of social deprivation and also wider vulnerabilities and it is these that would benefit from additional input from partner agencies specialised to deliver training in these areas.