Personal and Social Education

Geraldine High School runs a Personal and Social Education programme (PSE) from Year 7 through to Year 13. This programme is timetabled for all students on a Monday period 4. They are grouped in their Whanaungatanga class, which means they have the same group of students during Whanaungatanga time each morning, then again in PSE. They will be with this group throughout their time at GHS.

The course is age-appropriate, with themes running through the year levels. This term the students have done work around goal setting, looking at our school values, self-management strategies, respectful relationships, study skills, active listening and much more. Each term we will have a focus on one of our school values. This term, the focus has been relationships/whanaungatanga.

The Year 7 and 8 students are lucky enough to be supported by Year 12 and 13 Peer Support Leaders who have ‘lived’ in Year 7 or 8 Whanaungatanga classes for this first term. They will continue to support their younger students throughout the year.

The purpose of the PSE programme is for students to develop emotional self-awareness, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. This will support them to successfully contribute, participate and interact with others in all aspects of their lives, both at school and beyond. We expect the students to form strong relationships with their Whanaungatanga teacher and peers. Our goal is that students will have improved wellbeing, which will have a positive impact on both their learning and behaviour.

Here are some examples of the amazing work some of the Year 8 students have done with their Peer Support Leaders. Their challenge was to make a Whakatauki to represent our school values.

These photos show students doing different activities in their PSE classes. Some of the students are shown being supported by their Peer Support leaders.