National certificates were presented to four primary school teachers, five secondary school teachers from Hastings, Lewes, Hailsham, Peacehaven, Heathfield, Crowborough and surrounding areas, and three schools nurses employed by East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT, for completing training in Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).
The certificates mark the work these teachers and school nurses have put into developing their skills to improve teaching and learning within the subject – which involves putting together an impressive portfolio outside their normal working hours.
Councillor Simmons, Lead Cabinet Member for Learning and School Effectiveness at East Sussex County Council, said: "These teachers and school nurses have shown the dedication to go that extra mile to improve the education of their pupils and I am delighted to see that their commitment is being recognised with these awards. It is a marvellous achievement on their part, that will prove invaluable to schoolchildren across the county.”
PSHE lessons help young people to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge, which provide a foundation for their personal and social development and so help enable young people to make the best decisions for themselves as they move into adulthood.
Teachers and school nurses studying for the PSHE certificate focus on either drug and alcohol education, or sex and relationships education. They receive training and support over a year from members of the County Council’s School Improvement Service who specialise in PSHE. This enables them to improve their competence and confidence, raises their quality of teaching and learning, effects positive change in PSHE in their setting and contributes to wider government initiatives such as the Teenage Preganancy Strategy, Drug Strategy and ‘Every Child Matters’.
The nationally-assessed award programme, which is funded jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, was marked with a presentation of certificates on Thursday (20 September).
Notes to editors
Below is a list of the individual teachers and school nurses, and their schools.
Primary teachers
- Lucy Warren, Rotherfield Primary School
- Stephanie Edwards, Whitehill Infants School
- Caroline Thayre, Robsack Wood Primary School
- Alison Pollard, Little Ridge Primary School (hearing unit)
Secondary teachers
- Natalie Moorhouse, Ringmer Community College
- Denise Nevill, Peacehaven Community School
- Gary Ashdown, Hailsham Community College
- Jo Taylor, Heathfield Community College
- Jo Domin, William Parker Sports College
School nurses
- Christine Fifield, East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT
- Heather Connolly, East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT
- Jill Wheeler, East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT
Reference:
1627
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