🌍 Year 8 PSHE

Sexual Health & Healthy Relationships

RSE (Relationships and Sex Education)

• RSE is a statutory part of the curriculum in England. It is about healthy relationships — not just biology.
• A healthy relationship is built on: mutual respect, trust, honesty, equality, communication, shared values, independence (you don't have to agree on everything), and feeling safe
• An unhealthy relationship may involve: control, coercion, jealousy used as control, isolation from friends/family, emotional manipulation, pressure to change, physical violence

Consent

• FRIES: Consent must be Freely given, Reversible (can be withdrawn at any time), Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific
• Consent cannot be given if someone is: under the age of consent (16 in England and Wales), under the influence of alcohol or drugs, asleep or unconscious, being pressured, threatened, or coerced
• Saying "yes" to one thing does not mean saying yes to everything
• Silence or not saying "no" is not the same as consent
• Any sexual activity without consent is sexual assault or rape, which are serious crimes

Contraception and STIs

• Contraception prevents unwanted pregnancy. Types: barrier methods (condoms, diaphragm), hormonal methods (pill, patch, injection, implant, IUD/IUS), emergency contraception
• Only condoms protect against both pregnancy AND sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• STIs include: chlamydia (most common in under-25s in the UK; often no symptoms; treated with antibiotics), gonorrhoea, syphilis, herpes (HSV, lifelong but manageable), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus — managed by antiretroviral therapy; undetectable = untransmittable U=U)
• Where to get help: school nurse, GP, sexual health clinic (GUM clinic), the Brook charity, NHS 111
• Regular STI testing is recommended for sexually active people, especially after new partners. Testing is free and confidential on the NHS.

Puberty and Body Image

• Puberty is a normal, healthy process — it happens at different times and rates for everyone
• Body image: how you feel about your appearance. Media (social media, advertising, film) presents narrow, heavily edited ideals of beauty that are unrealistic
• Negative body image is linked to low self-esteem and mental health difficulties. Strategies: focus on what your body can do (not what it looks like), follow diverse accounts on social media, talk to trusted adults
• Disordered eating: unhealthy patterns of eating (restricting, bingeing, purging) in response to body image concerns. Different from diagnosed eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder) — all require professional support.

Mental Health

Common Mental Health Conditions in Young People

• Anxiety: intense, persistent worry that is disproportionate to the actual threat; can cause physical symptoms (racing heart, shortness of breath, nausea). Types: generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety, phobias, panic disorder.
• Depression: persistent low mood, loss of interest in activities, feelings of hopelessness, changes in sleep and appetite, low energy. Not just "feeling sad" — it is a clinical condition.
• OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder): intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that drive repetitive behaviours (compulsions) to temporarily relieve anxiety. Often misrepresented in popular culture as just "liking tidiness".
• Eating disorders: see above.
• 1 in 6 children aged 5–16 in England has a mental health difficulty (NHS Digital, 2020)

Getting Help

• Talk to a trusted adult: parent/carer, tutor, school counsellor, GP
• Self-referral to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) in some areas, or through GP
• Helplines: Childline: 0800 1111 (free, confidential, 24 hours), Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7, for anyone in distress), Young Minds Crisis Messenger: text YM to 85258
• NHS mental health referral: GP is usually the first point of contact

Self-Care and Protective Factors

• The Five Ways to Wellbeing (NHS): Connect (with people), Be Active, Take Notice (mindfulness), Keep Learning, Give (to others)
• Sleep: 8–10 hours per night for teenagers. Sleep deprivation directly worsens anxiety and mood. Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin — switch off 30–60 minutes before sleep.
• Physical activity: proven to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Even a 20-minute walk improves mood.
• Social connection: having at least one trusted friend or adult is a major protective factor against mental health difficulties
• Limit social media: passive scrolling is associated with lower wellbeing; active interaction and meaningful connection can have positive effects

Online Exploitation, Grooming & County Lines

Online Grooming

• Grooming: when someone builds a relationship of trust with a young person (or their family) with the intent to exploit them — usually for sexual abuse, but also for criminal exploitation
• Online groomers use: flattery, gift-giving, shared secrets, gradual normalisation of inappropriate conversations, isolation from friends and family, and eventually threats or blackmail
• Warning signs: a new online "friend" who asks to move conversations to a private platform, asks for personal information or photos, wants to meet alone, asks you to keep the relationship secret, offers gifts or money
• Sextortion: blackmailing someone using intimate images or videos they shared (or were tricked into sharing). Even if you sent something, you are not to blame — it is the criminal who is at fault.
• Report to: CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection command): report.cybertip.org or ceop.police.uk. Report to the platform. Talk to a trusted adult.

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

• CSE: when a young person is manipulated, coerced, or forced into sexual activity in exchange for something they need or want (affection, money, gifts, shelter)
• It is never the victim's fault. Young people cannot consent to their own exploitation.
• Warning signs in a peer: secretive phone use, unexplained gifts (money, clothes, phones), older "boyfriend" or "girlfriend", going missing, unexplained injuries, withdrawal from family/friends

County Lines

• County lines: organised crime groups use a dedicated mobile phone line to supply drugs from a city to rural areas and smaller towns. Young people and vulnerable adults are often used ("cuckooed") to carry and sell drugs.
• Young people are recruited through: offering apparent friendship, money, or protection; gradually drawing them into debt; threats of violence; targeting the isolated and vulnerable
• This is a form of criminal exploitation — exploited young people are victims, even if they appear to have chosen to be involved
• Warning signs: unexplained money, new expensive items, becoming secretive, going missing, older associations, using unfamiliar language
• If you are concerned about yourself or a friend: call Crimestoppers (anonymously): 0800 555 111 or Childline: 0800 1111
• Remember: exploitation is never the victim's fault

Financial Literacy

Basic Financial Concepts

• Income: money coming in — wages/salary, benefits, investments, rental income
• Expenditure: money going out — rent/mortgage, food, utilities, transport, leisure
• Budget: a plan that manages income and expenditure. Income should exceed expenditure (surplus); a deficit means spending more than you earn — unsustainable long-term
• Fixed costs: stay the same each month (rent, loan repayments)
• Variable costs: change month to month (food, entertainment, clothing)

Saving and Investing

• Saving: setting aside money for future use. "Pay yourself first" — set up a standing order to savings immediately after being paid
• Emergency fund: aim for 3–6 months' expenses saved in an accessible account for unexpected events (job loss, appliance breakdown)
• Interest: money earned on savings (or paid on borrowing). Compound interest: you earn interest on interest. Rule of 72: divide 72 by the annual interest rate to find how many years your money doubles (at 6%, money doubles in 12 years).
• ISA (Individual Savings Account): a tax-free savings wrapper. Junior ISA for under-18s — up to £9,000/year can be saved tax-free. Cash ISA or Stocks and Shares ISA.

Borrowing and Debt

• Some debt is "good" (mortgage, student loan — investments that should pay back more than they cost)
• High-cost credit: payday loans, some credit cards, store cards — can have very high APR (Annual Percentage Rate). A £100 loan at 1000% APR costs £1000 after a year if not repaid.
• Credit score: a number lenders use to assess how likely you are to repay. Built up over time by: paying bills on time, being on the electoral register, having credit accounts in good standing. Damaged by: missed payments, defaults, too many credit applications in a short time.
• Student finance (for context): in England, tuition fees are £9,250/year; student loans cover tuition + maintenance. Repaid through earnings above a threshold (currently £25,000/year) — only when you earn enough. Written off after 30 years. Not like a commercial loan.

Careers & Aspirations

The World of Work

• Employment: working for an employer in exchange for wages. Permanent contract, fixed-term contract, zero-hours contract
• Self-employment/freelancing: working for yourself; set your own hours; responsible for your own taxes, National Insurance, and lack of employment rights (sick pay, holiday pay)
• The "gig economy": platforms like Deliveroo, Uber, and Etsy create flexible work that can be precarious — few protections for workers
• Apprenticeships: earn while you learn; combine on-the-job training with a qualification (Level 2 to Level 7/degree). Available in all sectors — not just traditional "trades".
• T-Levels: new 2-year technical qualifications (equivalent to 3 A-levels) combining classroom and industry placement. An alternative to A-levels for technical/vocational paths.

Skills and Employability

• Hard skills: specific, teachable, measurable abilities — coding, a language, a trade qualification, data analysis
• Soft/transferable skills: interpersonal and personal effectiveness — communication, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, resilience, critical thinking, creativity. Employers often rate these as highly as hard skills.
• CV basics: name and contact details, personal statement, education (most recent first), work experience (most recent first), achievements and extra-curricular, skills, references. Keep it to one page for first CV.
• Interview preparation: research the company/role, prepare examples of when you demonstrated key skills (STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result), dress appropriately, be punctual, prepare questions to ask

Exploring Careers

• Work experience and volunteering: crucial for building CV, testing career interests, and making contacts
• The National Careers Service: nationalcareers.service.gov.uk — free, impartial careers advice for any age
• Labour market information: research which sectors are growing (technology, health, green energy, creative industries) and which are shrinking, to make informed choices
• The importance of a "portfolio career": many people will have multiple careers across a lifetime as the economy changes — flexibility and continuous learning are key skills for the 21st century

Global & Environmental Issues

Global Inequality

• Development gap: the difference in wealth, opportunities, and quality of life between HICs (High Income Countries) and LICs/MICs (Lower and Middle Income Countries)
• The Gini coefficient: a measure of income inequality within a country (0 = perfect equality; 1 = one person has everything)
• Why does inequality persist? Historical causes (colonialism, slave trade), unequal trade terms, debt, corruption, geographic disadvantage, conflict
• What can individuals do? Ethical consumerism, charitable giving, activism, campaigning, career choices

Climate Change and the Environment

• The global climate crisis is the defining challenge of your generation
• The 1.5°C target: the Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels — beyond which the risks of catastrophic effects increase rapidly
• Youth activism: Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement; school climate strikes; youth activists at COP conferences
• Environmental justice: the poorest people and countries (who have contributed least to climate change) suffer the worst consequences. Climate change is a justice issue as much as an environmental one.

Active Citizenship

• Democracy: voting is the most basic act of citizenship. At 18 you can vote in UK elections. Local elections, general elections, referendums all shape the laws that govern your life.
• Other ways to participate: petitions (100,000 signatures triggers a parliamentary debate), contacting your MP, joining a campaign or political party, peaceful protest, community volunteering
• Critical media literacy: in an era of misinformation and social media algorithms, it is essential to evaluate sources, check facts, identify bias, and understand why you are seeing what you are seeing
• Echo chambers: social media algorithms show you content you agree with → you see less of other perspectives → your views can become more extreme. Actively seek out different perspectives from credible sources.