A brand new subject association for Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) is being launched by the government today.
Schools minister Andrew Adonis will officially unveil the PSHE Subject Association at a reception at the House of Lords. The association will aim to help champion teaching that influences the health and well-being of children and young people.
Lord Adonis said: "High-quality PSHE provision is a vital means of tackling important problems including childhood obesity, teenage pregnancy and alcohol abuse.
"But PSHE is also where children and young people discover ways of enriching their lives - through healthy eating and exercise, building positive personal relationships and becoming active in their communities."
He added employers are increasingly emphasising the value of young people learning "soft skills" such as the ability to relate to colleagues and customers.
PSHE is considered an important subject for preparing children and young people for adult life.
Lord Adonis added: "Among its many functions, I envisage the PSHE association supporting the professional development of practitioners, building effective networks of subject experts and spreading best practice."
The association has been actively recruiting since the summer before its launch, and now has 1,000 members.
This week the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority revealed a key role for PSHE in their proposed secondary curriculum. Under proposals to reform teaching at Key Stage 3, it envisages a new range of subjects, including the addition of economic well-being covering areas such as financial literacy.
Maths, English, history and citizenship already have supporting associations that aim to offer good practice and a single focus for teachers and other professional practitioners.
