How we teach lessons
The HELS team are known for their interactive and fun lessons. We always start lessons with ground rules which ensure pupils and staff feel safe and comfortable and understand the clear boundaries and levels of confidentiality. We plan our lessons to include work on knowledge, skills and attitudes and make sure that there are clear health related learning outcomes for each part.
Stages of delivery:
- Needs assessment is carried out with children/young people
- Lesson plans are developed in line with these needs and appropriate resources are developed or adapted
- Lesson delivery
- Evaluation of lesson by teachers, pupils/students and health professionals (if present).
As teachers, we understand the need for variety and pace within teaching styles, as well as the need to respond actively to pupils’ learning styles, interests and abilities in order to engage them in a meaningful and fruitful way. We always use a range of strategies to create the optimum learning environment, including games, circle time activities, group work, individual work, whole class work, physical activities and participation techniques. We create and constantly develop our own resources in order to meet the needs of the children and young people we teach, and use as many props and aids as possible. Our work in special schools has taught us so much about making resources fit the class and how to assess the impact of our teaching.
Supporting staff
Whether you need help with bringing policy writing to life, developing exciting schemes of work or hands-on and inspiring PSHE INSETs, the HELS team can create bespoke training in your school.
You will receive individual support from one of our trained advisers, who will analyse the needs of your school and can help with:
- facilitating needs’ assessments with pupils and helping staff to collate and analyse responses
- updating policies with key members of staff and governors
- consulting staff and developing schemes of work
- disseminating documents to parents/carers
- planning, delivering and evaluating staff INSET on Sex and Relationships, Drug Education or Emotional Health and Wellbeing, as well as Stress Management events. These would be identified from the staff needs’ assessment
- tailored training to meet the individual needs of the staff group to include strategies, resources and hands-on activities to help increase staff confidence and subject knowledge
- working with groups of staff in response to a difficult issue within the school, e.g. major change or bereavement
Need some support?
If you need any of our services in your school, just contact the team and we can develop a comprehensive package and give you examples of our work.