SCARF – Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship – offers a coherent and age-appropriate structure for the themes explored throughout the year. Younger pupils begin by developing an understanding of their own emotions and learning the foundations of friendship, cooperation and personal safety. As they progress, these themes broaden to include managing changing feelings, navigating peer interactions, developing healthy habits and becoming increasingly aware of online safety. In the older years, boys turn their attention to more complex topics such as managing pressure, forming respectful relationships, making informed choices and preparing for the wider responsibilities that accompany growing independence.

These topics are introduced in ways that encourage thoughtful reflection rather than simple recall. Lessons draw on stories, discussion and practical activities, helping ideas feel relevant to the boys’ everyday experiences. Because PSHEe is woven throughout school life – appearing in assemblies, tutor time, set activities and the informal moments of pastoral care, the themes gradually become part of a wider culture that underpins each boy’s wellbeing.

In many ways, PSHEe is a subject that can be easily overlooked. It does not produce test scores, top marks or league-table type results, and its impact cannot always be measured immediately. Yet the world our boys are growing up in is increasingly complex, filled with fast-moving information, shifting social expectations and pressures that can feel overwhelming, even at a young age. Against this backdrop, PSHEe offers something quietly powerful: the chance for boys to develop the emotional vocabulary, social understanding and reflective space they need to navigate modern life with confidence.

The outcomes of this kind of education often emerge gradually. They appear in the thoughtful way a child resolves a disagreement, in the resilience he shows when faced with a setback, or in the empathy he extends to someone who is struggling. These moments may be subtle, but they reflect deep learning – skills that will support boys not just through school, but throughout their lives. As such, PSHEe plays a vital role in equipping children to face complexities with kindness, groundedness and integrity.

As part of this ongoing journey, we will also be welcoming the SCARF team to school next week (2–4 December) to lead their annual workshops. These sessions bring the curriculum to life for all our boys, from Reception to Year 6, in an engaging and interactive way. They also offer pupils the chance to explore key ideas with visiting specialists who work closely with schools across the country.

Through this combined approach – structured curriculum, caring relationships and a strong pastoral culture – the aim is to equip pupils with the emotional awareness and social understanding that will support them long after their time here at Pilgrims’. It is a steady, thoughtful process of growth, and one that the whole school community plays an important part in nurturing.

Craig Cuyler
Director of Wellbeing and Head of PSHE