PSHE/ RSE
Subject Intent:
Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education isn’t just another school subject. It’s a chance to give every child an equal opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in society, now and in the future. With the right PSHE education children will be resilient, compassionate members of our community. They will demonstrate inclusivity and appreciate the world’s diversity. PSHE plays an integral part in preparing children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
We aim for children to leave Otley and Witnesham Primary School fully prepared for their next steps in education and life in modern Britain. We inspire our children to be successful, independent life-long learners with the skills to build and maintain friendships, to recognise and manage their emotions, to know how to keep themselves safe and to understand and manage change in their lives, including as their bodies change and their role as a global citizen.
British Values are strongly embedded within our PSHE curriculum. We actively promote the democratic process through our school council. Children understand that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected by law. They are taught to be accepting of those who have different beliefs to them and know that there is zero-tolerance for those that display discriminatory behaviour.
Lessons are varied and include a range of teaching styles to suit the needs of all children and there are many opportunities for PSHE to be enriched through visitors and awareness days held within school.
Implementation:
PSHE is taught by class teachers with some PSHE topics embedded within other subjects, especially within PE, Computing and Science, for example the teaching of online safety within Computing lessons. The curriculum is based on the frameworks of the National Curriculum and Kapow’s PSHE programme of study which fulfils the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education set out by the Department for Education. It also fulfils the National Curriculum requirement to teach PSHE and goes beyond the statutory requirements by referring to the PSHE Association Programme of Study which is recommended by the Department for Education.
The PSHE curriculum is split into the five key themes: Family and Friendships; Health and Wellbeing; Safety and the Changing Body; Citizenship and Economic Wellbeing. These themes hold the same importance within teaching, and topics are taught on a spiral basis. Topics are revisited across Year A and Years B ensuring that children’s understanding is deepened. This allows for progression and retention of key skills and knowledge, and also the introduction of some concepts at an age-appropriate point.
PSHE education will be provided to all children within our school. Teaching will be differentiated and personalised to suit their individual context. PSHE education will be taught on a weekly basis, with some content also being taught through other subject areas, and within other contexts, such as assemblies.
A taught session may look very different in one year group to the next - class teachers have discretion to plan and deliver teaching that suits the individual needs of their class, whilst ensuring that all curriculum content is covered effectively. There is no expectation that children complete formal written recording of teaching and occasionally some lessons may be talk based and have no written outcome at all.
Key Stage 1
In Year A (24-25), children start the autumn term with the topic Families, Relationships and Citizenship. They learn about friendships, families and other people’s feelings and how we are similar but different. In the spring, they will explore their health and wellbeing including their economic wellbeing where they will explore their own feelings and ways to stay happy and healthy including the difference between and want and a need. As the holidays approach, the children will begin to understand how to keep themselves safe including the adults who can help us stay safe.
In Year B (23-24), the children will explore these topics again building on previous learning. Where in the autumn term they will look at the needs of people and how to take care of each other and how to deal with loss. The children will then move onto exploring how to look after themselves physically and mentally including developing a growth mindset. Finally, discovering how to keep themselves safe at home together with whilst using the internet.
Lower Key Stage 2
In Year A (24-25), children start the autumn term with the topic Families, Relationships and Citizenship. They learn about healthy friendships plus bullying, the need for rules and human rights. In the spring, they will explore their wellbeing and the wonderful person that is themselves. Discovering what superpowers they hold and the impact their spending choices have on their economic wellbeing. Approaching the Summer, the children will develop their understanding and knowledge on how to keep themselves safe online by safe sharing choices and how to deal with cyberbullying.
In Year B (23-24) the autumn term will start with the children investigating effective communication within healthy families and their rights as a child. The children will then move onto discovering how to keep themselves mentally healthy by discussing emotions, what impacts their emotions and strategies to keep us emotionally healthy and how their emotions can impact their spending habits. As the year comes to an end, the children will focus on how peers can influence their choices and revisit some intent safety topics including age appropriate apps and games.
Upper Key Stage 2
In Year A (24-25), children will also start the autumn term with the topic Families, Relationships and Citizenship. They learn about respecting themselves and what makes a healthy friendship plus how they can contribute to the wider community. In the spring, they will explore how to aim high and go for their goals including how to embrace failure. During the last term, the children will extend their knowledge of staying safe online. It is at this point that the class will be split for some PSHE lessons with Year 5 beginning to understand puberty and the menstruation cycle while the children within Year 6 will begin to develop their understanding of the emotional and physical changes of the body during puberty.
In Year B (23-24) the autumn term will begin with the children learning about peer pressure and how to effectively deal with conflicts within friendships. They will also revisit the topic of loss and how we can deal with loss. In the spring term, the children will learn about how to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing including strategies for developing their own resilience. During the summer term, the children will extend their knowledge of basic first aid. Again, it is at this point that the class will be split for some PSHE lessons with Year 5 beginning to understand puberty and the menstruation cycle while the children within Year 6 will begin to develop their understanding of the emotional and physical changes of the body during puberty.
Useful Websites:
Suffolk Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing Hub Information, advice and support for anyone concerned about the emotional wellbeing and mental health of a child or young person aged 0-25 years: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/
School Nursing Team: https://www.suffolk.gov.
Good Wellbeing: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/, https://www.place2be.org.uk/, https://www.childline.org.uk/
Safeguarding: NSPCC Helpline for concerns about a child: 0808 800 5000, https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
Online safety: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/