PHSE

Intent

Personal, Health and Social Education is taught through a mixture of discrete lessons, cross curricular lessons and as extra-curricular activities (e.g. assemblies, trips). As the curriculum focuses on topics that are relevant to children at different stages of their life, many unplanned discussions arise and are encouraged, which also forms part of children’s learning in this subject. Within each topic , children are taught a number of skills that will help them navigate their interactions with the world around them. In each year group, children learn how to work effectively with others (both as a partner and a member of a group) and also how to conduct themselves, specifically managing emotions and feelings when faced with a challenge. With changes continually happening in the world around them, children are taught how to welcome differences and diversity and also how to engage in discussion with others who may not approach things in the same way.

To ensure children are learning about topics that are not only relevant to them but also to the changing world around them, they are introduced to current issues such as recycling, keeping safe online and drugs (including smoking and alcohol). Also, with an increase in mental health awareness, children are taught how to look after themselves and their feelings in Year 2, and then as they progress through the school, children learn about self-esteem and how to cope when they feel negatively about themselves.

To ensure children are prepared for life after primary school, children learn about ‘real-world’ topics that give them the skills and knowledge to deal with potentially tricky situations. For example, in Year 4, children learn about the Emergency Services and how/why you might contact them. Whilst in Year 5, children take part in a topic called ‘Money Matters’, where they learn about budgeting and what money is spent on, both at a personal level and also a higher level (e.g. what our school spends money on). Children are also introduced to their rights and responsibilities, not only as a pupil at this school, but as a member of their wider community – often discussing news items that are relevant to them and their wider understanding of the world.

Relationship education is integrated in all year groups in different age-appropriate ways, starting with different types of relationships, such as family and friendships, in KS1 and moving onto how to manage different relationships in KS2. However, the main teaching of sex and relationships is part of the summer curriculum in Year 5.

British values are part of the PHSE curriculum and children are introduced to each value throughout the school in a way that is relevant to their learning and also which integrates into other aspects of their curriculum. In Year 6 there is a strong focus on democracy and they practise this through creating campaigns to become elected as school councillors.