Intent

At St Mary’s CE Primary School, PSHE is at the core of what we do and enables our children to become independent, confident, healthy and responsible members of society, as well as developing the ‘whole child’ intellectually, morally, socially and spiritually. Through our whole-school approach to PSHE, it is our belief that excellence in these areas will lead to excellence across the curriculum and beyond in later life. PSHE is taught across the school from Year 1- Year 6 on a weekly basis and our PSHE curriculum equips children with relevant and meaningful content, which is supported through a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. With an ever changing society, we are able to provide our children with a strong understanding of the diverse world around them and support them in playing a positive role in contributing to the school and the wider community. Weaving through the heart of our PSHE teaching, is a commitment to enhancing and promoting our core values; empowerment, ambition, collaboration, positivity, respect and integrity.

Implementation: How do we deliver the PSHE curriculum?

At St Mary’s, the emphasis placed on both PSHE and RSE blends seamlessly into everyday school life in order to maximise the impact of acquiring essential knowledge. Using a combination of the following ensures that all elements of the PSHE framework receives appropriate focus and emphasis:

School Values: The school values focus on the acquisition of key qualities that ensure pupils are able to meet St Mary’s PSHE Intent Statement. The level and depth of pupils’ understanding of individual values progresses and deepens as they themselves mature during their journey through school. Positive Relationships are central to St Mary’s values which are:

• Empowerment
• Ambition
• Collaboration
• Positivity
• Respect
• Integrity

During weekly timetabled lessons, using a combination of the PSHE/RSE Frameworks and the PSHE Association, the following topics are taught in a systematic and progressive manner:

• Relationships
• Health and wellbeing
• Living in the wider world

School Council: The School Council at St Mary’s is made up of pupils from Year Groups 1-6 with two pupils from each year group. The pupils are selected through a democratic process where the pupils put themselves forward as candidates and are then voted for by their peers. The School Council is a vehicle for pupil voice and provides a platform where this can be expressed in a meaningful and structured way to ensure that the opinions, views and ideas of all pupils can have an impact on decisions made in school.

School Safeguarding Board: Our Safeguarding Board are a group of Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils who deliver assemblies and classroom workshops on a wide range of safety topics during the school year. They work closely with Mrs Duncan to ensure that all St Mary’s pupils have a brilliant understanding about how to stay safe themselves and keep others safe.

Circle Time: Inspired by the work of Jenny Mosley, this is used as required to either expand upon the week’s lesson or explore issues that arise from the pupils’ behaviour. Behavioural expectations within Circle Time are embedded, facilitating respectful discussion and challenge, taking into consideration opinions and experiences of others in a safe environment.

Whole School Curriculum Themed Days/Weeks such as:

•  Anti- Bullying Week
• Internet Safety Day
• Black History Month
• Children’s Mental Health Week
• International Women’s Day

Extended Curriculum Opportunities: At St Mary’s, we recognise that the development of the whole child does not stop at 3.15 pm. Through the provision of a wide range of after school clubs, pupils are given the opportunity to develop their personal interests, based on the acquisition of knowledge and skills, in a safe environment. Additionally, Breakfast and After School Club facilitates wrap-around care that further enables pupils to embed and put into practice the knowledge and understanding acquired through the implementation of St Mary’s PSHE Policy. The extra-curricular opportunities further extend pupils’ learning of the wider world and relevant issues that focus the pupils’ beyond their primary education.

What does PSHE look like in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)?

PSHE education is not a discrete curriculum subject within the statutory EYFS framework. However, EYFS is still a great place to start exploring the foundations of PSHE education. The EYFS statutory framework areas of Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and Understanding the World, have close links to the PSHE education Programme of Study. Learning and development opportunities for these areas, as well as Communication and Language, can be interwoven within the pupils’ experience through daily EYFS play-based activities, role-play areas, quality children’s fiction and reflective discussion to begin to build pupils’ knowledge and understanding, skills, attitudes and attributes related to PSHE elements of education.

Supporting Pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEND) in PSHE.

SEND and disadvantaged children will have full access to the curriculum which fits with the school aims.  It is important to note, that because a pupil has been identified as having SEND, this not mean that they will require a different curriculum to the majority of pupils. However, we recognise that at times pupils will require additional support to access the curriculum.

Impact

Pupils at St Mary’s Primary School are confident, polite and considerate. They have a sound understanding of the meaning and importance of our school values and the essential requirements for effective communication and the development of positive relationships; they leave us well equipped to successfully embrace secondary education with a very real view of being an effective and happy contributor in today’s world.

Jigsaw Overview

RSE

rse-presentation to parents June 2024

At St Mary’s, we aim to ensure that all children are well-prepared for the world they face in the future – giving them the confidence, knowledge and resources they need to be successful. As part of this, we believe it is important that we give children the knowledge and skills they need to understand, develop and maintain healthy relationships throughout their life.

At the centre of our delivery of RSE in school, we aim to provide children with the following:

• A planned, age appropriate scheme of work, which is integrated within the wider school curriculum and becomes part of the general ethos within school.
• An open and safe environment where children feel safe to express themselves, ask questions, take part in discussion and develop a strong sense of self-worth – promoting positive emotional and mental wellbeing.
• An understanding of the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of varied, positive relationships (friendships, family relationships, peers and other adults).
• A secure understanding of what a healthy relationship is – taking turns, treating others with kindness, consideration and respect, importance of honesty, concept of personal space/privacy, communication.
• The opportunity to encourage positive virtues – honesty, integrity, self-control, courage, humility, kindness, forgiveness, generosity and a sense of justice.
• The skills necessary to keep themselves happy and safe, including online (addressing appropriate online behaviour).
• The confidence to challenge media stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination and promote equal opportunities.
• A curriculum which gives accurate and objective information and dispels some of the mixed messages children have received from a variety of resources – for example about family life, loving relationships and what is going to happen to their own bodies.
• An understanding of the variations in rates of growth and development and to provide reassurance that change is part of life’s cycle.

RSE in our school is a fundamental part of the PSHE curriculum. We have chosen to use the Respect Yourself scheme to deliver the main content of our RSE. This scheme teaches children to understand and respect themselves and their bodies as part of a healthy lifestyle approach.  In Year 5 and 6, there is a greater emphasis on the changes that occur in puberty. Year 6 follow the Shropshire RSE transition Programme which aims to support their ongoing emotional and physical development effectively, whilst encouraging better cross phase collaboration between Key Stages 2 and 3. Through the delivery of this scheme, we aim to provide a safe and secure learning environment in which children feel safe to express themselves, ask questions and develop their self-esteem.