Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)
Intent
What we are aiming for in PSHE:
At Bishops Down Primary School, we value PSHE as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. PSHE is integral in instilling curiosity and forming enquiring minds; it allows children to ask questions, consider reasoned judgements and develop criticality. As pupils progress through the curriculum, the learning experiences will help to develop an understanding of personal values and making choices, to build resilience, awareness of self and of others, and provide time for learning self-reflection and self-regulation. The PSHE curriculum teaches children the knowledge and skills to be safe and healthy, but it should also provide pupils with the agency to want to explore and develop their own learning to achieve goals.
Implementation
What PSHE looks like in our school:
At Bishops Down Primary School, we follow a ‘spiral programme’ for PSHE, which introduces new and more challenging learning, while building on what has gone before, and reflects and meets the personal developmental needs of the children and young people. We use resources from the SCARF scheme to ensure that we include key topics that allow the children to develop their knowledge and skills. The curriculum includes topics on Relationships Education and Health Education. Staff teach using guidance from the PSHE Association; there are a range of different approaches, which include the following:
- Be positive: we take a positive approach which does not attempt to induce shock or guilt but focuses on what children and young people can do to keep themselves and others healthy and safe and to lead happy and fulfilling lives
- Be interactive: we offer a wide variety of teaching and learning styles within PSHE education, with an emphasis on interactive learning and the teacher as facilitator.
- Be truthful: we provide information which is realistic and relevant and which reinforces positive social norms.
- Promote reflection: we encourage young people to reflect on their learning and the progress they have made, and to transfer what they have learned to say and to do from one school subject to another, and from school to their lives in the wider community.
- Make links: we recognise that the PSHE education programme is just one part of what a school can do to help a child to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding they need to fulfil their potential. Linking the PSHE education programme to other whole school approaches and providing a setting where the responsible choice becomes the easy choice helps support children to develop personal responsibility and awareness of others.
- Be available: we embed PSHE education within other teaching opportunities, such as assemblies, to ensure children and young people have positive relationships with adults, feel valued and where those who are most vulnerable are identified and supported.
- Role play and modelling: we deliver opportunities for children and young people to make real decisions about their lives, to take part in activities which simulate adult choices and where they can demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for their decisions.
- Provide safe spaces: we ensure a safe and supportive learning environment where children and young people can develop the confidence to ask questions, challenge the information they are offered, draw on their own experience, express their views and opinions and put what they have learned into practice in their own lives.
Impact
What we want our children to be able to say and do:
The PSHE curriculum supports children to respect and appreciate the ideas, perspectives and values of others. Children learn the skills to be resilient to failures or rejection and move forward in the face of adversity. They learn the skills to be a learner, with opportunities to learn how to reflect on work or ideas. They learn how to be self-reflective and how to judge success or view progress. Our children gain an understanding of mental health and develop the skills needed to be able to take care of their wellbeing and the wellbeing of friends and families, and how they can contribute positively to their communities and the planet.
Useful Resources
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-social-health-and-economic-education-pshe/personal-social-health-and-economic-pshe-education
We use resources from the Coram Life Education scheme. The website has a wide range of resources for parents to support their children's mental health and wellbeing. You can access the resources following the link below:
