PSHE

Aims and Purposes

To be thriving individuals, family members and members of society the following knowledge and skills need to be developed throughout primary school.

Intent

Our intent is for all children to be immersed in a high-quality PSHE education that equips them with the essential knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to:

· Build positive and respectful relationships

· Maintain their physical and mental health and well-being

· Stay safe in a range of situations

· Be responsible, active citizens who are prepared for life and work in modern Britain

Through this curriculum, we aim to develop confident, resilient learners who are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the wider world.

Implementation

Our Primary RSE and PSHE curriculum meets the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education, as outlined by the Department for Education. It also fulfils the National Curriculum expectation that "all schools should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE)." The scheme is fully mapped to the statutory requirements through the use of the PSHE Association’s Programme of Study, which is recommended by the DfE. This ensures a comprehensive and consistent approach to coverage and progression across all year groups. Children’s learning through this scheme makes a significant contribution to their personal development and also actively promotes the four fundamental British values, which are essential for life in modern Britain. Democracy, Rule of law, Respect and tolerance and Individual liberty. By embedding these values throughout the curriculum, pupils are supported in becoming respectful, responsible, and active members of society.

We follow a whole-school approach, with content structured around key developmental areas appropriate to each phase:

Aligned with the Personal, Social and Emotional Development prime area of the EYFS Framework, learning is organised into three core strands:

· Self-regulation

· Managing self

· Building relationships

From Year 1 to Year 6, PSHE is structured around five key themes (with an additional theme in Year 6):

· Families and relationships

· Health and wellbeing

· Safety and the changing body

· Citizenship

· Economic wellbeing

· Identity (Year 6 only)

This structure ensures pupils develop a deepening understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them, while building the knowledge and skills to lead safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives.

The lessons are based upon the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Sex education has been included in line with the DfE recommendations and is covered in Year 6 of our scheme. The scheme supports the requirements of the Equality Act through direct teaching in addition to the inclusion of diverse teaching resources throughout the lessons. All lessons include ideas for differentiation to stretch the most able learners and give additional support to those who need it. There are meaningful opportunities for cross-curricular learning, in particular with Computing for online safety and Science for growing, nutrition, teeth, diet and lifestyle. The scheme provides consistent messages throughout the age ranges including how and where to access help.

In addition to the delivery of a planned, scheduled PSHE curriculum, reactive sessions and bespoke objectives are incorporated into the year group curriculums and The Laidlaw Trust virtues (Ambitious, Brave, Curious, Determination, Extraordinary, Good and Fast) promoted and celebrated throughout Primary and across its curriculum. Pupils have opportunities to have special responsibilities, including Head Person(s) and Prefects (Year 6 only), classroom monitors, Student Council, Mini Police and Wellbeing, Digital and Sports Leaders. Students are involved in decisions that impact on them, helping them to feel part of the school and wider community and to have some control over their lives. The PSHE curriculum is enhanced through outside agencies and guest speakers including Oral Health Promoter, School Nurse, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Fire Brigade, Northumbria Police and the Change 4 Life team. A record of the learning process is presented in photographs, children’s work, assemblies and through workshops and displays, and evident in the behaviours of children around school and in classrooms.

Impact

Each PSHE lesson includes clear assessment opportunities to identify whether pupils have met, exceeded, or not yet met the intended learning outcomes. Every unit is supported by two key assessment tools:

· Assessment Quiz: A 10-question quiz (nine of which are multiple-choice) that can be used at the end of a unit or at both the start and end. This helps to measure progress, identify gaps in understanding, and inform future teaching.

· Knowledge Catcher: A visual tool (presented as a mind map or table) listing key lesson themes. It is used at the start of a unit to assess prior knowledge and inform planning, and revisited at the end of the unit so pupils can add new learning—providing a clear demonstration of progression.

The impact of our Primary PSHE curriculum is that pupils:

· Know how to keep themselves physically and mentally safe

· Approach new challenges with confidence and set personal goals

· Understand that every living thing has rights, and that protecting those rights is a shared responsibility

· Develop a positive sense of self and recognise that pressure to behave or think in certain ways can come from various sources—and learn how to manage that pressure

· Recognise and respect the value of every individual in society, contributing positively to the wellbeing of others

· Understand that bullying, discrimination, and prejudice are unacceptable in all forms

· Are equipped with the language, confidence, and knowledge to know when, where, and how to seek help

This ensures that our pupils leave primary school as emotionally literate, socially responsible, and well-prepared young citizens, ready to navigate the wider world.