As from September 2020, The Department for Education announced changes to relationships sex and health education (RSHE) following nationwide consultation. These changes came into effect at Broadwindsor Primary School from Summer term 2021.
Having completed our consultation period, Governors approved at their meeting on the 29th March 2021, the PHSE Education Policy and appendices. Please see below for the combined document – policy and all appendices.
Intent
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education at Broadwindsor Primary is weaved into our curriculum and school vision. The teaching of PSHE enables our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of our society. Our children need experiences and language to build big ambitions for their future and confidence to stand up for their rights and beliefs.
When our Young citizens leave Broadwindsor School we aim for them to have…
- Good understanding of how they are developing personally and socially, as well as the ability to tackle moral, social, cultural issues they will encounter positively and confidently.
- A wide range of skills, behaviours and strategies to live a healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced life.
- A firm preparation for being a member of a diverse society, through having a good understanding of positive healthy relationships and knowing their rights and responsibilities within their interactions with others.
- Developed a good sense of self-worth to be able to ‘live’ out what is learnt, applying it to everyday situations in the school community and beyond.
- The ability to promote their own and others well-being
What do we teach when and who teaches it?
Whole-school approach
We use the SCARF scheme from Coram Education which covers all areas of PSHE for the primary phase including statutory Relationships and Health Education as main teaching tool. We believe that all children deserve to be safe, cared for and to learn the skills they need to develop healthy relationships, and the SCARF values of Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship support this. We feel there is a natural fit between these values, our ‘purple learning’ approach and the Christian ethos and values of our school.
The Early Years Foundation Stage
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, PSHE education is about making connections; it’s strongly linked to child-led activities, including play. PSHE is taught through activities that are part of topics, as well as on an individual basis to develop personal skills such as dressing, feeding and toileting. Positive experiences are built through daily opportunities, to share and enjoy a range of different activities. Children are given the opportunity to engage in social activities, as members of a small group or occasionally during whole-school activities. Children also take part in short weekly taught sessions.
KS1 and KS2
The SCARF programme divides the year into 6 themed units and these are taught across the school; the learning deepens and broadens every year:
- Me and My Relationships: includes content on feelings, emotions, conflict resolution and friendships;
- Valuing Difference: a focus on respectful relationships and British values;
- Keeping Myself Safe: looking at keeping ourselves healthy and safe
- Rights and Responsibilities: learning about money, living the wider world and the environment;
- Being My Best: developing skills in keeping healthy, developing a growth mindset (resilience), goal-setting and achievement;
- Growing and Changing: finding out about the human body, the changes that take place from birth to old age and being safe.
PSHE lessons are usually taught by the class teacher once a week throughout the whole year using a range of interactive teaching methods, e.g. activity sheets, films, songs, online games, and drama techniques. As the majority of pupils are taught in mixed aged classes, programmes are taught in a two year rolling programme (see the long-term plan).
Children are encouraged to engage in activities that promote an understanding of themselves as growing and changing individuals, and as members of a wider community, based on their own first hand experiences. These activities also encourage pupils to understand how their choices and behaviours can affect others. They are encouraged to play and learn alongside – then collaboratively with – their peers. They may use their personal and social skills to develop or extend these activities. Children are also given the opportunity to make choices about their health and environment and are encouraged to develop a caring attitude towards others.
We believe that the skills taught through the PSHE programme of study underpin a love of learning and so we aim for opportunities to be embedded throughout our school day, including assemblies and collective worship, praise and reward system, class discussions, and dedicated curriculum time.