PSHE & RSE

Our Approach to PSHE

Rationale

At Bredgar Church of England Primary School, we consider PSHE to be a vital and necessary part of all children’s education that enables them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. PSHE is not just another subject to be taught, rather it provides all children with an equal opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive and flourish now and in the future. We are helping to plant in them lifelong aspirations, goals and values that will help them to grow into kind and compassionate members of the wider community.

 Our Scheme of Work

Our PSHE programme reflects the needs of our children and builds upon the statutory content outlined by the Department for Education. It draws upon the guidance of the PSHE Association Programme of Study, as well as resources from the Kapow Primary Scheme of Work in order to cultivate a sound understanding of risk as well as developing the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions. In addition, we call upon the Church of England endorsed, Winter Project Program of Study, to provide specific Relationship and Sex Education.

 Teaching and Learning in PSHE

PSHE will be taught both incidentally, as and when a specific need arises, and explicitly in order to ensure that specific knowledge and skills develop in the following key areas: Relationships, Health and Wellbeing and Living in the Wider World. Key themes around family, friendship, physical and mental health, personal safety, citizenship, and economic wellbeing are explored across each Key Stage on a two-year cycle. RSE units are taught in year groups in the latter terms of each year and an additional theme of identity is considered in Year 6 as part of preparation for Secondary.

PSHE is woven throughout our curriculum, with opportunities to explore, develop and deepen the children’s understanding of themselves, others and the wider world across all subjects. In addition, weekly timetabling ensures that PSHE is treated with same level of relevance as other core subjects. Teachers also take advantage of opportunities for incidental PSHE in response to pupil voice, need and moments of spiritual connection.

 Approach to PSHE in EYFS

In Reception, PSHE is covered within the Personal Social and Emotional Development (PSED) area of the Early Years curriculum. We consider children’s PSED as vital for the cultivation of healthy and happy lives, as well as being fundamental for their cognitive development. Supporting their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Strong, warm and nurturing relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. Our children are supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and wait for what they want and direct attention as necessary. Through adult modelling and guidance, they learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and manage personal needs independently. Through guided interaction with other children, they learn how to make good friendships, co-operate and resolve conflicts peaceably. These attributes will provide a secure foundation from which they can achieve at school and in later life. Our children are expected to achieve all aspects of the three Early Learning Goals within PSED – Self-regulation, Managing-self and Building Relationships – in order to be assessed as having reached a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of EYFS.

 PSED is the thread that weaves through each term’s Topics and activities for learning. It can be seen to grow throughout the year through high quality interactions in modelled Child Initiated time, daily group discussions, sharing circles and specific PSED times. It is recorded on the online platform, Tapestry.

 Our Approach to RSE.

Rationale

At Bredgar Church of England Primary School, RSE [Relationships and Sex Education] is a vital element of our PSHE Curriculum. We place the understanding and development of good relationships first in our approach to learning about Sex and Physical Health. It is an important and necessary part of all children’s education which enables them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. RSE is a mandatory part of the National Curriculum, promoting the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our children and of society. It is essential to prepare our children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Through PSHE and RSE we are helping to plant in them lifelong aspirations, goals and values that will support them to grow into kind, compassionate and responsible members of the wider community.

 Our Scheme of Work

We follow the Christopher Winter Project for RSE. This Church of England approved scheme of work reflects the needs of our children and builds upon the statutory content outlined by the Department for Education. It takes the form of a spiral curriculum with schemes of work and lesson plans that combine a range of teaching styles and active learning techniques. It empowers teachers to deliver high quality sex and relationships education supporting them through:

• pupil needs assessment
• joint planning
• team-teaching
• coaching
• schemes of work and lesson plans
• innovative resources
• assessment and evaluation

Teaching and Learning in RSE

RSE is taught in all year groups from Reception to Year 6. Each year group has a set of 3 interconnected lessons and is generally taught in the latter terms of each year, depending upon the needs of each specific cohort. An additional PSHE theme of ‘Identity’ from the Kapow Scheme of Work, is taught in Year 6 as further preparation for Secondary.