Curriculum Statement for PSHE
At Lancaster Lane, we believe that Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) forms the foundations of learning. Our PSHE curriculum is designed to prepare children with the skills that they need to become successful, resilient, compassionate and empathic individuals. This ensures that children are equipped with the skills for later life and, as a result, become positive contributors to society. We give them the understanding, skills and confidence they need to tackle many of the social, moral, spiritual and cultural issues that they will face growing up within an ever-changing society. Moreover, the teaching of PSHE across the Key Stages ensures that children develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to make key decisions that will keep them safe now, and in the future.
This policy covers our school’s approach to statutory guidance on Relationships Education, Health Education (HRE) and all non-statutory elements of PSHE.
PSHE Curriculum
Our EYFS children are taught to ‘make relationships’, ‘manage their feelings and behaviours’ and develop their ‘self-confidence and awareness’. Children are taught to play co-operatively, take turns when playing games and during discussions, as well as showing sensitivity to others’ needs and feelings. Children talk about how they and others show their feelings, talk about their own and others’ behaviour, and its consequences. They will learn that some behaviour is unacceptable. Children work as part of a group or class to understand and follow the rules. They adjust their behaviour to different situations and take changes of routine in their stride. We enhance children’s confidence and self-awareness by encouraging them to try new activities and discuss preferences. Children leave EFYS confident to speak in a familiar group and talk about their ideas.
In Key Stages 1 and 2 we teach PSHE discretely each week, following the PSHE Association Programme of Study. We have intertwined the statutory guidance outlined in the government’s latest Health and Relationships guidance within our curriculum. We have used this guidance to form the foundations of our primary curriculum. It is also important to note that whilst we have built our curriculum around the latest guidance, we have adapted it to suit the needs of all our learners. In order to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met and our programme is pertinent to the needs of our children, we have used relevant local data and school information (such as CPOMS and attendance statistics) related to Relationships/Health/PSHE education to inform planning. To address the needs of the wider whole school community within the local area, we have used data from the Health Needs Assessment and Health LSIP. This includes Public Health data on road traffic accidents, attendance at A&E, alcohol and drug use, social deprivation, family life and career and life chances.
Our PSHE curriculum is designed so that it develops children’s self-esteem, resilience and confidence. It helps to shape children’s sense of identity through understanding themselves, their relationships and their emotions. It not only gives children empathy and the ability to work alongside others, but it informs them of healthy relationships and what these should look like. It gives children the skills to form and maintain healthy relationships and the knowledge to understand what these should look like within a range of contexts; from family life to less familiar peers. PSHE allows our pupils to understand how to ask for help should they need it. It gives children the skills to understand lifestyle choices that can both positively and negatively affect their mental and physical health, whilst encouraging, where possible, children to make positive changes to their lifestyle. It informs children about risk, what it looks like, how to manage it and what influences their choices and possible consequences. Our curriculum helps children understand the wider world – from learning how to cross the road safely in EYFS and KS1, to budgeting and managing money in Key Stage 2.
Relationships Education and Health Education Curriculum
DfE statutory guidance states that from summer term 2021 (originally September 2020 before covid-19 pandemic) all Primary schools must deliver Relationships Education to primary aged children.
Both ‘Relationships Education’ and ‘Health and Wellbeing Education’ is embedded within our PSHE curriculum. We have mapped out statutory objectives across each year group, ensuring that we have been proactive and preventative in meeting the needs of our learners.
Statutory Guidance on Relationships Education KS1 & 2
We have used the statutory guidance within ‘Relationships Education’ to inform our PSHE curriculum. Within the document there are 5 subheadings. The headings include:
- Families and people who care for me
- Caring Friendships
- Respectful relationships
- Online relationships
- Being safe
Statutory Guidance on Physical Health and Wellbeing Education (Health Education) KS1 & 2
We have used the statutory guidance within ‘Health and Wellbeing Education’ to create our PSHE curriculum. Within the document there are 8 subheadings. The headings include:
- Mental wellbeing
- Internet safety and harms
- Physical health and fitness
- Healthy eating
- Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- Health and prevention
- Basic first aid
- Changing adolescent body
Creating a Safe and Supportive Learning Environment
The school creates a safe learning environment that allows children to gain accurate knowledge and develop their own values and attitudes. It facilitates opportunities for children to develop skills to grow into happy, confident and successful adults. All members of staff are role models and support positive working relationships with their pupils. At the start of each year group, agreements are negotiated with classes in order to establish and maintain a safe learning environment for both pupils and staff.
Due to the nature of the subject, there may be times when children ask questions out of the context of the planned lesson. Primary aged pupils will often ask their teachers or other adults questions which go beyond what is set out for HRE. If children do ask about issues linked to topics, they will be dealt with appropriately and sensitively. Teachers will seek parental collaboration where necessary. Given the ease of access to the internet, children whose questions go unanswered may turn to inappropriate sources of information; this is something we seek to avoid.
Children will be free to ask questions in an anonymous way should they prefer i.e. using a question box.
Working With Parents and Carers
In light of statutory government guidance, a parental consultation was held regarding aspects of our PSHE curriculum. It offered an opportunity for them to ask questions, look at the range of resources that are used within teaching and develop a school-wide understanding of how PSHE is taught. It also gave parents insight into the PSHE Curriculum taught, which is additional to statutory requirements e.g. Sex Education.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from any aspect of non-statutory sex education, however parents do not have the right to withdraw their children from the statutory aspects of the science curriculum. This includes aspects of human development.
In line with the new government guidance, parents do not have the right to withdraw their children from the HRE curriculum.
Enrichment
PSHE within our primary setting offers plenty of enrichment opportunities. As a school, we encourage children to take on extra responsibilities such as school councillors, pupil parliamentarians and children are elected as captains of each of the 4 house teams. All children are placed into a team across all year groups and this fosters a school wide community spirit. As children grow older we help realise their sense of responsibility within the wider community; children are actively encouraged to play an active role. Year 6 visit the local residential home and perform a remembrance assembly, which the mayor is invited to each year.
PSHE supports strong links with many other subjects and we identify purposeful cross-curricular links to enhance learning and help pupils identify connections. In particular, PSHE links well with RE, History and Science e.g in Year 2 children learn about The Great Fire of London and are encouraged to consider how people felt at the time and how people helped each other.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Assessment
PSHE is assessed by class teachers following each taught unit. The teacher will ensure all objectives (both knowledge and skills based) are taught over the course of the units and an end of year assessment will also be gained. The Subject Leader receives this information from class teachers (end of unit assessments and end of year) to ascertain how PSHE is being delivered. This helps to identify strengths and any areas for development which can be tackled appropriately.
Last reviewed January 2024.