PSHE and RSHE

“Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable.” - Unknown

PSHE Lead - Miss Lizzie Stokes

What is PSHE?

PSHE is personal, social, health and economic education. Evidence shows that personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education can improve the physical and psychosocial well-being of pupils. Pupils with better health and well-being can achieve better academically, which in turn leads to greater success. Within this, children learn key citizenship knowledge, skills and understanding.

RSHE (Relationship, Sex and Health Education) is taught at St Dennis Primary Academy as part of our PSHE curriculum.  Children learn about the key building blocks of healthy, respectful relationships, focusing on family and friendships, in all contexts, including online. This sits alongside the essential understanding of how to be healthy.

Intent

Our aim at St Dennis Primary Academy is to provide pupils with a knowledge of the world we live in, locally, nationally and globally and give them confidence to tackle many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up within this.

We aim to have a PSHE curriculum that ties in with the school’s visions and values and that provides the children in our care with a programme of study that matches their specific needs. 

Teachers will be knowledgeable of the school’s agreed programme of study for PSHE and all pupils will receive purposefully planned explicit and implicit learning opportunities.

PSHE will be embedded in the wider curriculum across the school and will underpin all learning that takes place.

We aim for pupils to feel that their voices are valued as they contribute to both the school and wider community.

It is our intent that pupils learn about:

• families and people who care for them
• caring friendships
• respectful relationships
• online relationships
• being safe
• the environment
• money
• physical health and fitness
• healthy eating
• mental wellbeing
• drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• health prevention
• basic first aid
• the changing adolescent body
• age appropriate sex education
• internet safety and harms

Implentation

St Dennis Primary Academy has a PSHE curriculum that focuses on the three areas of Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World. Our school follows a personalised, well thought out plan that provides progression across the year groups and ensures detailed coverage of all topics. 

We use a range of resources to ensure a well sequenced and progressive curriculum coverage, that is delivered in an engaging and informative way. 

Commissioned by Cornwall Council, with contributions from the Headstart Kernow team funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, Brook Learn lessons have been designed and quality-assured by subject-matter experts and organisations specialising in PSHE topics.

CWP resources provide popular, high quality teaching materials. They have extensive experience of providing schools with RSE and Drug and Alcohol Education.

Circle Time sessions take place weekly in all classes, involving all pupils and members of staff. These are an integral part of the PSHE curriculum, providing pupils with valuable opportunities to develop a wide range of skills and attitudes such as confidence, self-esteem, and Oracy. Each half term there is a whole school PSHE theme, as well as classes having the chance to explore any topics in response to the current needs of the children.

The school community takes part in national campaigns related to PSHE such as Antibullying Week and Safer Internet Day. Real life opportunities are provided where possible, including visitors and trips. Learning surrounding these events is celebrated through school’s social media and website. This helps to engage the wider community about the issues raised, and highlights the learning taking place.

Impact

Our PSHE curriculum is well thought out and is sequenced to demonstrate progression in knowledge, skills and vocabulary. Children deepen their understanding of how to be healthy, safe, well-informed individuals within the world around them.

• Children demonstrate and apply the British Values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, rule of law and individual liberty.
• Children demonstrate a healthy outlook towards school and behaviour is consistently good.
• Children achieve age related expectations across the wider curriculum.
• Children become healthy and responsible members of society.
• Children will be on their journey preparing them for life and work in modern Britain.
• Children develop positive and healthy relationships with their peers both now and in the future.
• Children understand the physical aspects involved in RSE at an age-appropriate level.
• Children have respect for themselves and others.

British Values

PSHE links well with British Values as many of the topics are intertwined. Pupils at St Dennis Primary Academy have experience of democracy when electing both School Council and Eco Club members. They can exercise individual liberty when deciding upon changes they would like to see made within school. The rule of law is adopted when classes create their own Circle Time rules and tolerance and mutual respect are learnt about through occasions such as Antibullying Week, where lessons are planned to specifically meet the needs of our children.

Community links

Linking PSHE with the community is key to immerse pupils in learning whilst providing real life context. At St Dennis Primary Academy we welcome visits from the local police and fire crews when learning about keeping safe. Pupils go into the local community to do litter picks and traffic surveys when learning about environmental issues. Parents and carers are invited into school for our ‘Fabulous Finishes’ to share our education and visits to places such as our local church and leisure centre are a frequent occurrence. Achievements outside of school are also celebrated on our weekly newsletter and the children take part in national fundraising campaigns.

How to support PSHE teaching at home

The best way to support your child with their PSHE learning at home is through discussions and open conversations. There are lots of great websites which have content and activities to share with your child. Here are some to explore together:

www.nhs.uk/change4life

www.healthforkids.co.uk/grownups

www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/underwear-rule

Guidance Documents