We wish children to develop a strong sense of values which guide their choices in life and to develop self-esteem and a positive attitude towards others. As well as explicit teaching of PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education), we are committed to providing excellent pastoral care, ensuring every child feels valued.
Aims
We wish children to develop a strong sense of values which guide their choices in life and to develop self-esteem and a positive attitude towards others. As well as explicit teaching of PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education), we are committed to providing excellent pastoral care, ensuring every child feels valued.
Planning and delivery
We use the Jigsaw scheme as a structure for our PSHE and Relationships lessons throughout the year. The whole school assembly programme addresses each theme, and teachers follow up with lessons in class, making use of the resources available online to support them. Jigsaw is endorsed by Bristol's Public Health Team and is used in a large number of schools.
We teach children how to develop healthy relationships with each other both in the taught curriculum and at playtimes. We use Circle Time and Drama in classes to enable them talk about and act out their emotional responses to different situations. We help them to help each other resolving conflicts, using strategies such as The Three Steps.
Teaching children about online safety is a vital element in their development of responsible attitudes to relationships and to their wellbeing. We use lesson plans from Common Sense Education to provide age appropriate lessons that equip children to enjoy the technology at their disposal safely.
Sex Education
Since 2019, Relationships and Sex Education is compulsory in all secondary schools. Relationships Education is compulsory in primary schools. Sex Education is non-statutory in primary schools, but we believe it is important for children to learn about this important aspect of relationships. They learn about their bodies and how they change as they grow. We provide a safe environment in which they can talk about their feelings and ask questions. The materials we use, from the Jigsaw scheme, are sensitively written and appropriate to the age group.
The Relationships and Sex Education Policy is reviewed by Governors regularly.
Equal opportunities and inclusion
PSHE provides a naturally inclusive platform and we use this to build a curriculum which reflects the lived experience of the people in our community and which focusses on a strong sense of belonging. As a subject, it fosters important attitudes for all children, such as independence, perseverance, responsibility and self-esteem. We teach the children about the protected characteristics of race, religion, age, disability, sex and sexual orientation, and explain that families come in 'all shapes and sizes'.
All pupils share the same statutory entitlement to a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum regardless of ability, gender and cultural background. We plan our PSHE lessons to facilitate the learning of all pupils as individuals with differing needs, backgrounds, experiences and expectations. Children with SEND may be provided with adult support, an expectation of differentiated outcomes and, where needed, differentiated tasks and adapted equipment.