PSHE/RSE at St Mary’s
Intent
At St Mary’s we aim for our children to leave us with the knowledge, understanding and emotions to be able to play an active, positive and successful role in today’s diverse society. We want our children to have high aspirations, a belief in themselves and realise that anything is possible if they put their mind to it. In an ever–changing world, it is important that they are aware, to an appropriate level, of different factors which will affect their world and that they learn how to deal with these so that they have good mental health and well-being.
Our PSHE curriculum has been created to ensure the children acquire the knowledge and skills which will enable them to access the wider curriculum and prepare them to be a global citizen now and in their future roles within a global community. It promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for later life. Our Relationships and Sex Education enables our children to learn how to be safe, and to understand and develop healthy relationships, both now and in their future lives.
Implementation
Our PSHE curriculum is woven through our Values Curriculum, RE Curriculum, RSE Curriculum and alongside other subjects so that learning and experiences are fully developed for the child during their time in Primary School. We use key event and awareness days/weeks to initiate the learning alongside discreet lessons.
Our PSHE curriculum is planned through these key themes
● Health & Wellbeing which includes Physical and Mental Health, Internet Safety, Healthy Eating, Drugs, Alcohol & Tobacco, Health & Prevention, Growing & Changing & Basic First Aid.
● Our Wider World which includes British Values, Shared Responsibilities, Our Communities, Money, Aspirations, Work & Career
● Relationships which includes family, friends, respectful relationships (including those online), our behaviour and interactions with others
● Moral & Spiritual which includes our roles as Christian people in our society and our Christian beliefs
Our Relationships and Sex Education is taught using ‘Life to the Full’ by Ten:Ten and in line with our Catholic Ethos as a Catholic School. We are confident that our Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education delivers a curriculum which underpins the Church’s moral teaching and is accessible to all. Whilst working alongside DfE guidance, our aims are to support our children to grow in love; understanding their own self-worth and loving themselves so that in turn they are able to love their neighbours.
Our RSE Curriculum includes;
● Families and close positive relationships
● Friendships
● Managing hurtful behaviour and bullying
● Safe relationships including those online
● Respecting self and others
Our RSE curriculum links closely with our work in PSHE and our curriculum is woven throughout our RE and Values Curriculums.
Substantive Knowledge in PSHE & RSE is threaded throughout each strand – the substantive knowledge for each strand is progressive and is designed to be delivered in a sequence that allows for connection-making across the topics. The knowledge becomes more complex and age-specific as the children progress through their year group and through school. This will include subject specific and progressive vocabulary which encourages the children to articulate their learning and understanding. This includes, but is not limited to the ability to; form friendships and relationships; manage emotions within relationships; recognise the value of difference; learn to forgive and be forgiven; develop self-esteem and confidence and build resilience; be aware of online safety; know how to be mentally and physically healthy.
Disciplinary knowledge in PSHE is the social and emotional skills acquired, and the interpretation of themselves and how to support themselves and others through changes. This will include articulating feelings and emotions, listening and communicating, awareness of others and their beliefs and values, making choices and understanding consequences.
Assessment
In both PSHE and RSE a wide range of opportunities will be offered to the children to support them to be able to clearly show their knowledge and understanding. This can be done through quizzes, role plays, videos, written tasks, posters, mind maps and other age appropriate activities.
Impact
By the time our children leave St Mary’s they will:
be able to approach a range of real-life situations and apply their skills and attributes to help navigate themselves through modern life
be on their way to becoming healthy, open minded, respectful, socially and morally responsible, active members of society
appreciate difference and diversity
recognise and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual respect, Rule of law and Liberty
be able to understand and manage their emotions
be able to look after their mental health and well-being and recognise this in others
be able to develop positive, healthy relationship with their peers both now and in the future.
understand the physical aspects involved in RSE at an age appropriate level
have respect for themselves and others.
have a positive self-esteem and be resilient to changing situations
Safety Week
