Meet the Leader:

"PSHE education is the school subject through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives, now and in the future"

 PSHE Association

The value of PSHE in our Curriculum

Our school’s vision is driven by ensuring our children have a chance to shine and preparing them for a future of possibilities. This statement underpins the ways in which we ensure a whole school approach to providing an effective, sensitive and age appropriate PSHE curriculum that prepares our children for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences, now and for their whole lives. We believe that pupils have an entitlement to learn about relationships and health education as part of the wider PSHE provision.

At Prestolee, we believe that supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing is paramount. We aim to educate our children so that they can develop the personal skills they need to establish and maintain healthy relationships. Our PSHE curriculum fulfils the requirements of the statutory requirements of the Relationships and Health Education, which begins in the Early Years as we believe it is a lifelong learning process of acquiring information, developing skills and forming positive beliefs and attitudes about sexuality, relationships and feelings. It also enables young people to make responsible and informed decisions about their own health and well-being. 

Intent

At Prestolee we believe that children’s personal, social, health and economic development is paramount. We know that children need a healthy mind, heathy relationships and a good understanding of the world around them to successfully access all other areas of the curriculum.

Our PSHE curriculum aims to motivate and inspire children through a learning journey that engages and challenges all learners. We aim to meet pupils’ needs, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of adult life. Our curriculum is designed to enable children to express their emotions, needs and aspirations through a rich vocabulary. Through PSHE and RSE we want our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of a diverse society. The curriculum we have designed supports the children at Prestolee to tackle the many social, moral and cultural issues that are part of growing up. Children are encouraged to have a positive mental well-being and understand their self-worth in their role at home, school and wider community.

Our vision for every child to shine and be prepared for a future of possibilities are at the heart of our literacy-rich curriculum and all that we do at Prestolee. We want our children to reach their full potential and to know about themselves and the world around them so they can make informed decisions about their lives and know how to keep themselves safe.

Implementation

PSHE is well embedded into the ethos and daily running of our school, although we have PSHE lessons, we believe that the wider school community is where the teaching of PSHE really happens. The clear and informative messages we share about mental health, relationships and our wider world are what matter most at Prestolee, we take every opportunity to support children’s understanding of themselves and others. Through carefully thought out assemblies, the books used in our English learning journeys and the way in which we tackle day to day issues underpins our belief that PSHE is a curriculum for life. Our PSHE ethos is inclusive and supports the delivery of our broad and balanced curriculum. The PSHE learning objectives are taught based on the three core themes: Relationships, Health and Wellbeing and Living in the Wider World.

At Prestolee we have shaped our own curriculum to ensure our children have an opportunity to understand and respect our common humanity, diversity and differences, so that they can go on to form effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning. PSHE is taught discretely and within the wider curriculum. The statutory 'Relationships, Sex and Health Education' curriculum is effectively delivered by teaching staff and external agencies within PSHE lessons, alongside other subjects including Science, PE and Religious Education. Themed days and weeks are planned in areas such as online-safety and mental wellbeing to enhance our curriculum offer. 

A series of stimulating PSHE lessons are planned to enhance their knowledge and increase children’s vocabulary within each unit. These lessons include a wide range of activities and realistic experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of the school and the community. Our children take ownership of their understanding of each lesson by reflecting and expressing their ideas using appropriate rich vocabulary. We use a variety of resources to support us in the delivery of our curriculum, including Coram Life Education SCARF.  Our chosen scheme of work is tailored to help children to manage their feelings and emotions through lots of talking and real life situations and scenarios which helps to develop children’s wellbeing, relationships and understanding of the wider world.

Our curriculum allows children to revisit and consolidate their knowledge, understanding and language associated with relationships, emotions and health. Our curriculum has been designed to include opportunities to link Fundamental British Values and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development, to prepare the children for life in Modern Britain. We deliver lessons that allow children to talk and share ideas in a safe and non-judgemental environment, where they can discuss current situations and issues that are directly linked to their lives.

 The children learn key vocabulary and develop a deep knowledge within the PSHE curriculum that can be applied across the wider curriculum. In doing so, they reflect on their own experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling many of the issues that are part of growing up as they develop into a reflective and responsible citizen.

Impact

Our well-planned PSHE curriculum ensures that children develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to navigate themselves through modern life and become positive role models and effective global citizens. Children will demonstrate and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual respect, Rule of law and Liberty. Through our broad and balanced PSHE curriculum and the general ethos of our school, children know and remember more and can apply their knowledge to real life situations. The children at Prestolee are well equipped to stay safe, healthy and know how to develop good relationships. Our children demonstrate kindness and respect toward themselves and others and are able to take responsibility for their actions. They leave Prestolee with an appreciation of what it means to be a positive member of society.