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Northbourne ce
Primary School

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PSHE - including Relationships and Health Education

Intent

At Northbourne we use the ‘Jigsaw’ PSHE programme, which ensures that we have a wide coverage of the subject areas at age appropriate levels. ‘Jigsaw’ is approved by The Church of England and therefore is in-line with the school’s faith requirements.

PSHE at Northbourne promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school. It also prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. PSHE runs throughout everything we do at school as it underpins how we want children to learn and grow. We also make strong links between the school values of "independence, resilience, emotional intelligence, inquisitiveness, collaboration and communication." This enables us to have a holistic ethos to our PSHE curriculum.

We feel that it is important to promote good mental health so that children feel confident in understanding and managing their feelings, understanding others’ feelings and being able to share them when they need to. Our children also learn about and celebrate diversity in order to help them to appreciate different races, cultures and ways of life. Our children make positive links within the local community to develop their understanding of being a good citizen and to enable them to see the wider picture of life as they develop their own dreams and goals.

Implementation

EYFS – In Reception, PSHE is taught as an integral part of topic work and is embedded throughout the curriculum. The objectives taught are the Personal, Social and Emotional Development statements from ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ and the PSED Early Learning Goals. Reception also use the ‘Jigsaw’ materials when appropriate.

Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 – At Key Stage 1 and 2, PSHE is taught through a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. We ensure we cover the Health and Well-Being, Relationships and Living in the Wider World Learning Opportunities set out in the PSHE Association’s Programme of Study, which comprehensively covers the statutory Health Education and Relationships Education guidance.

PSHE is taught as discrete units and lessons to ensure coverage. Pupils are taught PSHE using ‘Jigsaw’ which is a spiral, progressive scheme of work, covering all of the above and ‘aims to prepare children for life, helping them to know and value who they are and understand how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world’. There is a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. It includes mindfulness to allow children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration and focus.

At Northbourne CE Primary School, in addition to Relationships Education, we also teach aspects of Sex Education. Alongside this we teach about different kinds of relationships because it is important that our children should have an understanding of the full diversity of the world they live in and be prepared for life in modern Britain. The Sex Education aspects of PSHE are also taught through the ‘Jigsaw’ scheme of work.

PSHE is taught through Jigsaw’s six half termly themes with each year group studying the same unit at the same time (at their own level):

Autumn 1: Being Me in My World

Autumn 2: Differences (including anti-bullying)

Spring 1: Dreams and Goals

Spring 2: Healthy Me

Summer 1: Relationships

Summer 2: Changing Me (including Sex Education)

The six Puzzles in Jigsaw are designed to progress in sequence from September to July. Each Puzzle has six Pieces (lessons). Each Piece (lesson) has two Learning Intentions: one is based on specific PSHE learning and one is based on social and emotional development. The puzzles are designed so that all year groups in the school are following the same themes at the same time, contributing to a whole school approach. We begin with the Being Me in My World puzzle. It is important that this is delivered first as it sets up the Jigsaw Charter for the year in the classroom and is part of building a class community. We then move to the Celebrating Difference puzzle during the second half of the Autumn term and this is timed to fit in with Anti-Bullying Week that takes place at a similar time. In the Spring term we move onto the Dreams and Goals puzzle as this fits in with the theme of a new year in January and looking forwards as we often do at this time of year. Following this we move onto the Healthy Me and Relationships puzzlesThese units can tackle some of the more controversial topics such as medicines and drugs so we feel they are better introduced at this point when a safe learning environment is well established and children feel settled and comfortable with their teacher, and each other. Finally towards the end of the school year we move onto the Changing Me puzzle. Again due to the nature of the content of this unit i.e. naming body parts, puberty and sex education we feel this is best delivered at this point when teachers have had a considerable amount of time with their classes and safe learning environments are well established. It also gives teachers the maximum amount of time to assess the emotional maturity of their classes, knowledge vital to delivering effective, successful sex education. This puzzle also contains content on moving on from one class to another, and from primary to secondary school for Year 6 children so is delivered at the end of the school year.

Wider Curriculum

  • PSHE is an integral part of the whole school curriculum, and is often taught alongside other subject areas.
  • We encourage our pupils to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community.
  • Assemblies are linked to PSHE cover any additional sessions that would benefit the whole school.                                                        
  • PSHE displays throughout school reinforce the PSHE curriculum enabling children to make links.

Impact

Our PSHE curriculum reflects the needs of our pupils, supports the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our pupils and promotes British Values.

We want our pupils to:

  • be  able to understand and manage their emotions
  • be able to look after their mental health and well-being
  • 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
  • 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

Northbourne CEP School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all Governors, staff, volunteers, parents and carers to share this commitment.