Intent
At Shillington and Stondon Lower School, we believe Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is a vital and important part of our children’s education. Teaching PSHE gives children the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe and to prepare them for life and work in modern Britain. Our curriculum helps children to develop all the attributes they need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. In an ever changing world, it is important that the children are aware, to an appropriate level, of different elements that will affect their world and the people in it. Therefore, we see PSHE education as an important and necessary part of all children’s learning. The promotion of children’s personal development (which includes their social development) is a fundamental aspect of education and underpins all other learning.
Through our curriculum, school environment and Values Based Education, we promote children’s emotional well-being, helping them to form and maintain worthwhile and positive relationships, based on respect for themselves and for others, at home, at school, in the community and for the future. Our PSHE lessons help to develop self-esteem, tolerance and resilience.
Implementation
Stondon and Shillington teaching staff teach the curriculum using materials from the leading education provider Coram Life Education using their SCARF scheme of work. (Safety, Caring, Resilience and Friendship). We decided on this scheme because it provides a whole-school approach to delivering quality PSHE lessons that encompasses our school intent as well as promoting good behaviour, safety, achievement, wellbeing and happiness. It is mapped to the PSHE Association programmes of study and meets the DfE statutory requirements for SMSC and the British Values. Our schools believe that this scheme will equip our children with the skills to become respectful, tolerant and active members of society who will be able to spot risky behaviours and have the confidence and flexibility in their thinking to challenge social injustice.
The SCARF programme is split into six units of work covering the core themes of: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the wider world. The units of work are set out half termly and link closely with safeguarding, the school ethos, British values, rights and responsibilities, and growth mind-sets. Units are revisited each year with progression being made age appropriately ensuring that children have depth and breadth within this area of the curriculum. It also fulfils the requirements of the 2020 Statutory Relationship and Health Education which enables all children to build good, safe and healthy relationships now and in their future lives.
Year 1- 4 have a timetabled weekly PSHE session however a range of opportunities to develop and build upon PSHE themes are incorporated into every part of the curriculum and school day. This cross-curricular approach helps children to make connections between their own experiences and understanding of the world across the whole curriculum. Children take part in daily assemblies as a whole school or class which make links to PSHE, Values, British Values and SMSC.
Children in EYFS develop skills that form a crucial foundation for later teaching of PSHE. The PSHE curriculum in EYFS is covered in PSED (Personal, Emotional and Social Development) and children are taught about Health and self-care, Managing Relationships and Managing Feelings and Behaviour.
Within each class, teachers organise lessons that deal with potentially sensitive subjects by creating a safe and secure learning environment. This helps our children feel confident to share their ideas, values and attitudes without fear of negative feedback from peers. This safe learning environment with clear boundaries also helps teachers to manage discussions on sensitive issues with greater confidence.
Impact
Children at Shillington and Stondon Lower school are able to talk confidently about how to keep themselves safe both in and around school as well as online. They care for each other, accept differences and support each other in a way that demonstrates that their core values match those of the schools’ and staff. As children progress through the schools, their ability to articulate their feelings develop. Children are reflective and articulate when discussing their emotions. Our PSHE provision has a positive impact on the whole child, including their attainment and progress, by mitigating any social and emotional barriers to learning and build on their self-esteem. Where additional support is required to develop any area within a child’s personal, social, emotional or health needs, intervention is swift and effective.