INTENT – to what do we aspire for our children?
National Curriculum
“To embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life, pupils need knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their well-being, health and relationships and to build their self efficacy. Pupils can also put this knowledge into practice as they develop the capacity to make sound decisions when facing risks, challenges and complex contexts. Everyone faces difficult situations in their lives. These subjects can support young people to develop resilience, to know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support.”
Source: National Curriculum statement 2014
What drives our PSHE curriculum at St Werburgh’s Primary School?
Children at St Werburgh’s Primary will develop the knowledge, understanding and emotional awareness to be able to play an active role in today’s society. They will develop a responsibility for themselves and those around them as well as showing an appreciation of difference. They will have high aspirations, a belief in themselves, confidence in their own thoughts and realise that anything is possible if they put their mind to it.
Together towards excellence
● At St Werburgh’s we value our PSHE education, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to be involved in learning about themselves together.
● We want them to have an excellent knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves safe in the world around them.
● Our children will have the ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate their own values and beliefs.
● We work alongside families to support the development of children in PSHE.
Kindness
● At St Werburgh’s our PSHE curriculum explores how to be a good citizen in the world.
● We want them to understand and actively take part in the school, local and global community.
● Our children will be respectful, supportive and understanding of others.
Curiosity
● We want our children to explore their role in society and how to have a positive impact.
● Communicating their understanding and knowledge in a range of ways
Commitment
● Proactively celebrating local heritage and personal differences.
● Ensuring we understand how people are different and how we respect each other.
● Take responsibility for themselves, each other and their learning and are responsible, respectful and safe.
British Values
At St Werburgh’s Primary we promote “British values” through our culturally inclusive curriculum. We believe that it is hard to define what constitutes “Britishness” or national identity and prefer to celebrate the similarities and differences that make us unique. We embrace and support the multiple ways our community connects with British society.
Through our Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and our Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural curriculum (SMSC) we help children to understand the standard set out by the DfE, including:
● An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
● An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
● An understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination
The strong focus on equality and equity at St Werburgh’s supports and encourages children to think critically and challenge stereotypes. Discrimination and harassment are extremely rare and the School’s positive behaviour management policy helps children understand their responsibility to manage their emotions and the importance of respecting others. The School prides itself on the importance it places on being proud of one’s heritage and the value in feeling a sense of belonging.
Rights Respecting School
“UNICEF works with schools in the UK to create safe and inspiring places to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive.”
Source:UNICEF
At St Werburgh’s, our work toward achieving the Rights Respecting Silver Schools Award embeds these values in our teaching and our learning. We use the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) throughout our curriculum and School Vision.
The curriculum for PSHE aims:
● To teach PSHE Education through Jigsaw, which is a whole school, planned a programme of learning through which children can acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to successfully manage their lives – now and in the future.
● To nurture mutual trust and respect
● To develop informed and responsible healthy life choices and to have a positive out-look towards health
● To foster self-respect and self-worth amongst each other and the wider community
● To develop understanding and tolerance
● To develop social, economic, political and ecological understanding
● To understand how to keep themselves and those around them safe
● To develop the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.
● To promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school.
● To prepare pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
St Werburgh’s Progression in PSHE Documents:
At St Werburgh’s Primary, we follow the JIGSAW scheme of work. This is a whole-school approach that combines all the fundamental skills of PSHE with mindfulness, emotional literacy and social skills. We believe these are important skills for children to learn to become happy, safe and confident for the future. The scheme builds on from skills learnt in previous years to ensure children have a consistent and well embedded PSHE curriculum.
Long term sequence :
In EYFS, KS1 and KS2 the Jigsaw scheme of work is used as a basis for learning. Jigsaw is a mindful approach to PSHE. It is a progressive and spiral scheme of learning and ensures that learning from previous years is revisited and extended, adding new concepts, knowledge and skills, year on year as appropriate.
Term 1: Being Me In My World
Covers a wide range of topics, including a sense of belonging, welcoming others and being part of a school community, a wider community, and a global community; it also looks at children’s rights and responsibilities, working and socialising with others, and pupil voice.
Term 2: Celebrating Difference
Focuses on similarities and differences and teaches about diversity, such as disability, racism, power, friendships, and conflict; children learn to accept everyone’s right to ‘difference’, and most year groups explore the concept of ‘normality’. Anti-bullying, including cyber and homophobic bullying.
Term 3: Dreams and Goals
Helps children to think about their hopes and dreams, their goals for success, what their personal strengths are, and how to overcome challenges, using team-work skills and tasks. There is also a focus on enterprise and fundraising. Children learn about experiencing and managing feelings of pride, ambition, disappointment, success; and they get to share their aspirations, the dreams and goals of others in different cultures/countries, and their dreams for their community and the world.
Term 4: Healthy Me
Covers two main areas of health: Emotional/mental health (relaxation, being safe, friendships, mental health skills, body image, relationships with food, managing stress) and Physical health (eating a balanced diet, physical activity, rest and relaxation, keeping clean, drugs and alcohol, being safe, first aid). Most of the statutory content for Health Education (DfE) is contained within the teaching of this term.
Term 5: Relationships
Covers building respectful relationships with self and covers topics including families, friendships, pets and animals, and love and loss. A vital part of this Puzzle is about safeguarding and keeping children safe; this links to online safety and social networking. Children learn how to deal with conflict, build assertiveness skills, and identify their own strengths and strategies for building self-esteem and resilience. They explore roles and responsibilities in families and friendship groups, and consider stereotypes.
Term 6: Changing Me
Deals with change of many types, from growing from young to old, becoming a teenager, assertiveness, puberty, self-respect and safeguarding. Each year group thinks about looking ahead, moving year groups or the transition to secondary school and how to cope positively with such changes. Life cycles and human reproduction are taught in some year groups at the school’s discretion.
In addition to this, children in Upper Key Stage 2 receive additional sessions, run by class teachers and our Learning Mentor which cover:
● Keeping safe into secondary school
● Being confident in saying say no
● Body changes in puberty
● Violence against women
● Ownership of their bodies, this includes a discussion about FGM.
St Werburgh’s Curriculum Overview:
EYFS
Our Jigsaw teaching begins in the EYFS. Alongside this, the children are supported through the area of learning PSED. EYFS
We place a strong emphasis on building relationships in Term 1 and settling into Reception. The children start school with half the class for half days over 2 weeks. This allows staff time to get to know the children well and for the children to build friendships. This is done through planned circle times to learn names, interests and things that are special about each other. The children learn the school values and rules and together we make a set of class rules and expectations that keep us safe and support learning behaviours. The children have a ‘what’s in a name’ project where we celebrate differences and how we are all special. ELLI animals are introduced and used to support learning behaviours with an emphasis on being resilient, independent and curious. Feelings and emotions are supported through zones of regulation. Staff model conflict resolution techniques and children are taught to use some of these skills to begin to manage some disagreements between peers.
For an overview in each year group please click link:
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
Oracy
We recognise the vital role that oracy plays in the lives and life chances of our children, therefore we plan explicit opportunities to develop their oracy skills as well as opportunities to learn through oracy across the curriculum.
We promote oracy through reading by teaching Tier 2 & 3 vocabulary which in turn allows the children to explain, discuss, debate and share their ideas when thinking about their reading.
IMPLEMENTATION – how will we deliver the curriculum?
Delivery of the Curriculum at St Werburgh’s
PSHE is taught weekly using the lesson plans provided by Jigsaw. RSE is delivered during the summer term in all year groups apart from Year 6. British Values are explicitly planned for and taught throughout the scheme. There are incidental PSHE opportunities that are used to further children’s learning and understanding. PSHE learning is recorded in class floor books.
We have two Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA) who are trained, school based learning support assistant and learning mentor. Their role is to support the emotional wellbeing of pupils. They are trained by a team of Educational Psychologists and receive ongoing group supervision. ELSA provides the children with enriching opportunities to develop their PSHE.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of all staff. The use of CPOMS throughout the school means that all staff are aware of challenges the pupils can face. PSHE lessons can be taught accordingly.
There is a St Werburgh’s Primary Children’s Anti bullying policy that was written by the children at the school.
In line with recent statutory changes, the school went through a rigorous consultation on its RSE (Relationships and Sex education) curriculum.In partnership with parents, children, staff and governors we now have a robust policy in place which can be found here
RSE policy and Child’s Anti Bullying policy
PSHE lesson design at St Werburgh’s
Each lesson is taught by the class teacher and is divided into the following sections:
Connect us – This is a game or activity designed to be fun and inclusive and to build and maximise social skills. ‘Connect us’ engenders positive relationships and enhances collaborative learning. Ensure there is an explicit link to previous learning and how it is being developed further.
Calm me – This section helps children gain awareness of the activity in their minds, relaxing them and quieting their thoughts and emotions to a place of optimum learning capacity. This will also engender a peaceful atmosphere within the classroom. It is a skill, which also enhances reflection and spiritual development.
Open my mind – To introduce the focus of the learning within the lesson and to focus on concentration.
Tell me or show me (I do/we do) – This section of the lesson is used to introduce new information, concepts and skills, using a range of teaching approaches and activities.
Let me learn (You do) – After receiving new information/concepts, children need to manipulate, use, and play with that new information in order for it to make sense to them and for them to ‘accommodate’ it into their existing learning.
Help me reflect – Children are encouraged to reflect on their learning experiences and their progress. By reflecting, children can process and evaluate what they have learnt, which enables them to consolidate and apply their learning.
SEND
The curriculum at St Werburgh’s Primary is inherently designed to support pupils with SEND through universal quality first teaching. This includes:
– High expectations and aspirations for all learners
– A carefully structured and sequenced curriculum, specifically designed around how pupils learn
– Pre-planned and focused direct vocabulary instruction
– Modelling and demonstration
– Chunked instructions which are supported by visuals and gestures
– The use of multi-sensory approaches to enhance the curriculum
– Frequent formative assessment as teachers check for understanding
– Accurate and regular feedback
However, we recognise some children need provision ‘additional to’ quality first teaching in order to reach their potential. This includes:
– Carefully considered scaffolding
– Pre and post-teaching
– Explicit instruction and modelling
– Structured challenge, without ceilings
– Alternative ways of recording
– Additional targeted adult support
In some instances, specialist adaptations are made to support the specific barriers of individual pupils.
Reading across the curriculum
Curriculum enrichment at St Werburgh’s
At St Werburgh’s Primary we plan for children to experience many aspects of the PSHE curriculum through day-to-day activities. We provide a breadth of opportunity for children and encourage an environment conducive to positive learning and mutual respect. The children develop their understanding of these issues through:
● Daily Peer Massage sessions in EYFS and KS1 to support the chn’s understanding of consent
● Calm classroom environment including Thinking Tables and Peaceful Places in every room with resources to support self-regulation
● Break out spaces and nurture provision
● Clear behaviour policy and curriculum
● Positive conflict management training for all staff
● Assemblies and specialist visitors
● Extra-curricular activities
● Clear school rules: SAFE, RESPECTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE and lived values of KINDNESS, CURIOSITY AND COMMITMENT.
● Class charters
● Rights Respecting Leaders/Green team
● Learning qualities celebrated and promoted through ELLI animals in EYFS/KS1.
● Philosophical/Critical thinking questions
● Annual online safety day
● Anti-bullying week and use of external provider Unique Voice for supporting workshops and resources
● ELSA sessions tailored for individual or groups of children
● Close links with a Mental Health Support Officer who offers tailored CPD for staff and support for children
● Passport of experiences
IMPACT – how do we know our curriculum is effective?
Pupil Voice
– Use correct terminology and specific vocabulary that has been covered in the learning
– Talk about the meaning of the learning and the impact on themselves and those around them
– Talk about the ‘why’ of the PSHE learning
– Children are able to ask questions confidently and explore their own and each other’s responses.
– Children demonstrate how learning builds on previous knowledge
High quality outcomes:
We will monitor our curriculum through floor books and discussions with pupils.
These will:
● Demonstrate pride and effort.
● Capture increasing understanding of PSHE specific concepts and knowledge.
● Demonstrate a clear sequence of learning.
● Include vocabulary that is clearly seen and used correctly.
● Learners make progress regardless of starting points