PSHE Intent

Our intent is to deliver a PSHE programme where pupils achieve their academic potential and leave school equipped with the skills they will need throughout later life as individuals, family members and members of society.

They will be able to keep themselves healthy and safe and be prepared for life and work in modern Britain. Our PSHE lessons are guided by the values of honesty, kindness, trust, responsibility, friendship, self-control, empathy, respect and tolerance.

Our PSHE programme is a whole school approach. As a THRIVE school, PSHE is rooted in the ethos of our school. We follow the Derbyshire County Council scheme of work: PSHE Matters – A PSHE Curriculum for Primary Schools. We follow a two-year cycle to ensure full coverage, which includes RSE.

Evidence-based principles of good practice in PSHE

The PSHE Association has developed the following evidence-based principles of good practice in PSHE that apply across all key stages. PSHE Matters has been designed with these in mind:

1. Start where children and young people are: find out what they already know, understand, are able to do and are able to say. 

2. Plan a ‘spiral programme’ which introduces new and more challenging learning, while building on what has gone before.

3. Take a positive approach which does not attempt to induce shock or guilt but focuses on what children and young people can do to keep themselves and others healthy and safe and to lead happy and fulfilling lives.

4. Offer a wide variety of teaching and learning styles within PSHE, with an emphasis on interactive learning and the teacher as facilitator.

5. Provide information which is realistic and relevant and which reinforces positive social norms.

6. Encourage young people to reflect on their learning and the progress they have made. To transfer what they have learned to say and to do from one school subject to another, and from school to their lives in the wider community.

7. Recognise that the PSHE programme is just one part of what a school can do to help a child to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding they need to fulfil their potential. Link the PSHE programme to other whole school approaches, to pastoral support, and provide a setting where the responsible choice becomes the easy choice. Encourage staff, families and the wider community to get involved.

8. Embed PSHE within other efforts to ensure children and young people have positive relationships with adults, feel valued and where those who are most vulnerable are identified and supported.

9. Provide opportunities for children and young people to make real decisions about their lives, to take part in activities which simulate adult choices and where they can demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for their decisions.

10. Provide a safe and supportive learning environment where children and young people can develop the confidence to ask questions, challenge the information they are offered, draw on their own experience, express their views and opinions and put what they have learned into practice in their own lives.

12 learning modules

Within each phases of school, there are 12 learning modules that could be taught in any order over a two-year period.

The 12 modules are:

1. Drug Education – including how to manage risk and peer influences

2. Exploring Emotions – including how to recognise and manage feelings and emotions

3. Being Healthy – including the importance of looking after our mental health

4. Growing up – including the Sex Education element

5. Changes – including loss

6. Bullying Matters – including how to ask for help

7. Being Me – including identity and community

8. Difference and Diversity – including challenging stereotypes

9. Being Responsible – including looking after the environment

10. Being Safe – including online and offline

11. Relationships – including what is a healthy relationship [VIEW THE GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT]

12. Money Matters – including enterprise

Right to withdraw your child

You cannot withdraw your child from Relationships Education because it is important that all children receive this content, covering topics such as friendships and how to stay safe.

If you do not want your child to take part in some or all of the lessons on Sex Education, you can ask that they are withdrawn. At primary level, the head teacher must grant this request.

The term before each Sex Education unit is due to be taught, teachers will consult via Dojo with regard to content being taught and will answer any questions or concerns along with passing on any requests for withdrawal. 

The science curriculum in all maintained schools also includes content on human development, including reproduction, which there is no right to withdraw from.

Our long-term overview maps where each of these units is covered across KS1 and KS2.

Click on each image below to view the document as a PDF

          PSHE Overview                             EYFS Progression                           KS1/2 Progression

Click the button below to view our PSHE 'subject on a page' document which summarises our curriculum intent and implementation.