Personal Social Health Economic Education

Intent

Personal, Social, Health, Economic (PSHE) is a non-statutory subject; we believe that teaching PSHE (including the new statutory framework for Relationship Education) is vital to children’s personal development and to fulfilling Section 2.1 of the National Curriculum framework which states:

Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which:

  • promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society
  • prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life

Along with the National Curriculum framework, we teach the DfE’s statutory framework for Relationships Education (September 2019) which outlines that:

Today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.

At Hook Junior School, we teach to the National Curriculum expectations, but also aim to inspire children through our school values, to truly understand the values of respect, responsibility, empathy and inclusion in order that they may become well-rounded and responsible citizens in their future lives. We believe that supporting children in their personal and social development also has positive, wide-ranging impact on their academic lives. We want children to know that PSHE is much wider than the curriculum study area and that the skills they learn are essential to their daily lives, their relationships and interactions with others within a global community.

Hook Junior School are committed to providing a setting where the responsible choice becomes the easy choice. The personal and social development of young people is the responsibility of all. The school also provides a healthy school’s climate and culture and strong pastoral team who have systems in place to offer extra support to any child who needs it.

PSHE Implementation

We teach PSHE as a discrete subject so that the subject has importance and integrity. It integrates common concepts, skills, knowledge and understanding across subjects and topics. There is interconnectedness between the programmes of study from religious education and the aims of PSHE, this enables us to consolidate on PSHE conceptual understanding and learning through, PSHE, RE, collective worship and the Citizenship curriculum. We also develop PSHE through various activities and whole school events that promotes children’s community involvement, entrepreneurialism and positive activism to make a difference.

Our practice follows our Teaching and Learning Policy, adopting a range of styles and strategies to teach the PSHE Curriculum. We promote active learning by including the children in discussions, investigations and problem solving activities. We encourage the children to take part in a range of tasks that promote active citizenship, e.g. charity fundraising, the planning of special school events (such as assemblies and performances) or involvement in helping other individuals or groups less fortunate than themselves. We organise classes in such a way that pupils are able, through discussion, to set agreed classroom rules of behaviour, and resolve any conflicts. We offer children the opportunity to hear visiting speakers, such as health workers, police and local clergy, whom we invite into the school to talk about their role in creating a positive and supportive local community.

PSHE at Hook Junior School is organised around core, essential themes being taught in discrete, weekly lessons each half term in each year group. The themes are organised progressively so that each year the learning builds on the previous one as appropriate for the children’s age and development.

  • Growth Mind-set
  • Physical and mental wellbeing
  • Personal and E-Safety
  • Anti-bullying
  • Relationships
  • Community
  • Personal responsibility
  • Respect
  • Children’s rights and responsibilities (UNCRC)
  • Inclusion and equality
  • Social skills and play
  • Individual freedom
  • Resilience and change
  • Health prevention and first aid
  • Drugs, Alcohol and Healthy Lifestyles
  • Body changes and Puberty (Year 5 onwards)
  • Sex Education (Year 6)

PSHE lessons are linked closely with the school values, character values, British Values and SMSC education.

Where possible, PSHE lessons are linked to topic based work to provide clear contextual links (e.g. personal responsibility and environmental issues).

Additional theme weeks and charitable giving days are held on a termly basis – e.g. Mental Health Awareness, Children in Need and Anti-Bullying weeks.

Daily assemblies are based on the core values and support the delivery of PSHE education.

Pupils are given opportunities to develop their personal and social skills through roles and responsibilities such as: prefects, school council representatives, sports leaders, dinner monitors and playground buddies.

PSHE Curriculum – how we measure impact

Our teachers assess the children’s work in PSHE both by making informal judgements, as they observe them during lessons, and through formal assessments of their work, gauging it against the specific learning objectives set out in the Curriculum. We have clear expectations of what the pupils will know, understand and be able to do at the end of each year and at the end of Key Stage Two.

We do not set formal tests or examinations in PSHE. The assessments that we make of pupil achievement are positive and we report on these to parents in annual school reports and at Parent Learning Consultations. The PSHE subject and delivery is monitored at least termly by the PSHE subject leader and actions for improvement are fed into the school strategic plan and cycle of self-improvement.