PSHE/RSE Curriculum – Intent, Implementation, Impact
At North Petherton our whole-school PSHE/RSE approach supports in promoting positive behaviour, mental health, wellbeing, resilience and achievement. The themes and topics support social, moral, spiritual and cultural development and provide children with protective teaching on essential safeguarding issues, developing the knowledge of when and how children can ask for help. By focusing on personal development, the program supports academic success, fosters positive relationships, and helps create a compassionate and informed generation.
Intent
We aim to:
equip pupils with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to lead confident, healthy, and responsible lives.
to foster personal wellbeing, promote mental and physical health, and prepare children for the challenges of growing up in a diverse and ever-changing society.
to provide them with the foundations to develop positive relationships, understand their emotions, make informed choices, and respect differences among people.
Key objectives include:
Developing self-awareness, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
Encouraging respect for oneself and others, fostering an inclusive environment.
Teaching pupils about healthy lifestyles, personal safety, and how to build supportive relationships.
Providing age-appropriate education on the physical and emotional changes associated with growing up.
Empowering children to make safe, informed decisions both online and offline.
Implementation
The Scheme of Work is taught in thematic units consisting of six lessons, with supporting materials. This enables children to recall and build upon previous learning, exploring the underlying principles of PSHE education regularly at a depth that is appropriate for the age and stage of the child.
The lessons signpost key words, building a rich vocabulary to develop understanding.
The lessons use engaging, age-appropriate resources, discussions, role-playing, and real-life scenarios to help pupils apply their learning. Circle time encourages open communication and reflection. Storybooks and videos help illustrate concepts in a relatable way and games in groupings of various sizes, enabling the children to build confidence and resilience.
PSHE and RSE are integrated into other subjects, such as science (e.g., life cycles and puberty) and computing (e.g., online safety).
Content is adapted to ensure inclusivity, reflecting the diverse experiences, cultures, and backgrounds of all pupils.
Teachers create a safe, respectful environment where sensitive topics can be explored without fear of judgment.
Parents were informed and consulted about the RSE curriculum to build trust and provide support for learning at home. Collaboration with external experts, such as health professionals, enhances delivery.
Assessment for learning opportunities are built into each lesson. For each unit there is a specially designed pre- and post-unit assessment activity. Conducted twice, this first determines the baseline; it's then repeated at the end of the unit, enabling monitoring of progress, record key points and identify areas for further development.
Alongside is an end of unit assessment tool using the ‘I can; statements which will help to implement best practice in assessment.
Impact
The impact of a well-implemented PSHE and RSE program is measurable in several ways:
Pupils demonstrate greater self-confidence, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
They show respect and empathy towards others, understanding the value of diversity and inclusion.
Pupils are enabled to develop the vocabulary and confidence needed to clearly articulate their thoughts and feelings in a climate of openness, trust and respect, and know when and how they can seek the support of others.
They will apply their understanding of society to their interactions within communities, from the classroom to the wider community of which they are a part.
Pupils can articulate their feelings and seek help when needed, contributing to positive mental health.
Pupils will develop skills to evaluate and understand their own wellbeing needs, practise self-care, and contribute positively to the wellbeing of those around them.
Our teaching will have a positive impact on the whole child, including their academic development and progress, by mitigating any social and emotional barriers to learning and building confidence and self-esteem.
Pupils are better prepared for the transition to secondary school and equipped to navigate future challenges responsibly.