Implementation
At the Saints Academies we follow the PSHE Association thematic approach.
Early Years Foundation Stage:
In the EYFS, PSHE is encouraged through the ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development’ strand of the framework.
Children’s personal, social and emotional development is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives, and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Underpinning their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Our children are provided with strong, warm and supportive attachments with adults to enable them to learn how to understand their own feeling and those of others. The children are supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and wait for what they want and direct attention as necessary. Through adult modelling and guidance, our children will learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and managing their personal needs independently. Through supported interaction with other children they will learn how to make good friendships, co-operate and resolve conflicts peacefully. These attributes will then provide a secure platform from which our children can achieve at school and in later life.
PSHE is taught through PSED activities that are part of topics, as well as on an individual basis. Positive experiences are built through daily opportunities to share and enjoy a range of different activities as well as a weekly circle time. The children are given the opportunity to engage in social activities, as members of a small group or during whole school activities.
Within the EYFS, PSHE is about making connections and is strongly linked to play. PSHE is taught through activities that are part of topics, as well as on an individual basis to develop personal skills such as dressing, feeding and toileting. Positive experiences are built through daily opportunities to share and enjoy a range of different activities. The children are given the opportunity to engage in social activities, as members of a small group or occasionally during whole school activities.
Children from Year 1 to Year 4 study the following units:
- Families and Friendships
- Safe Relationships
- Respecting ourselves and others
- Belonging to a community
- Media literacy and digital resilience
- Money and work
- Physical health and wellbeing
- Growing and changing
- Keeping Safe
During timetabled PSHE time, an emphasis is placed on active learning through planned discussions, circle-time, investigations, role-play activities, puppets, group-work and problem-solving.
The PSHE curriculum will include:
- A safe learning environment through the establishment of clear ground rules which are made explicit to the children and reinforced consistently;
- External visitors who contribute to the taught curriculum;
- Beyond timetabled PSHE lessons, pupils are supported in applying the skills they are learning, in real life situations as they arise: e.g. resolving conflicts; working as part of a group on a project and sharing their thoughts on a school matter to a wider group;
- Children are encouraged to take part in a range of practical activities to promote active citizenship, e.g. charity fund-raising; the planning of special events at school; making class rules; school council meetings; attending house meetings; and by taking on roles of responsibility for themselves, for others and for the school;
- There will also be opportunities during collective worship e.g. stories and discussion, Celebration Assembly.
- We offer children the opportunity to hear visiting speakers, such as health workers, police, representatives from the local church and other faiths, whom we invite into the school to talk about their role in creating a positive, supportive and diverse local community.
- Opportunities are given for consolidation of learning from previous years and differentiation is used as appropriate to meet the needs of all children.
- Pre and post learning assessments are used, alongside reflections on learning where the children record their thoughts on the unit work they have been studying using their Reflective Journal.
- Pupil interviews are conducted across school in order to further assess knowledge and understanding.
- Each class keeps a scrap book of examples of work and activities.
