PSHE at Ben Rhydding
Intent
We want children to leave Ben Rhydding Primary School being happy, confident and independent individuals, who become aspiring, enterprising and compassionate people in our diverse society. Our Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education helps us to achieve this by providing children with the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy lifestyles and to become informed, responsible citizens. We teach PSHE with the aim to help children deal with the real life issues they face as they grow up in an ever changing world. We cover issues including e-safety, friendships, sex and relationships, keeping safe, first aid, environmental responsibility, emotional health and personal finance.
Implementation
PSHE is central to developing children who are ready and prepared for the future. It underpins everything we do at Ben Rhydding Primary School, and the curriculum is split into 3 core themes:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Relationships
- Living in the wider world
We use the PSHE Association materials to support our curriculum. The programme builds on prior learning and gives children the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge at an age appropriate level. PSHE is taught directly in dedicated lessons at the start of each half term, but it feeds through all elements of the curriculum and children’s learning. We provide a wide range of learning opportunities to teach, explore and enrich PSHE, such as, through sport, drama, circle time, computing, maths, science, discussions and debates, videos, assemblies, art, D&T, music, Religious Education, trips and welcoming visitors into our school.
Plus, we believe it is important to celebrate the successes and achievement of all our children through mentions, letters home and celebration assemblies.
Relationships and Sex Education
As part of PSHE, we begin to teach sex and relationship education discreetly in Year 5 which continues into Year 6. We keep parents and carers well informed of the approach we take to this and the material covered in these sessions. We aim to keep lines of communication open and create a safe environment where questions can be asked and any further support or information can be received.
Supporting SEND
Children with SEND are supported in lessons to access the curriculum. Teachers use a multisensory approach and vocabulary is introduced at the start of each unit of work and explicitly explained to children. Adaptions are made to teaching and learning so all children can participate, learn from and feel supported in their PSHE journey.
Impact
Our school council meet regularly and lead valuable work within school on behalf of our children as well as linking with the local community and town councillors. Our involvement in the Linking Schools Network provides experiences for our children to collaborate and play with children from diverse backgrounds and different cultures. Our children develop strong moral compasses and raise money for charities; locally, nationally and around the world. Our House Days and buddy classes have an important role in promoting relationships across school and creating a nurturing, safe, happy and friendly environment for all our children at school. There are also Mental Health Champions to support the wellbeing of all our school members. Children learn about the Zones of Regulation and are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning through taking risks, learning from mistakes and developing their growth mindset.
Our learning values of listening, curiosity, imagination, collaboration, patience, courage, responsibility and empathy run through all that we do to develop a child’s sense of self and well-being. These skills are vital for children to succeed in their future life and role in society.