Intent

The aim of a PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) curriculum is a huge one: to give children the tools and the information they need to make positive choices which support their health, their achievement, their safety and their emotional well-being. Today’s world is complex with children learning to navigate seamlessly between the off and on-line world. The focus for learning at Holbrook is based on the government’s statutory guidance for RSE (Relationships and Sex Education). This is developed further to meet the needs of our community. Through working with parents, including opportunities for pupil voice, and through working with local professionals such as the police and health services, we develop a curriculum which meets the needs of our pupils. In primary schools, focus is on the key building blocks of healthy, respectful relationships, focusing on family and friendships, in all contexts, including online. This sits alongside the essential understanding of how to be healthy – mentally as well as physically.

Implementation

Our RSE curriculum, which is part of PSHE, is age appropriate and designed to prepare children for the next stages in their life. We want children to understand what healthy relationships look like and how to ask for help if there is anything they are worried about in their own family or friend relationships. We prepare our older children by teaching them about puberty and how to deal with the physical developments and the emotional impact this change will bring. We discuss body image and consider gender stereotypes and prejudices. Our oldest children receive age-appropriate and inclusive sex education which has been developed in conjunction with parents. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from this aspect of the curriculum. However, through careful consultation and by keeping parents well informed of the content of sex education lessons, all children at Holbrook are included.

The curriculum at Holbrook is taught through a mixture of dedicated PSHE lessons which involve lots of discussion, role play and sharing ideas and strategies, assemblies and themed weeks or whole school units. Every unit, whether it is a year group focussed unit or a whole school unit, has a learning journey so that children can understand what they are learning and be reflective about their understanding and progress. Mixed age classes means a rolling programme of topics, but the curriculum is spiral in nature, meaning that key areas are revisited often as children move through school so they can deepen their understanding. Early Years is built upon in Key Stage 1 and then again in Key Stage 2, so no matter the cycle, there are always clear links to earlier and future learning. You can see an example of how we make links below:

Core themes are further developed through assemblies, focussed whole school weeks and our use of outside agencies such as the police, fire service and the NSPCC. Sometimes, children need bespoke support with aspects of PSHE and individual programmes or support mechanisms are used so that all children can make progress. Our school uses resources from the PSHE association to provide adaptations for children with SEND so they are supported to develop crucial skills and understanding. Our curriculum approach is carefully designed so that learning in the

The aims of PSHE run through every aspect of school life – for example, through our Holbrook values, through how we expect children to treat each other, through the texts we study and through our own modelling and discussions. Our curriculum is part of a wider emphasis on wellbeing and personal development. The professional development of staff in PSHE is key to this, with a rolling programme of training for all staff in, for example, mental health support and emotional literacy.

Oracy in PSHE

At Holbrook, we pride ourselves in helping children to grow into good global citizens. Our PSHE lessons are founded on mutual respect and effective communication. We use our ‘Speak like a Good Citizen’ mats to support our oracy in PSHE through the use of stem sentences and vocabulary to structure thoughtful, respectful and challenging responses.

How this fits within our school vision

In our school, our vision extends to our PSHE curriculum. We aim to inspire our students to see the world differently, appreciate its beauty, and find joy and purpose in their lives through their personal and emotional growth. Our commitment to fostering a well-rounded understanding of life aligns with our PSHE curriculum, where we encourage students to explore their emotions, relationships, and overall well-being. By integrating our vision into these lessons, we aim to empower students to live life to the fullest.