Our PSHE/RSHE Intent Statement

We inspire our pupils to maintain physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. We want them to develop specific knowledge and skills to become resilient and confident individuals, who are able to live a happy, healthy, safe and productive lifestyle.

PSED in the Early Years

As soon as children start with us in EYFS, adults begin to support children to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. PSED a prime area is one of the overarching themes in the Early Years Foundation Stage and is fundamental to children's cognitive development and to help them shape their social world. With adults creating strong, warm and supportive relationships with the children, children begin to understand their own feelings and also the feelings of others. Using Development Matters (July, 2021), we have carefully mapped out a curriculum which ensures children are continually focused on working towards meeting the goals set out in the ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development’ section of the Development Matters document. In EYFS we do support children's PSED during group times, however a lot of our learning is interwoven throughout the school year in a range of play based situations. Throughout our PSED learning, children are supported to: manage their emotions, develop their confidence, informed how to look after their bodies and manage personal hygiene, supported to make good friendships and resolve conflicts with others and also how to stay safe. All these areas are learnt through adult supported interactions with children during their play. We believe that the curriculum that we have created for EYFS will provide a secure platform and foundation for children to use the skills they have learnt to manage their own personal, social and emotional needs, not just throughout school, but also in later life. 

PSHE/RSHE in KS1 and KS2

When starting in KS1, children will begin to have lessons based around relationships, sex and health education. Every half term there will be a new theme of learning, where children will be encouraged to discuss topics, ask questions and share their knowledge. As of September 2020, relationship and health education became mandatory for all primary schools to teach. We want all children to grow up healthy, happy, safe and able to manage the challenges and opportunities of modern Britain. These subjects are designed to equip your child with knowledge to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health, and relationships as well as preparing them for a successful adult life. 

Relationships education will put in place the building blocks needed for positive and safe relationships, with family, friends and online. Your child will be taught what a relationship is, what family means and who can support them. In an age appropriate way Summer Lane Primary School will cover how to treat one another with kindness, consideration and respect. Listed below are some of the aspects we will cover:

•Families and people who care for me

•Caring friendships and respectful relationships

•Online relationships

•Being safe

Health education aims to give your child the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, to recognise issues in themselves and others, and to seek support as early as possible when issues arise. Listed below are some of the aspects that we cover:

•Mental wellbeing

•Internet safety and harms

•Physical health and fitness/ healthy eating

•Facts and risks associated with drugs, alcohol and tobacco / health and prevention

•Basic first aid

•Changing adolescent body

Sex education is not compulsory in KS1 & 2 in primary schools, but at Summer Lane Primary, we believe that it is important for children to begin to understand their bodies and how their body and emotions may change and develop as they grow older. Our science curriculum does cover aspects of sex education by naming of body parts etc and our RSE supports our teaching of science. We begin the building blocks for this area of learning in KS1 and then in KS2, children are able to discuss and learn information in more detail. During our relationships, sex and health education lessons, we always set ground rules before the start of every lesson, to make sure that teachers create a safe environment for everyone and reduce embarrassment and anxiety. Listed below are some of our classroom rules:

•No personal questions are asked during the sessions.

•Children are aware that they need to respect everyone’s ideas or questions.

•Children are allowed to pass or remain silent in a discussion if they wish to.

•Only the correct names of body parts are to be used.

•Children know that they can ask any question and not feel silly about asking it.

Living in the Wider World

In addition to children’s PSHE/RSHE learning, at Summer Lane we believe that children understand how the world works, not just whilst they are with us at school, but as they grow up and enter adult life. That’s why as part of our curriculum we have added some ‘living in the wider world’ units of work, where children are informed and encouraged to think about ways that they can look after the world around them and support the communities that they are involved in. Some of these units focus on:

• What is means to be part of a community and how children can help their community.
• What money is and how to look after it.
•  How people, have rights and how everyone has a responsibility to protect those rights.  
• Understand ways in which people can protect our planet by making conscious choices in their everyday routines.
• Supporting children to think about the career choices they would like to make when they leave school and what they need to do to achieve those goals.
• Discussions on what it is like to live in Britain and how other environments may differ from their own environment.

Your Rights as a Parent

The important lessons you teach your child about healthy relationships, looking after themselves and staying safe, are respected and valued under the new curriculum. Our teaching as a school will reinforce and compliment the lessons you teach your child as they grow. At Summer Lane, we do have a policy on the teaching of relationships, sex and health education, if you would like to view the policy, please ask to see Mr Smith. You are unable to withdraw your child from relationships and health education, as it is important that all children receive this content, but you can choose to withdraw your child from the sex education units of work. However, the science curriculum in all primary schools does include content on human development, including reproduction, which is mandatory for all students to learn. If you have any issues regarding this information, please speak to Mr Smith or Mr Morgan (Subject Leader).

10/2023

Long Term

Medium Term

Parent Guide