Intent

Introduction—Vision and Aims

At Ridgeway Primary Academy, our inclusive Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum promotes limitless and life-long learning which is fully embedded by our curriculum drivers. We use the ‘Entrust’ model as we believe it covers all aspects of PSHE in an age-appropriate way. It is broadly based, balanced and meets the needs of all pupils.

Here at Ridgeway, PSHE is a vital subject through which pupils acquire and develop the skills, knowledge and attributes they need to keep themselves safe and healthy and become prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. We believe that PSHE has a big impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils. Our curriculum enables children to make informed decisions, manage risks, recognise potential barriers and have the confidence and resilience to overcome them. High quality and age-appropriate teaching of PSHE helps pupils develop resilience, confidence and to know how and when to ask for help. Teachers ensure that children are learning in a safe environment to ensure PSHE teaching is effective. To do this, ground rules are negotiated that include the opportunity to let everyone express his/her view and to ensure that everyone is heard and respected and encourage pupils to give reasons why they have a particular view. Clear guidelines are given to children to ensure they understand what can and cannot be kept confidential and the school safeguarding policy is followed for any disclosures.

We aim to help children to understand how they are developing personally and socially and to stimulate, nurture and challenge their social, moral and cultural curiosity. We are committed to empowering our children to develop their understanding, skills and attitudes that will equip them to confidently lead healthy, safe lives and be responsible members of society now and in the future of our ever-changing world.

 

SRE as part of the PSHE Curriculum

Sex and relationships education (SRE) is learning about our bodies, health and relationships; with a particular focus on puberty and growing up, dealing with emotions and managing personal relationships.

SRE is taught gradually, so that learning can be built up year-by-year in a way that is appropriate to the age and maturity of each child; responds to the needs they have, and enable them to successfully manage the challenges they face as they grow up.

SRE teaches children and young people to develop values, attitudes, and learn personal and social skills, and increase their knowledge and understanding to enable them to make informed decisions and healthier life choices.

SRE makes an essential and significant contribution to safeguarding children and young people during their school-age years and into the future. SRE should enable young people to develop skills and confidence to access professional advice and appropriate health services. It enables children to understand their physical and emotional development and enable young people to take increasing responsibility for their own health and wellbeing and that of others.

Curriculum Drivers in PSHE

We give children opportunities to be imaginative, to use experiences and observations to make connections in their learning and appreciate that learning can be accomplished in different forms. To do this, we have established some key ‘curriculum drivers’ which outline our aspirations for our children by the time they leave us (Expressive Communicators, Healthy Champions, Life Long learners, World Citizens and Open to possibilities). Our ‘curriculum drivers’ are designed to enable our pupils to ‘Reach for the Stars’ through their learning. We aim for our children to grow both academically and socially and our curriculum has been created to achieve these aspirations for all.

ExpresSive Communicators

Communication is an important part of our PSHE curriculum. Through our lessons, teachers provide time and space for children to discuss and share personal feelings, thoughts or experiences with their peers with confidence. Our curriculum allows for pupils to communicate their ideas in a range of different and imaginative ways, so they are able to communicate effectively with confidence and enthusiasm. The PSHE curriculum promotes discussion and teaches the skills needed for children to share with, listen to and respond to others.

HealThy Champions

It is important to us that all members of our school community are healthy – physically and mentally. Throughout life, our children will face many difficult challenges and need to have the mental and physical strength to be successful and happy. A large focus on physical and mental health can be found in and across our PSHE curriculum where children are taught how to look after their bodies and minds. Following the Covid 19 pandemic, a large focus has been put on the teaching and promotion of mental health and well-being strategies.

Life-Long LeArners

Learning at Ridgeway is promoted in a fun and exciting way. The four R’s of our Growth Mindset philosophy of being resilient, resourceful, reciprocal and reflective at school and beyond cannot be underestimated and our PSHE curriculum reflects this. Our aim for the PSHE teaching at Ridgeway is to equip children to acquire, develop and sustain the skills needed to help them to be healthy, confident and resilient throughout their lives.

WoRld Citizens

Our curriculum enables our children to develop an understanding about their local community where they live and the wider world, by providing opportunities for learning within and beyond the classroom. Our PSHE curriculum enables children to look at, reflect on and build upon their roles in the different communities that they belong to.

Open to PoSsibilities

Children cannot aspire to things that they have never encountered. Our curriculum opens their eyes to new possibilities so they can develop aspirational attitudes and understand how to achieve their full potential. Through our PSHE curriculum, children spend time reflecting on what makes them who they are and encourages children to strive for personal goals, giving them strategies for achieving these. Through discussion in lessons, children are exposed to the views and opinions of others and learn how to embrace the similarities and differences between us all.

Implementation

At Ridgeway, our curriculum follows the Entrust Syllabus which is followed by many Good and Outstanding Staffordshire schools. This is used as a planning tool in conjunction with Ridgeway’s Progression and Vocabulary Document.

Entrust’s Syllabus is broken down into six units that over-arch the objectives for each year group. Two of these units are taught in each term. Class teachers have worked to place the units in the most suitable point throughout the year to ensure they fit to the holistic teaching that our curriculum follows whilst also following guidance from Entrust as to when these units could be taught. Most units are taught as stand-alone lessons for an hour a week whereas some units are blocked and taught daily throughout the course of a few weeks, depending on how this fits into the curriculum.

Curriculum Progression

Entrust’s Syllabus ensures that progression is catered for as children move through the school as well as links made to previous knowledge. The units systematically embed, build upon and develop children’s prior knowledge as well as introducing new concepts. Links are made between PSHE and other areas of the curriculum and life outside the classroom.

Ridgeway’s Progression and Vocabulary Document has also been created which is used in conjunction with Entrust’s Syllabus. The document features six threshold concepts:

To understand myself and my relationships

To understand myself and other people

To understand myself and my school

To understand how to be happy and healthy

To understand myself in the world

To understand myself and my safety

Under these threshold concepts, the document follows a progression of skills; these have then been matched to each year group’s unit. In addition, there is a progression of vocabulary, which ensures that vocabulary is progressively taught at the right point to link with the skills that are being introduced.