Our PSHE education policy should be read alongside our other safeguarding and child protection policies and our academic policies.  

PSHE is strongest when there is communication and collaboration between school and home. Our PSHE policy has been developed in consultation with parents, teaching staff and children to ensure it reflects the needs of our school community.

It is our intent to provide a full PSHE curriculum which addresses not only the statutory Health Education and Relationships Education requirements but also delivers non-statutory age appropriate sex education and includes teaching about economic wellbeing, careers education, community and responsibility and digital and media literacy.  

Our PSHE provision ensures compliance with the 2002 Education Act under which schools must provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural and physical development of pupils at the school and prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life and the 2006 Education and Inspections Act which places a duty on Governing Bodies to promote the wellbeing of pupils at the school.  

As part of our school vision that highlights the importance of the pastoral curriculum, PSHE is a priority subject for our pupils. We recognise the fundamental role that PSHE teaching holds in safeguarding our pupils. We also know that without the social and emotional skills which are developed through PSHE, many of our pupils would not be able to access our academic curriculum. Research shows that the academic outcomes for pupils who receive comprehensive PSHE education are better than those who do not. 

PSHE begins with the prime area of Personal, Social and Emotional Development in the EYFS when pupils focus on self-regulation, managing self and building relationships. As pupils move up into KS1 and KS2, it is our intent that pupils follow a thematic curriculum. We follow the guidance of the PSHE Association to ensure our PSHE provision is age appropriate and evidence informed. 

It is our intent that our PSHE lessons provide memorable learning experiences. 

We intend for our PSHE provision to adopt a ‘social norms’ teaching model where children are supported through factual and impersonal information to understand the world around them and so are enabled to make informed personal decisions. 

PSHE education addresses our core aims and the Grendon Goals of developing resilience and independence. It is our intent that communication and oracy skills are developed through debate, discussion and drama opportunities presented in PSHE teaching. Children are able to apply skills such as compromise or understanding when working in groups across other areas of the curriculum. 

It is our intent that our PSHE teaching compliments but does not duplicate content in science, design technology, physical education and computing curricula. 

Through a spiralised curriculum structure, children revisit ideas at increasingly complex and age-appropriate depths enabling them to establish vertical links between their PSHE learning. Horizontal and diagonal links to computing, DT and science are strong. 

Opportunities to work with visiting experts or organisations are welcomed as part of PSHE teaching. Class teachers should ensure that what is delivered matches our curriculum aims and is appropriately pitched. 

Year 3 parents are invited to an information meeting on emotional development milestones from age 7-11. In Year 5, an information meeting is held to explore staying safe online.  

Our Year 6 children have an expert led graffiti workshop with a focus on positive thinking and self-belief to support the challenges of Year six and the transition to secondary school. 

It is our intent that all pupils are supported and challenged in their PSHE learning through the use of scaffolding, support and adaptive teaching.  

Where it is appropriate for pupils with special educational needs, for example if a child’s emotional development is below the age-expected levels, it is our intent to deliver more personalised learning content.  

Children for whom English is an additional language will be supported to access PSHE learning through a focus on exploring the meaning of new or specific vocabulary. 

It is our intent that children are able to understand changes to their own bodies as well as the experiences of others. For this reason, we offer the same teaching, including during Health and Relationships education lessons, to both genders. 

It is our intent that PSHE teaching provides children with skills and strategies to understand and develop the Grendon’s Goals of independence and resilience. It is our intent that oracy and drama is embedded in PSHE teaching as role play and discussion enables children to empathise with others and to better understand the issues they are learning about. It is our intent that pupils are given opportunities to communicate their ideas through drawing and writing. 

It is our intent that our PSHE teaching ensures children understand the values of respect, tolerance and concern for others. Our Grendon Circle Time Code sets out a clear expectation that children will listen to others during PSHE learning and will treat others with respect. Exploration of social stories offers an opportunity for pupils to develop concern for others and to identify possible actions and strategies to resolve conflict. 

It is our intent that our PSHE teaching will ensure pupils are adequately prepared for their futures enabling them to make informed decisions on making healthy choices, building healthy, safe and respectful relationships and living in the wider world of the local, online and working communities they will be part of.