PSHE - PERSONAL SOCIAL & HEALTH EDUCATION - Learning for Life

'Learning God's Way'

We value the role of personal, social and health education (PSHE) within St Mary's. Our curriculum intent within PSHE (Learning for Life lessons) is  the development of the 'whole child'; we  believe that happy, confident and healthy children will learn better. We know that effective PSHE lessons and circle times are crucial to support children in developing key life values such as independence, resilience and perseverance. We want all of our children to feel happy, supported and loved within St Mary's. Our L4L lessons and Circle times within each class help our children to learn about key values (that support our School Christian Values) such as kindness, respect, friendship etc. We aim to foster positive relationships within an open, supportive environment where children feel safe to ask for help or support and also learn how they can support each other. 

We have recently implemented a new Scheme of Work at St Mary's, called 3Dimensions. Within this scheme the children will be learning across three core themes:

Core 1: Health and Wellbeing

Core 2: Relationships

Core 3: Living in the Wider World

Lessons are timetabled and taught weekly across the school. We call these lessons Learning for Life, as this is what the children are doing - learning skills needed for life.

Our Programme of Study sets out learning opportunities for each key stage, in the above three core themes. Topics such as mental health, relationships and sex education, keeping safe, hygiene, citizenship and keeping healthy are all covered in the above scheme.

In addition to our L4L lessons KS1 also have weekly Circle times that are based upon the SEAL units (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning). We cover these topics within SEAL:
New Beginnings
Getting On and Falling Out
Anti-Bullying
Going for Goals
Good to be Me
Relationships
Changes

Relationships and Sex Education
We want all children to grow up healthy, happy, safe, and able to manage the challenges and opportunities of modern Britain. That is why, from September 2020, all primary age children will be taught Relationships and Health Education. Relationships and Sex Education is taught throughout the school at an age appropriate level showing careful progression from Reception to Year 6. RSE is a statutory element of the curriculum. Relationships Education will put in place the building blocks needed for positive and safe relationships, including with family, friends and online.

By the end of primary school, pupils will have been taught content on:

• families and people who care for me

• caring friendships

• respectful relationships

• online relationships

• being safe

Mental Health and Wellbeing

We believe mental health and wellbeing to be a vital area that underpins all other areas of the academic curriculum. We therefore value the mental health and wellbeing of our children, parents and staff. Circle times often react to immediate need within the class, although SEAL and our PSHE Scheme provide the framework for our circle times we ensure that any issues that may arise such as within friendships are addressed within the classroom. We encourage children to share and discuss their feelings and create an environment where children feel able to share their thoughts.

Global Pandemic

We understand that the Pandemic and the National Lockdown has had a profound effect on the emotional and mental health and wellbeing of people, including children and young people. To support our children on returning to school in September 2020 all staff were given a new pack of resources to support EH&MWB through circle times in the Autumn term, for Autumn 1st this focus replaced our RSE work and for Autumn 2nd this will be as well as our RSE Scheme of Work. Staff held daily circle times initially moving to at least weekly circle times to ensure children settled back into school and felt able to share their thoughts or worries. 

Bubble Boxes

In September 2020 Year 6 children created a Bubble Box for each classroom. Children can put a note in to request a talk with any member of staff with whom they feel safe for any issue they may have. This system is working effectively. 

Curriculum Enhancement Days / Curriculum Weeks

We enhance our curriculum by having regular drop down curriculum enhancement days or topic focus weeks where we explore a particular theme or subject in greater detail. 

Coming soon 2021/22

15th - 19th November 2021 - Anti Bullying week - Theme: one kind word

7th-13th February 2022- Children's Mental Health Week

8th February 2022 - Safer Internet Day

2020/21 Focus Days / Weeks - 

My Money Week - 15-19th June 2020 - Due to being in Lockdown during this time Maths home learning this week for the whole school had a focus on Money and the whole school used the My Money resources. Key workers in school also explored this theme in school.

Anti Bullying Week - 16th -20th November 2020- Within each class the focus for this weeks circle times and PSHE Lessons was on anti-bullying, friendships and relationships. We also had a dare to be different day on Thursday 26th November 2020.

Road Safety Week- 23rd - 27th 2020 - The children this week explored road safety in their PSHE and Circle times. Year 6 created some wonderful posters for each class to display.

If you have any queries about our PSHE or RSE curriculum  then please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Goddard, PSHE Coordinator.