PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education)
includes:
Relationships Education and Health Education (these are both Statutory)
This includes:
RSE-Relationships and Sex Education (not statutory)
What is PSHCE?
Relationships Education
Health Education
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
Sex Education
Core Values
What is PSHCE? (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education)
PSHCE education is a school subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and ultimately prepared for life and work in modern Britain. It is embedded in everyday life in the classroom and is therefore an intrinsic part of each class. Because of this the issues are taught as they arise as well as in a detailed planned curriculum. PHSCE curriculum plan overview of topics. Evidence shows that well-delivered PSHCE programmes have an impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. PHSCE is an important part of their learning and affects every part of their lives now and in their future. It’s all about learning how to cope in this world, how to relate to others, how to understand how our behaviour affects others and our own mental well -being.
The Curriculum
The PSHCE curriculum is delivered through a wide range of teaching and learning opportunities, including designated PSHCE lessons, circle time, assemblies, visitors to the school and visits out of school. Children explore subject content through drama, stories, role-play, class and group discussion, puppets and games.
Through PSHCE we aim to develop children’s self-awareness, build positive self-esteem and confidence, show respect to others, develop social skills and encourage healthy, safe choices. By developing such knowledge and skills we hope children will become successful learners and responsible citizens.
In KS2 we encourage children to take responsibility for themselves and others through the initiation of ‘peer mediators’.
At Mayfield we believe that PSHCE has the power to enhance the health and wellbeing of all children, their families and the whole school community. It has a positive influence on the ethos, learning and relationships throughout the school. It is central to our values and to achieving our school’s aims.
PSHCE helps children to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes they need to live confident, healthy, independent lives, now and in the future, as individuals, citizens, workers and parents. It is embedded within wider learning to ensure that children learn to develop resilience and healthy relationship skills, which they will practise and see enacted in the school environment.
Our PHSCE Policy is available HERE
Our approach to the teaching of PSHCE supports our duties relating to the newly statutory areas of Relationships Education and Health Education, Keeping Children Safe in Education, Equality Act 2010, SEND, promoting fundamental British Values and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development. It also supports us in meeting the standards set out by OfSTED in relation to ‘Behaviour and Attitudes’ and ‘Personal Development’.
The National Curriculum states that all schools must provide a curriculum that is broadly based, balanced and meets the needs of all pupils. It must also:
‘Promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepare pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.’
Our aims for PSHCE are:
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- To enhance skills for communication, empathy and healthy relationships which underpin both success in learning and positive relationships
- To support the development of resilience, self-esteem, self-efficacy and aspiration
- To offer accurate and relevant knowledge to support decisions about personal wellbeing and health
- To explore the relevance of knowledge for personal situations and decision making
- To offer opportunities to explore, clarify and if necessary challenge, their own and others’ values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities
- To offer the skills and strategies they need in order to live healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives.
- We provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all our pupils, which recognises and values their diverse backgrounds and needs. We create a wider awareness of religious, cultural and moral values and respect for different ethnic groups, religious beliefs and ways of life. We promote an inclusive ethos and a culture of mutual respect where diversity and difference are recognised, appreciated and celebrated. We work in partnership with parents and carers, and with the wider community, to support children in all aspects of their wellbeing.
We welcome parents into school who can contribute to helping widen the experiences of our young people.
PSHCE themes
Our PSHE and Citizenship programme teaching and learning within the following strands and themes
Myself and My Relationships: including My Emotions, Beginning and Belonging, Anti-bullying, Family and Friends and Managing Change.
Healthy and Safer Lifestyles: including Personal Safety, Digital Lifestyles, Drug Education, Relationships and Sex Education (age appropriate), Healthy Lifestyles and Managing Safety and Risk (including Road Safety, internet safety and mental health).
Citizenship: including respect, Diversity and Communities, Rights, Rules and Responsibilities and Working Together.
Economic Wellbeing: including Financial Capability (how to handle money).
All of these topics are treated age appropriately and sensitively. We are particularly aware of our duties under the Equalities Act and will ensure that all children with protected characteristics, or whose family members may have protected characteristics, see themselves reflected in our PSHCE provision. We will achieve this by careful selection of teaching resources, case studies and children’s fiction.
The protected characteristics are: age, sex, race, disability, religion or belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, marriage or civil partnership or sexual orientation.
Finally, in relation to ethnicity, religion and cultural diversity, we value the different backgrounds of our children and, in acknowledging and exploring different views and beliefs, seek to promote respect and understanding. Respect for all is one of our Mayfield core values.
Children receive their entitlement for learning in PSHCE through a progressive, spiral curriculum. Our PSHCE programme is delivered through a variety of opportunities for children of all ages, including:
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- designated timetabled lessons in PSHCE
- subjects across the curriculum, e.g. science, literacy, RE, Design Technology
- enrichment weeks/days, e.g. Anti-bullying week, Health week,
- visitors, e.g. PCSO,
- residential and day visits, e.g. Year 6 residential trip
- assemblies on our school’s values
- small group interventions, e.g. social skills groups.
We recognise that PSHCE is best taught by adults who know our children well.
PHSCE and the community
Our partnership with the local community is a significant part of school life, and we recognise and value its contribution to the PSHCE programme. Many of our links with the community enable us to practise active Citizenship.
We include a range of opportunities for community involvement and activities, such as:
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- visits from members of religious communities and to religious buildings
- charity fundraising (e.g. links with the local food bank, supporting events such as Comic Relief and Children in Need)
- school clubs (e.g. choir performance to our local senior citizens group)
- citizenship visits (e.g. ‘Ask your MP’ assembly)
- links with local services (e.g. visits from the Police Community Support Officer)
- community use of school premises (e.g. Guides and Rangers, several different religious groups, Mayfield Seniors, exercise groups etc.)
Relationships Education
We define Relationships Education as learning about emotional, social and physical aspects of our lives, about ourselves and our relationships. It enables pupils to develop essential life skills for building and maintaining positive, enjoyable, respectful and non-exploitative relationships. It equips pupils with information and skills they need to understand about themselves, their peers and people they meet in the wider community. It explores risks, choices, rights, responsibilities and attitudes. It will help pupils to develop skills to keep themselves and others safer, physically and emotionally, both on and off line. Relationships Education enables pupils to explore their own attitudes and those of others respectfully.
Our Relationships Education policy has been debated through meetings with parents, focus groups, governors, staff and children. (Read the policy HERE). If you have any queries, please email the PSHCE lead teacher or headteachers who will happily discuss it with you. We are always looking for feedback and parents willing to join the focus group meetings.
Relationships Education makes a major contribution to fulfilling our Mayfield School’s vision:
- Everyone is welcome
- Our diversity enriches us all
- We will do our best for ourselves and for each other
Health Education
We define the overall purpose of Health Education as being able to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes, so that now and in the future, children can make positive, informed decisions to build and sustain their physical health and mental wellbeing.
These two areas make up the majority of the PHSCE curriculum.
- Relationships Education and Health Education are statutory from Sept 2020 and they must be taught in all primary schools.
- A Relationships Education policy, for all schools, is mandatory.
- Sex Education in primary schools is recommended, but not statutory.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
RSE in our school is a topic which the children cover once every year. It includes some elements of Relationships Education, some elements of Health Education and at Y4 and Y6, sex education. This extends the learning about sexual reproduction in ‘some plants and animals’ required through the Science national curriculum. It also complements the statutory requirement to teach about puberty as part of Science and Health Education, as understanding sexual reproduction in humans enables children to understand the processes of puberty.
Puberty is taught in year 5 and 6. Knowing about different ways babies are conceived and born, including sexual reproduction and sexual intercourse is taught in year 6. (See the Relationships Policy for more information)
In our lessons on Relationships and Sex Education we aim to ensure that these children:
- develop understanding of the value of marriage, stable relationships and family life as a positive environment for bringing up children
- name the private parts of the body confidently and communicate with trusted adults to keep themselves safe
- be prepared for puberty and the emotional and physical effects of body changes, including menstrual wellbeing
- understand the attitudes and skills needed to maintain personal hygiene
- Learn about human conception and birth.
- Understand the importance of consent, especially with regard to personal photographs online, social media and peer pressure.
This chart shows the curriculum plan with the RSE topic questions: PSHE Overview Curriculum Plan Highlighting RSE
If you would like more information, please read the leaflet ‘Talking to Children about Relationships’
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Sex Education
Following guidance from the DfE, we define Sex Education as learning about ‘how a human baby is conceived and born’.
Withdrawing from Sex Education
In primary school parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child/ren from the elements defined as Sex Education after putting their wishes in writing and having a discussion with the head teacher. All lessons are taught sensitively and are appropriate to the age of the children. ( see the learning objectives year by year on the policy at point 7.1 Our Relationships Education curriculum.)
Parents are notified by letter from the class teacher the details of these topics in advance of the learning; so that we can support each other in the teaching and help our children to navigate our complex world.
Ground Rules
We acknowledge that sensitive issues will arise in PSHCE, as children will naturally share information and ask questions. When spontaneous discussion arises, it will be guided in a way that reflects the stated school aims and curriculum content for PSHCE. We may use a ‘Question box’, where questions may be asked anonymously. Questions may be referred to parents/carers if it is not appropriate to answer them in school.
PSHCE and RSE are taught in a safe, non-judgemental environment where adults and children are confident that they will be respected. Teachers and children together develop ground rules, which ensure that every child feels safe and is able to learn in a supportive and caring environment.
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Our Core Values
Our 6 ‘Mayfield Core Values’ aim to help children develop skills and attributes of:
These Mayfield values are kept in mind all of the time, displayed in every classroom and referred to continuously by all adults working at Mayfield with special awards given out showcasing the values, showing that PHSCE is an integral part of life at Mayfield.
We will continue to ask for your opinions, hold discussions, send information home and arrange focus meetings as we believe that PHSCE learning is a partnership between parents and school and that children learn best when we all support each other.
If you have any questions about any of this please don’t hesitate to contact us.