Policy for PSHE

(Personal, Social and Health)

DfE has stated that 'PSHE education is an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education' and that 'All schools should teach PSHE, drawing on good practice' (DfE 2013).

Vision Statement.

Our goal is to be an outstanding school.

Our vision is to make Valley View Primary a great place to be and a great place to learn.

WE WILL:

  • Maintain a safe, friendly environment where everyone’s needs are considered
  • Demonstrate teamwork
  • Encourage independent learning
  • Have high expectations of ourselves and each other
  • Strive to provide a range of quality learning experiences.

WE WILL KNOW WE ARE SUCCEEDING WHEN:

  • Standards are as high as they can be
  • Everyone’s effort is valued
  • Our community shares in our achievements
  • People are sad to leave.

P.S.H.E. stands for Personal, Social, Health. It is described in the National Curriculum Handbook as P.S.H.E. along with Citizenship helping children to give children “the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens.”(DfEE /Q.C.A 1999, p.186)

It is crucial to realise that pupils overall personal development involves more that the ‘taught’ curriculum. A whole school approach is essential and effective because many aspects of school life influence pupils’ personal and social development.

The P.S.H.E. Curriculum can be delivered through 4 main areas:

  • P.S.H.E. time (designated)
  • Teaching in and through other curriculum areas.
  • Through enrichment activities and school events.
  • Through pastoral care and guidance.

We aim to deliver PSHCE as a whole school approach in order to provide a full curriculum in the most effective way, providing a breadth of opportunities. This is the responsibility of the PSHE co ordinator.

The programme of study covers Key Stages 1 to 2 and is based on three core themes within which there will be broad overlap and flexibility:

1. Health and Wellbeing

2. Relationships

3. Living in the Wider World

The three overlapping and linked ‘Core Themes’ expressed as areas of core knowledge, understanding, language, skills and strategies, and taught in accordance with pupils’ readiness, are appropriate across all Key Stages and build upon Early Years Foundation Stage Learning. It is important to recognise that many decisions about both health and lifestyle are made in a social context or are influenced by the attitudes, values and beliefs of significant others. Our programme of study identifies the key concepts and skills that underpin PSHE education and help schools to fulfil their statutory responsibility to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development and prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.

We intend to designate 30 minutes on the school timetable for PSHE in addition to SEAL lessons and assemblies to enable learning to be consolidated. We also aim to teach P.S.H.E. through a number of subjects, offering pupils the best opportunity to receive a broad programme of health education. Pupils should be taught knowledge, skills and understanding through opportunities to

- take responsibility- participate

- meet and work with people- consider social, moral dilemmas

- feel positive about themselves - make real choices and decisions

- develop relationships - ask for help / find information

- provide advice / prepare for change.

Through our Family Group pastoral system and themed weeks e.g. Culture Week, Health and Fitness Week and Creative Week, SMSC (Social, moral, spiritual and cultural education) is taught alongside the PSHE objectives covered.

Teaching and Learning Style

P.S.H.E. should provide an opportunity to encourage greater pupil participation in learning and sharing of individual and social experience. It should encourage the use of a wide variety of teaching and learning strategies.

We use a range of teaching and learning styles. We place an emphasis on active learning by including the children in discussions, investigations and problem-solving activities. We encourage the children to take part in a range of practical activities that promote active citizenship, e.g. charity fundraising, the planning of school special events such as an assembly or open evening, or involvement in an activity to help other individuals or groups less fortunate that themselves. We organise classes in such a way that pupils are able to participate in discussion to resolve conflicts or set agreed classroom rules of behaviour. We offer children the opportunity to hear visiting speakers, such as health workers, police, and representatives from the local church, whom we invite into school to talk about their role in creating a positive supportive local community.

PSHE education should address both pupils’ direct experience and preparation for their future. A spiral programme ensures learning is revisited, reinforced and extended in age- and stage-appropriate contexts. Developing a PSHE programme which meets pupils’ needs and which is tailored to local circumstances is critical. Weekly Family Group planning is reactive to the needs of our current children, based upon advice from pupils, parents and staff.

Aims

The overarching aim for PSHE education is to provide pupils with:

accurate and relevant knowledge

opportunities to turn that knowledge into personal understanding

opportunities to explore, clarify and if necessary challenge, their own and others’ values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities

the skills and strategies they need in order to live healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives.

In addition we aim to equip children to gain:

  • skills to help children to cope through childhood and adult like making informed decisions and choices.
  • A sense of self-worth, confidence, independence and responsibility.
  • Knowledge and understanding that will make it possible to plan lifestyles that will keep themselves and others safe and healthy.
  • Develop effective relationships by helping to cope with their own feelings and to understand the feelings of others.
  • Children’s respect for the differences between people.
  • Mutual respect, sharing, listening, feeling empathy and responsibility.

Personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship enables children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. We encourage our pupils to play a positive role in contributing to the life of the school and the wider community. In so doing we help develop their sense of self worth. We teach them how society is organised and governed. We ensure that they experience the process of democracy in school through the school council. We teach them about rights and responsibilities. They learn to appreciate what it means to be a positive member of a diverse multicultural society.

PSHE and Citizenship Curriculum Planning

We aim to teach PSHE and citizenship in a variety of ways to ensure access to the curriculum for all types of learner.

During the school year we introduce PSHE and citizenship through cross curricular subjects, e.g. when teaching about local environment issues in geography, we offer pupils the opportunity to explore who is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of local parks and cycle paths. We also run and ECO club after school hours. As there is a large overlap between the programme of study for religious education and the aims of PSHE and citizenship, we teach a considerable amount of the PSHE and citizenship through our religious education lessons.

We also develop PSHE and citizenship through activities and whole-school events e.g. the school council representatives from each class meet regularly to discuss school matters. We offer a residential visit to Thurston Outdoor Education Centreand to France in Key Stage 2, where there is a particular focus on developing pupils’ self esteem and giving them opportunities to develop leadership and co-operative skills.

The areas of hazards, health, growth and reproduction are mostly taught during science lessons throughout each year group. This enables age appropriate level work to be taught in year groups, ensuring progression.

The social and emotional aspects of learning are taught during whole class SEAL lessons. The half termly topics are introduced to the whole school during assembly time, and the issues and themes that arise are followed up during our pastoral care, family group time.

Family group system

Family Group is delivered weekly by Family Group leaders in mix age groups across school. It is planned in themes by the PSHE coordinator. Family group system is a key strength in the school, following the characteristics of 8 areas of success.

To try new things

To work hard

To concentrate

To push oneself

To imagine

To improve

To understand others

To not give up

In addition, SMSC and British Values are also taught throughout Family Groups. (See SMSC policy)

Teaching PSHE and citizenship to Children with Special Needs.

We teach PSHE and citizenship to all children, regardless of their ability. Our teachers provide opportunities matched to the individual needs of children with learning difficulties. When teaching PSHE and citizenship we take into account the targets set for the children in their Individual Learning Plans

Of course, information needs to be based upon

  • age of child
  • maturity of child
  • ability of child

PSHE means finding out about children’s thoughts, beliefs, feelings and attitudes concerning all of the issues that are being raised.

We are seeking to influence behaviour, to enable children to make informed decisions and choices. Talking about ‘good’ or ‘bad’ will seldom change behaviour. Giving children a chance to explore, share, and develop beliefs whilst building self-confidence and worth may do so.

We want children to take part in the community life of the school and begin to take some of the responsibility for their learning. They need to be encouraged to think for themselves and reflect upon previous experiences. We are aiming to develop a spiral curriculum that reviews, consolidates and develop a knowledge and understanding within and beyond school.

Those who are happy and secure with themselves are able to take increasing control of their lives including decisions relating to healthy lifestyles. The schools involvement in the Healthy Schools Standard will help us to develop further the health education provision we currently provide. The Healthy Schools Standard reflects this model.

Assessment and Recording

There are no attainment targets for PSHE education. School continues to make use of the existing Department for Education end of Key Stage statements to inform the assessment process. The milestones from Chris Quigley, based around the 8 areas for success will be used to track progress in PSHE.

Opportunities for both Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning should be built into provision. Baseline assessment, in order to understand pupils’ prior learning, is essential to ensure new learning is relevant and progress can be assessed. Assessment should encompass teacher, peer and self-assessment. Progress in PSHE education is be recorded and reported.

Teachers record the achievements of pupils in PSHE and citizenship in their books. We report these achievements to parents each year.We do not set formal examinations in PSHE and citizenship.

Resources

We keep resources for SEAL, PSHE and citizenship in our classrooms for each unit of work. We have additional resources in the library. Our PSHE and citizenship subject leader holds a selection of reference materials for teaching sensitive issues. A full programme of study has been revised (March 2014) and published online and resources to go with the scheme are available in each year group.

Monitoring and Review

The PSHE and citizenship subject leader is responsible for monitoring the standards of children’s work and the quality of teaching. The subject leader supports colleagues in the teaching of PSHE and citizenship, by giving them information about current developments in the subject and by providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school. The subject leader is also responsible for giving the Headteacher development plans to inform the SEF, evaluating strengths and weaknesses in the subject and indicating areas for further improvement. We allocate time for our subject leader to enable him/her to fulfil this role by reviewing samples of children’s work and visiting classes to observe teaching in the subject.This information feeds into a Termly co-ordinator report which is shared with SMT and all staff.

There is a named governor for PSHCE. The governor will discuss PSHCE with practitioners, have opportunities to observe lessons, meet with the school council and be present at the staff meetings where coordinator reports are fed back to staff. The named governor will report back to the Governing Body, raising any issues that require discussion.

Statements of intension.

A healthy school understands the importance of investing in health to assist in the process of raising levels of pupil achievement raising standards. It also recognises the need to provide both a physical and social environment that is conductive to learning.” (P1 HSS Guidelines)

A ‘healthy school’ seeks to improve children’s health with the support of other agencies. This ‘whole school’ family and community approach recognises we can do much, but working with children’s families and organisations in the community can do more.

A health promoting school culture places teaching and learning in the wider context of schools’ approach to:

1. Leadership, management and managing change

2. Policy development

3. Learning and teaching, curriculum planning and resourcing

4. School ethos, culture, environment and SMSC development

5. Giving children and young people a voice

6. Provision of support services for children and young people

7. Staff continuing professional development (CPD), health and wellbeing

8. Partnerships with parents/carers, local communities, external agencies and volunteers to support pupil health and wellbeing

9. Assessing, recording and monitoring impact and outcomes.

We consider ourselves to be a Healthy School and have achieved the ‘healthy school Award’ until 2016.

Signed: Review Date:

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