Christopher Rawlins Primary School

PSHCE

Introduction

At Christopher Rawlins Primary School we regard PSHCE as an important component of the whole curriculum. We believe that as a health promoting school the promotion of health and well being is central to the life of the school and its relationships with the surrounding community. At Christopher Rawlins Primary School we take very seriously the responsibility that schools have to provide a broad and balanced curriculum which:

• Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, emotional, social and physical development of pupils at the school and in society.
• Prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
• Acknowledges and informs pupils about their rights as children and their responsibility for the rights of others under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

All children are entitled to receive sound information about keeping healthy and safe, emotionally and physically.

Definition

PSHE is concerned with the total well being of the individual. It is concerned with:

• Mental, emotional and physical well being of the individual.
• The responsibility of the individual towards others and the environment.
• The education and understanding of the mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, environmental, cultural and social influences that shape the community and the interactions of individuals within it.
• A holistic model of personal and social development which encourages the making of healthy choices.

Within PSHE we recognise:

• Health Education involves engaging the children in activities that promote their physical well being and encouraging an adventurous approach to exercise, daily living, fresh air and exploration both in and out of school.
• Citizenship involves encouraging children to take a responsible role in society. It includes developing the children's awareness of their personal safety and the processes by which they can seek help and information as well as learning the behavior expected of them as members of society.
• Drug Education involves educating the children in the safe handling of medicinal drugs as well as the consequences of misusing substances such as alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs. See Policy on Drug Education and Drug Incidents.
• Sex Education is defined as the information by which a child is enabled to become more aware of him/herself as a person and understand the process of development and reproduction. See Policy on Sex Education.

At Christopher Rawlins Primary School we believe that a life skills approach can be built on traditional life skills programs and can effectively complement activities intended to enhance self-esteem, communication skills, values clarification and decision making. These policies are therefore closely linked with the school's Equal Opportunities Policy, Religious Education Policy, Behaviour Policy and routines of the school day.

Aims

• In our school we will aim through implicit and explicit learning experiences to:
• Develop an awareness of social, economic, political and ecological issues.
• Nurture mutual trust and respect between individuals and groups.
• Develop understanding and tolerance.
• Encourage the development of informed and responsible healthy life choices.
• Develop positive attitudes towards health.
• Foster self-respect and self-esteem among all members of the community.
• Give opportunities for children to experience awe and wonder.
• Prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

Within the taught and hidden curriculum i.e. the whole school environment, pupils should be given frequent and regular opportunities to work on feelings and to practice personal and interpersonal skills. We value and respect the learning that occurs in the community and in the home believing that these, along side school links, are essential dimensions of health education. The Framework we have developed is related to the real world and children's experiences.

Management

There is a designated PSHE coordinator to oversee the planning in the school. The coordinator will be responsible for informing the rest of the staff about new developments and, where appropriate, for organising (and providing) appropriate training.  The coordinator will advise colleagues on resources to aid planning and to use in the classrooms (including visits and visitors). A central resource area will be developed, maintained and reviewed annually along with other resources for PSHE. The coordinator will monitor the curriculum and will report to the Head Teacher annually on progress with regard to the school's development plan. The coordinator will attend Partnership and Network meetings. The coordinator will keep staff informed of developments.

Teaching and Learning

At KS1 & KS2 all children will follow appropriate units of work from the SMILE framework for PHSE. KS1 classes follow a yearly programme and KS2 are on a 2 year rolling programme. Aspects of PSHE are integrated or linked to other subjects on the curriculum, as indicated within the framework. In addition use is made of outside speakers, the school nurse, police liaison, life education centers.

Activities will be planned according to the different levels of children's skills and previous knowledge. A range of teaching strategies and learning styles will be used in the delivery of this policy. These will include:

• Circle time and class discussion.
• Imaginative writing.
• Reflection, sharing and showing.
• Role play and drama.
• The use of video and computer technology
• Visits and visitors where appropriate
• Class lesson time
• Peer education
• Structured group work
• Play and games

Differentiation and progression will be ensured by a variety of approaches:

• The same activity but different expectations of outcome.
• The same theme but different levels of input.
• Allowing for different pace of working.
• Different groupings of children.
• Developing different modules of work at different times of the year for different abilities.

Special Educational Needs

Health Education can:

• Address children's individual needs.
• Increase access to the curriculum.
• Enhance learning skills and develop previous knowledge.

Equal Opportunities

See Equal Opportunities Policy.

Assessment

The assessment of PSHE will take place in all curriculum areas, however clear learning objectives will support the focus of assessed activities. Pupils' progress is reported on within their annual school report. Assessment and recording progress in PSHE and Citizenship should be aimed at enhancing the quality of teaching and learning, help pupils take responsibility for improving their own performance and learning, and be informed by best practice. Arrangements should be a matter for the professional judgment of teachers, who should involve, wherever possible, the pupils through discussion, review and individual target setting where appropriate.

Resources

• Health for Life, Books 1 and 2
• Tacade
• You, Me, Us ~ Social and Moral Responsibility

All the above can be found on the resource shelf.