PSHE
Intent
At Walderslade Primary School, all our children have access to a broad and balanced PSHE curriculum. It is delivered in a way that recognises their varied needs and provides the opportunity for each child to positively develop their personal, social and emotional learning. Furthermore, we believe that education in PSHE and Citizenship enables children to become healthier, confident, more independent and more responsible members of society. We encourage our pupils to play a positive role in contributing to the life of a school and wider community. In so doing, we help to develop their sense of belonging and self-worth.
In addition, we aim to guide our children through their understanding of how they develop personally and socially whilst tackling many moral, social and cultural issues and dilemmas that are a part of growing up. We provide our children with opportunities for them to learn about their rights and responsibilities, whilst developing an understanding of how our society is organised and governed. We ensure that children experience the process of democracy and having their voices heard through our active school council. They learn to appreciate what it means to be a positive and compassionate member of a diverse and multi-cultural society.
Through wider school activities, we provide opportunities in sports for children to work respectively and collaboratively whilst promoting and embedding sportsmanship values and beliefs. As technology plays an ever-growing part of our children’s lives, children develop a sense of global citizenship by using the internet, blogging and email. We teach the importance of staying safe online, using online communication programs respectfully and developing children’s confidence and ability to address online issues.
Implementation
At Walderslade Primary School, our objectives and lesson plans are taken from the Jigsaw scheme of work. Jigsaw 3-11 offers a comprehensive Programme for Primary PSHE including statutory Relationships and Health Education, in a spiral, progressive and fully planned scheme of work, giving children relevant learning experiences to help them navigate their world and to develop positive relationships with themselves and others.
1Jigsaw consists of six half-term units of work (Puzzles), each containing six lessons (Pieces) covering each academic year.
· Term 1: Being Me in My World
· Term 2: Celebrating Difference (including anti-bullying)
· Term 3: Dreams and Goals
· Term 4: Healthy Me
· Term 5: Relationships
· Term 6: Changing Me (including Sex Education)
Every Piece has two Learning Intentions, one specific to Relationships and Health Education (PSHE) (in purple) and the other designed to develop emotional literacy and social skills (in green)
PSHE is taught through weekly sessions where each objective is taken from the programme of study. The various teaching and learning activities are engaging and mindful of different learning styles and the need for differentiation and the Early Years (EYFS) planning is aligned to the National Early Years Framework (England). However, we recognise that there are always occasions where teachers may feel it is necessary to teach an aspect of PSHE as a result of an issue that has arisen in their own class, therefore adapting the curriculum to suit the needs of the children at any time.
Each lesson is built upon a Charter which underpins the behaviour and respect that is the basis for each lesson (one is provided within Jigsaw, but children and their teacher can write their own to ensure mutual respect and ownership). The lessons then split into 6 parts, all of which should be included in every session to ensure that the learning follows the optimum progression.
Connect us - This is a game or activity designed to be fun and inclusive and to build and maximise social skills. ‘Connect us’ engenders positive relationships and enhances collaborative learning. It sets the atmosphere at the beginning of each Jigsaw Piece and can be used again at the end should the teacher feel the atmosphere needs to be lifted after some deep work during the lesson.
Calm me - This section of the Piece helps children gain awareness of the activity in their minds, relaxing them and quietening their thoughts and emotions to a place of optimum learning capacity. This will also engender a peaceful atmosphere within the classroom. It is an invaluable life skill which also enhances reflection and spiritual development. This underpins the mindful approach advocated in Jigsaw.
Open my mind - The Reticular Activating System of the brain filters the many stimuli entering the child’s mind at any given time. It is designed only to allow in that which is significant. Therefore, it is important to engage this system with the most important aspects of learning intended for each Piece (lesson). If we do this well, it will enable children to filter out activity around them not significant to this learning intention, thereby improving concentration and learning.
Tell me or show me - This section of the Piece (lesson) is used to introduce new information, concepts and skills, using a range of teaching approaches and activities.
Let me learn - Following Piaget’s learning model, after receiving new information/concepts, children need to manipulate, use, and play with that new information in order for it to make sense to them and for them to ‘accommodate’ it into their existing learning.
Help me reflect -Throughout Jigsaw, children are encouraged to reflect on their learning experiences and their progress. By reflecting, children can process and evaluate what they have learnt, which enables them to consolidate and apply their learning. They are also asked to stop and become aware of their thoughts and feelings in any given moment in Pause Points (brief pauses within the lesson where the children can have a couple of moments to just stop and be to consider whether what they are learning may be particularly meaningful to them).
Closure - Each Piece needs safe closure. This will always include the teacher praising the children for their effort, positive attitude and achievement, as well as giving one or two sentences to summarise the key learning points for the children.
In addition to this, teachers plan with detail and attention to their individual children. Learners can be scaffolded, and any individual needs can be supported where necessary. The summative assessment process offers criteria for children either working at, beyond or towards the age-related expectations. Greater depth children can be challenged to ensure that they are being given the opportunities to enrich their learning further. The “Class Teacher” page at the start of every puzzle allows time for practitioners to consider the upcoming content. These support teachers to feel more confident in their own subject knowledge, which in turn allows them to extend the learning of the children.
When implementing PSHE, we use a range of teaching and learning styles to meet the PSHE requirements. We place an emphasis on active learning by including children in discussions, role plays, investigations and problem-solving activities. We organise classes in such a way that pupils are able, through discussion, to set agreed classroom rules of behaviour and resolve any conflicts. We encourage the children to take part in a range of tasks that promote active citizenship, for example charity fundraising, the planning of special school events (such as an assembly or opening evening), involvement in helping other individuals or groups less fortunate than themselves or participating in student leadership activities. We offer children the opportunity to hear visiting speakers, such as health workers, the emergency services such as police and fire officers, and the local clergy, whom we invite into school to talk about their role in creating a positive and supportive local community.
PSHE also has strong cross curricular connections with other subjects such as Computing and PE. In Computing, each year group completes termly lessons addressing the issues of online safety, as well as developing their skills to use the internet and technology responsibly. In addition, in upper Key Stage 2, children develop their understanding and awareness of safe mobile phone use. In PE, children partake in lessons to develop their sportsmanship values, this includes work with outside agencies in delivering a sportsmanship programme of learning. We offer residential visits in upper
Key Stage 2, where there is a particular focus on developing pupil’s self-esteem, providing opportunities to develop leadership skills and positive collaborative learning.
The Early Years Foundation Stage
At Walderslade Primary School, we teach PSHE and Citizenship in reception classes as an integral part of their learning through our topic work. The Jigsaw scheme of work is aligned with the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals and through Development Matters, particularly the area of learning focused on a child’s personal and social development. Our teaching of PSHE and
Citizenship matches the aim of developing a child’s personal, social and emotional development as set out by the Early Learning Goals. We also support Citizenship education in reception classes when we teach elements of ‘Understanding the World’.
Link to Jigsaw PSHE Scheme
