At Shirehampton Primary School, Personal, Social, Health and Education (PSHE) plays an important role in helping children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.

Through PSHE, children learn about themselves, their relationships with others, their physical and emotional wellbeing and the wider world around them.

We use Jigsaw to support the teaching of PSHE and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), providing a progressive curriculum from the Early Years through to Year 6.

 Our Vision for PSHE & RSE

We want children to grow into confident, respectful and responsible individuals who are able to make informed choices and develop positive relationships with others.

Our PSHE curriculum supports children to develop:

• Confidence and self-esteem

• Positive and healthy relationships

• Emotional awareness and regulation

• Respect for themselves and others

• Resilience and independence

• An understanding of physical and mental wellbeing

• The skills needed to keep themselves safe

• An understanding of their rights and responsibilities

• Respect for difference and diversity

• The confidence to seek help when they need it

These skills help prepare children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences they will encounter as they grow. Your existing curriculum places particular emphasis on developing responsible independence, resilience, teamwork and active citizenship. 

 How We Teach PSHE

We use Jigsaw to provide a whole-school approach to PSHE and RSE.

Learning is progressive and age appropriate, allowing children to revisit important themes as they move through the school while developing increasingly sophisticated knowledge, understanding and skills.

PSHE lessons provide a safe and supportive environment in which children can discuss ideas, explore feelings, ask questions and consider different perspectives.

PSHE is also supported through the wider life of the school, including assemblies, safeguarding education, online safety, enrichment activities and opportunities to develop children's social and emotional wellbeing.

What Children Learn

Through PSHE, children develop knowledge and skills relating to three broad areas:

• Relationships

• Health and wellbeing

• Living in the wider world

Learning includes friendships and families, respectful relationships, physical and mental health, emotions, keeping safe, online safety, healthy lifestyles, growing and changing, rights and responsibilities and preparing for life in the wider world.

In the Early Years, this learning is closely linked to children's Personal, Social and Emotional Development. Children learn to build positive relationships, recognise and express feelings, develop independence, understand the feelings of others and make healthy choices. 

As children progress through school, their learning develops to reflect their increasing independence, social awareness and understanding of the world around them. 

 Relationships Education

Relationships Education is a statutory part of the primary curriculum.

Children learn about the importance of families and people who care for them, friendships, respectful relationships, online relationships and how to keep themselves safe.

They learn that families can look different, how healthy relationships should make people feel, how to recognise unhealthy or unsafe situations and how and where to seek help.

Children also learn about respect, kindness, trust, boundaries, privacy, permission and appropriate and inappropriate contact. 

Relationships & Sex Education (RSE)

Our RSE curriculum is taught in an age-appropriate and sensitive way as part of our wider PSHE curriculum.

Children learn about growing and changing, relationships, personal boundaries and how to keep themselves safe.

As children get older, learning includes puberty and the physical and emotional changes associated with growing up. Children are taught accurate, age-appropriate vocabulary and are encouraged to ask questions in a safe and supportive environment.

Parents and carers are informed about the school's approach to RSE and can find further information in our RSE policy and curriculum information.

RSE Policy

Physical & Mental Health

Children learn that looking after their mental health is just as important as looking after their physical health.

They develop their emotional vocabulary, learn to recognise and talk about different feelings and explore strategies that can support their wellbeing.

Children also learn about healthy lifestyles, including physical activity, healthy eating, sleep, hygiene, dental health and keeping themselves safe.

As they progress through school, children develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of how the choices they make can affect their physical and mental wellbeing. 

Keeping Safe

Keeping children safe is an important part of our PSHE curriculum.

Children learn how to recognise situations that may make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe, understand appropriate boundaries and know that their body belongs to them.

They are taught how to ask for help, identify trusted adults and continue seeking help until they are heard.

Children also learn how to stay safe online, including protecting personal information, recognising potentially harmful content or contact and knowing how and where to report concerns. 

How We Assess PSHE & RSE

Assessment in PSHE is ongoing and forms part of everyday teaching and learning.

Teachers use children's discussions, responses, activities and work to consider what they know, understand and can apply.

Assessment also helps teachers identify where concepts may need to be revisited and ensures that learning continues to build progressively as children move through the school.

 PSHE & RSE Curriculum Information

Our curriculum documents provide further information about what children learn in PSHE and RSE and how learning develops as children progress through the school.

📄 PSHE & RSE Curriculum Overview

📄 RSE Policy

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