Subject Leader
Intent
At Laycock, we regard PSHE a paramount subject, so much so that we have made it a core subject along with English, Maths and Science. This choice has allowed and encouraged us to elevate it’s importance, knowledge and understanding; create a platform to increase discussion, debate and questions; and in the long run rejoice in the outcomes we see and hear from putting such a large focus on four essential parts of life: personal, social, health and economic focus. Ultimately, our aim is to teach our children the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships and lifestyles in our wider world, including SMSC and British values. Through our carefully thought out role models embedded within our curriculum and school ethos, we invite our children to challenge stereotypes, break barriers and explore all answers to unanswered questions. Our school values and links with the United Nation’s Global Goals are also embedded within our PSHE curriculum.
Implementation
Our PSHE scheme of work has been designed specifically for our community and catchment; we have carefully prioritised units of work, added topics such as behaviour for learning which includes our work with ITPS (Islington Trauma Informed Services), and thought carefully about the timings of when what should be taught. Ultimately, our lessons have been hand-picked and created specifically for the children who attend Laycock. We have taken the following into consideration: The Equality Act, Islington Finger Tips and Public Health Profile summaries, our cohort of children (year by year), feedback from children- particularly girls in Year 6, and expertise from our Local Authority, the DfE and Government updates and guidelines regarding content. We have worked closely with Islington to help create the PSHE book list, which supports You, Me, PSHE- the Islington scheme of work.
Most of our PSHE lessons are taught through a children’s book or media clip. Our lessons happen weekly with the class teacher and can be seen around our school as each year group has a celebration wall displaying the books linked to their lessons, each class has a learning journeys evidencing class discussions and examples of learning can be found on our website and our Twitter Page by searching for #LayacockPSHE.
HRSE (health, relationships, sex education) will be taught from year 2 upwards in the Spring 1 term to ensure that all children get educated about their physical, emotional and mental development according to their age before they leave our school. All parents are invited into school prior to the teaching of this unit to see our resources and curriculum content.
Alongside and on top of our PSHE curriculum, we dedicate 30 minutes to pastoral time. This initiative puts the child first, invites opportunities to start the day on a positive footing and encourages morning attendance, a ‘can-do’ attitude and sense of belonging and safety. Ultimately, this dedicated time ensures that all children have an opportunity to start their school day calmly; get a personal greeting and acknowledgement from their teacher and peers; and prepares and relaxes the pre-frontal cortex of the brain ready for learning.
The main aspects of our PSHE are:
- Rights and responsibilities
- Feelings and friendships
- Money and economics
- Safety and risk
- Health (including Relationships and Sex)
- Identity and equality, including SMSC
- Laycock's expectations and behaviour
Equality through PSHE
The Equality Act
The Equality Act 2010 provides a single, consolidated source of discrimination law. As far as schools are concerned, for the most part, the effect of the current law is the same as it has been in the past – meaning that schools cannot unlawfully discriminate against pupils because of their sex, race, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation. The exceptions to the discrimination provisions for schools are all replicated in the current act – such as the content of the curriculum, collective worship and admissions to single sex schools and schools of a religious character.
What does the Equalities Act require from schools?
The DfE guidance states that in teaching relationships education and RSE, schools should ensure that:
• The needs of all pupils are appropriately met
• All pupils understand the importance of equality and respect.
Schools must ensure that they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010, under which sexual orientation and gender reassignment are amongst the protected characteristics.
DfE guidance, paragraph 36.
What do schools need to teach about families?
It is important that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) identities are included as part of teaching about relationships and families. Families of many forms provide a nurturing environment for children.
We, at Laycock, think this is important and have fully embedded it into our curriculum, further than PSHE.
"Families can include for example, single parent families, LGBT parents, families headed by grandparents, adoptive parents, foster parents/carers amongst other structures" - DfE guidance
Lesson Plans
Relationship, Sex & Health Education (RSHE)
For our RSHE curriculum, we follow our Local Authorities scheme called ‘You, Me, PSHE’.
They believe:
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is a school subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. These skills and attributes help pupils to stay healthy, safe and prepare them for life and work in modern Britain. When taught well, PSHE education helps pupils to achieve their academic potential, and leave school equipped with skills they will need throughout later life. PSHE Association. PSHE includes the compulsory subjects of relationships and health education. Sex and relationship education is best taught as part of a comprehensive PSHE curriculum. The revised You, Me PSHE resource reflects modern times, with practical guidance and ideas, assisting schools to provide children with the vital, good quality PSHE lessons they are entitled to, to be safer in an everchanging world. You, Me, PSHE is suitable for all primary schools –
mainstream, special, PRUs and independent – to adapt and use to meet the needs of their pupils. You, Me, PSHE builds on pupils’ learning through the Early Years Foundation Stage, especially in the prime areas of personal, social and emotional development and physical development.
Relationships and health education are compulsory in primary schools, relationships and sex education (RSE) is compulsory in secondary schools. The DfE advises all primary schools to teach a programme of sex and relationships education. In You, Me, PSHE RSE lessons are included in the relationships and health education strand in Years 2, 4 and 6. The National Curriculum (September 2014) states that all schools:
• must provide a curriculum that is broadly based and balanced and which meets the needs of all pupils
• promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and society, and prepare pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and
experiences of later life
• should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) drawing on good practice.
The DfE requires all schools to publish their PSHE curriculum on their school website.
The scheme of work can be found below:
Statutory Guidance
- HRSE Statutory Guidance
- Relationships Education
- Physical Health & Wellbeing
- Regulations
- Government resources
Our whole school progression documents
Our curriculum has been influenced and supported by:
Here are the books we use to support our PSHE lessons:
Here are some of our favourite media resources:
Policies
The following policies are related to PSHE:
The DfE guidance for relationships education, relationships and sex education and health education states that primary schools must have a written policy for relationships education and RSE. Schools must consult parents in developing and reviewing their policy. Schools should ensure that the policy meets the needs of pupils and parents and reflects the community they serve.
It is also good practice to consult with staff, pupils, governors and other partners when developing the policy. Schools are required to define relationships education and any sex education they choose to teach, other than that covered in the science curriculum, in their RSE policy. The DfE guidance (paragraph 16) makes clear that the policy should set out the following for relationships and sex education:
- RSE subject content
- How RSE is taught
- Who is responsible for teaching RSE
- How RSE is monitored and evaluated
- Information clarifying why parents do not have a right to withdraw their child from mandatory subjects (health and relationships education)
PSHE Culture Challenge 100!
We have put together 100 things we think you could strive to achieve by the time you leave our school. If you do, you are an outstanding Laycock Learner!
