PSHE | Thomas A Becket Junior School

Principles for PSHE (Personal, Social & Health Education) Learning

We believe that PSHE education should underpin and contribute to a curriculum that is broadly based, balanced and which meets the needs of all our pupils. Our curriculum provides many opportunities to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our pupils. We believe that the development of a child’s personal, social and health education underpins all of the school’s aims. The PSHE objectives give our pupils the opportunity to consider what the knowledge and understanding in all lessons means to them.

We endeavour to prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. We aim to address both pupils’ direct experience and preparation for their future. It helps them to develop the skills and strategies they need to apply this knowledge in their real lives, to make safe and informed decisions. In each and every subject, teachers are aware of the need to develop the children’s personal and social skills through teamwork, creative thinking, enquiry, self-management etc. Our PSHE education has strong links to other subjects, including, but not limited to, science, computing, PE and religious education. In addition to this, we believe it is important that every child understands what “being healthy” means and how to achieve that. As part of a whole school approach, it develops the qualities and attributes that our pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development and British Values within PSHE Learning

At Thomas a Becket Junior we seek to use PSHE education to build upon the basic school curriculum. We promote the SMSC development of pupils through making our curriculum relevant. We endeavour to prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

Spiritual:

TAB will foster an ethos within which all pupils can grow and flourish, respect others and be respected.
Pupils will have the opportunity to understand human feelings and emotions, the way they impact on people and how an understanding of them can be helpful.
Pupils will have the opportunity to explore values and beliefs, including religious beliefs, and the way in which they impact on peoples’ lives.

Moral:

Pupils will develop a respect for others’ needs, interests and feelings, as well as their own.
Pupils will develop an ability to distinguish right from wrong based on a knowledge of the moral codes of their own and other cultures
Pupils will show a commitment to personal values in areas which are considered right by some and wrong by others.
Pupils will develop an ability to think through the consequences of their own and others’ actions.
Pupils will develop a confidence to act consistently in accordance with their own principles.

Social:

TAB will provide opportunities for pupils to exercise leadership and responsibility.
Pupils will be encouraged to join school clubs (and engage fully in community life)
Pupils will socialise with pupils of different ages with similar interests to themselves.
TAB will identify key values and principles on which the school and community life are based.
TAB will foster a sense of community, with common, inclusive values, encouraging pupils to work co-operatively.
TAB will encourage pupils to recognise and respect social differences and similarities.
TAB will promote racial, religious and other forms of equality
TAB will help pupils develop personal qualities which are valued in a civilised society, for example, thoughtfulness, honesty, respect for difference, moral principles, independence, inter-dependence, self-respect.
TAB will help pupils resolve tensions between their own aspirations and those of the group or wider society.
Social development: Providing a conceptual and linguistic framework within which to understand and debate social issues.

Cultural:

TAB will recognise and nurture particular gifts and talents.
Pupils will explore their own cultural assumptions and values.
Pupils will be exposed to the attitudes, values and traditions of diverse cultures, addressing racism and promoting race equality.
Cultural development: The school will recognise and nurture particular gifts and talents.

British Values in PSHE

The objectives below demonstrate how our PSHE curriculum promotes the different British Values.

Democracy

Pupils will engage in the democratic process of electing school council reps/ house captains.
About rights and responsibilities as members of families, other groups and ultimately as citizens
To recognise the role of voluntary, community and pressure groups, especially in relation to health and wellbeing

Rule of Law

About the importance of respecting and protecting the environment
How to make informed choices (including recognising that choices can have positive, neutral and negative consequences)
Strategies for keeping physically and emotionally safe including road safety, safety in the environment and safety online (including social media, the responsible use of ICT and mobile phones)
To deepen their understanding of risk by recognising, predicting and assessing risks in different situations and deciding how to manage them responsibly (including risks in their local environment) and to use this as an opportunity to build resilience (including on trips)
To realise the nature and consequences of discrimination, teasing, bullying and aggressive behaviours (including cyber bullying, use of prejudice-based language, how to respond and ask for help)
That pressure to behave in an unacceptable, unhealthy or risky way can come from a variety of sources, including people they know and the media
Which, why and how, commonly available substances and drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) could damage their immediate and future health and safety, that some are legal, some are restricted and some are illegal to own, use and supply to others

Individual Liberty

To reflect on and celebrate their achievements, identify their strengths, areas for improvement, set high aspirations and goals
To recognise and respond appropriately to a wider range of feelings in others
To recognise their increasing independence brings increased responsibility to keep themselves and others safe

Mutual Respect

To resolve differences by looking at alternatives, seeing and respecting others’ points of view, making decisions and explaining choices
To work collaboratively towards shared goals (The Fab Four)
About respect for self and others and the importance of responsible behaviours and actions
To recognise what constitutes a positive, healthy relationship and develop the skills to form and maintain positive and healthy relationships
How to respond to risky or negative relationships and ask for help
How to respect equality and diversity in relationships.
To listen and respond respectfully to a wide range of people, to feel confident to raise their own concerns, to recognise and care about other people's feelings and to try to see, respect and if necessary constructively challenge their points of view

Tolerance of those with different faiths or beliefs

How to develop and maintain a variety of healthy relationships, within a range of social/cultural contexts
To think about the lives of people living in other places, and people with different values and customs
That differences and similarities between people arise from a number of factors, including family, cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability
About different groups and communities
To recognise and challenge stereotypes
To respect equality and to be a productive member of a diverse community
To appreciate the range of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom

Organisation of PSHE learning

Our PSHE education is a planned programme of learning through which pupils acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. The taught objectives for PSHE education for our pupils are split into 3 main themes:

Health and wellbeing - Pupils will be taught; what is meant by a healthy lifestyle, how to maintain physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing, how to manage risks to physical and emotional health and wellbeing, ways of keeping physically and emotionally safe, about managing change, such as puberty, transition and loss, how to make informed choices about health and wellbeing and to recognise sources of help with this, how to respond in an emergency, and to identify different influences on health and wellbeing.

Relationships - Pupils will be taught; how to develop and maintain a variety of healthy relationships, within a range of social/cultural contexts, how to recognise and manage emotions within a range of relationships, how to recognise risky or negative relationships including all forms of bullying and abuse, how to respond to, and ask for help in these situations and how to respect equality and diversity in relationships.

Living in the wider world - Pupils will be taught; about respect for self and others and the importance of responsible behaviours and actions, about rights and responsibilities as members of families, other groups and ultimately as citizens, about different groups and communities, to respect equality and to be a productive member of a diverse community , about the importance of respecting and protecting the environment, about where money comes from, keeping it safe and the importance of managing it effectively, how money plays an important part in people’s lives, a basic understanding of enterprise.

The learning objectives for each theme underpin the curriculum for each year group and are taught in explicit 45 minute sessions fortnightly. In addition, there are phase meetings which support the social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) and PSHE curriculums. We understand that active engagement in learning, rather than passive receipt of information, is most effective in teaching PSHE education. Pupils need opportunities to clarify their values and beliefs and rehearse and develop enquiry and interpersonal skills. Pupils need a comprehensive, balanced and relevant body of information to inform their present and future risk assessment, decision-making and management. The role of the teacher in PSHE education is frequently as a facilitator of learning. Where possible when we discuss new areas in PSHE education we will start by enabling pupils to share their prior knowledge. We will help pupils to make connections between their learning and future real life experiences, encouraging them to make positive, healthy lifestyle choices. The skill of critical reflection is at the heart of assessment for learning in PSHE.

We use circle time widely as a vehicle to address current needs and issues amongst our pupils. A wide range of outside visitors and agencies are welcomed in to school to reinforce teaching and learning in the classroom e.g. Police, Fire Service, School nurse, charity organisers, magistrates etc. Additional provision includes: School Council (reps per class), peer mediators, playground leaders, peer mentors and sessions for specific needs with pastoral support mentors. We create a safe and supportive learning environment by establishing classroom values and rules which enable opportunities to learn and develop effectively. We will ensure that where pupils indicate that they may be vulnerable or at risk, they will get appropriate support. Teaching takes into account the ability, age, readiness and cultural backgrounds of our pupils and those with English as an additional language can fully access PSHE education provision. We promote social learning and expect our pupils to show a high regard for the needs of others.

Skills Development in PSHE

The PSHE objectives have been organised to ensure pupils are accessing age-appropriate content across their time at TAB. We endeavour to encourage pupils to develop their personal skills and attributes, such as resilience, self-esteem, risk management, team working and critical thinking. Pupils develop these skills through cross-curricular opportunities and through group work, including learning through talk opportunities. Through encouraging positive discussions among pupils, we would hope for pupils to apply these skills within the wider world and outside of the classroom.

Assessing PSHE Learning

It is important to remember that PSHE education is not about passing or failing. Teachers and pupils both need to know that what has been taught has been learned, and that learning is progressing. Work scrutinies are undertaken to ensure consistency of teaching standards across the school. Pupil voice backs this up. The increase of pupil voice together with the possible introduction of self-assessment in key skills should enable us to have an even better idea of pupil progress throughout Years 3-6.

Enrichment of PSHE Learning

At Thomas A Becket Junior School we feel that it is very important that we play our part to support the needs of the community and to ensure that the children understand the wider issues of the world around them. The act of sharing and giving to charities is part of the process of us giving something back to our community. Our charities are decided by each year group and where appropriate, linked to their topics. Each class within the year group then help to fundraise towards the group total. In addition to year group fundraising we support other whole school events. At Harvest time, in the Autumn term, we support the Worthing Churches’ Homeless Project by asking for donations of food, toiletries etc. We also take part in fundraising for either Children in Need or Red Nose Day.