Relationships, Personal, Social, Health Education (RPSHE)

Intent:

There is a proven link between pupils’ health and wellbeing, and their academic progress. Crucial skills and positive attitudes developed through our comprehensive PSHE offer are critical to ensuring all of our children are effective learners.

Our PSHE curriculum is a carefully planned, developmental programme of learning designed to help our children develop the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to manage their lives now and in the future. We aim for our children to be able to: consider their words and actions and the affect they can have on others; understand that we live in a diverse society, which we need to appreciate and understand; live a healthy life and gain essential personal life skills.

PSHE Implementation:

At Cogenhoe, we use the SCARF programme of learning to develop our children’s understanding of staying safe, caring for others, resilience and relationships through weekly lessons. The programme is centred on a values-based and ‘Growth Mindset’ approach, which promotes positive behaviour, mental health, wellbeing, resilience and achievement.

It supports the breadth of study for each year group with a focus on specific knowledge categories. The themes are taught cohesively across the key stages and allow for progression in the children’s knowledge and understanding as they develop and grow. Learning is most effective with spaced repetition; each year progresses on the previous, enabling children to gain different skills. Retrieval of previously learnt content is a frequent and regular feature of all PSHE lessons; this is effectively demonstrated in such activities as Circle Time.

Real life issues are discussed which affect our children, their families, their communities and engages with the social and economic realities of their lives, experiences and attitudes. The learning is brought to life by the use of drama, videos, creative activities and discussions. All of our classroom based learning is further enhanced by our enrichment opportunities which include, “Happy Week”, “Anti-bullying Week” and “Road Safety Week” to name just a few. In addition to this, all of our children take part in memorable trips and visits which help to bring our PSHE curriculum to life.

PSHE Impact:

Our PSHE curriculum compliments the school’s behaviour, anti-bullying and safeguarding policies. Our children learn how to lead healthy lifestyles, manage their feelings, build positive relationships, and become financially capable for life beyond Cogenhoe.

Sex & Relationships Education

Intent

At Cogenhoe Primary School, good relationships are fundamental to our ethos and our success in being a happy, caring and safe school.

Our Relationships Education – a compulsory curriculum area – is designed to help children grow up healthy, happy and safe, preparing them for their adult lives; it is lifelong learning about relationships, emotions, looking after ourselves, different families, sex, sexuality and sexual health.

Relationships teaching also aims to:

• Equip children with the necessary and appropriate knowledge and skills to make informed choices about their wellbeing, health and relationships
• Enable them to form positive beliefs, values and attitudes
• Support children to manage the challenges and opportunities of modern Britain

Also included within this curriculum area is the opportunity to learn about equality and diversity, using appropriate language. By the time children finish primary school, they will have been taught about family and relationships including:

• Family and people who care for them
• Caring friendships
• Respectful relationships
• Online relationships
• Being safe

RSE has a fundamental part to play in the personal, social, moral and spiritual development of our young people.

Implementation

RSE is taught as explicit lessons through the PSHE and science curriculums but is also embedded in other areas of the curriculum and day-to-day life of the school. In PSHE, RSE is specifically covered in the units ‘Relationships’ and ‘Changing Me’ and in science ‘Animals Including Humans’ and ‘Living Things and Their Habitats’ also cover the statutory requirements; other elements are also covered in the Religious Education curriculum. Children are taught by familiar adults who they have a good rapport with, in order to facilitate constructive and supportive discussions around sensitive topics in a safe and secure environment. Staff have received in-house CPD to support them in responding to the needs of the individual child and support children with any questions or concerns they may have. If staff feel uncomfortable or unsure when delivering the RSE curriculum or dealing with individual pupil needs, they know where to seek advice and support. The RSE curriculum has been mapped out clearly in the progression grids for PSHE and science which ensure coverage of all of the statutory elements by the end of the primary phase; these are delivered at the appropriate stage for our children. Our high expectations of behaviour, interpersonal relationships, respect and tolerance of others reflect the British Values upheld in both our community and the wider world. Through our rigorous and progressive curriculum, children develop key skills and are prepared for the wider world beyond primary school, a world in which they can keep themselves safe and healthy and thrive with the support of the positive relationships they forge with those around them.

Impact

Our RSE curriculum helps our children to become healthy, happy and confident individuals who have positive body awareness, an in-depth knowledge of how to keep themselves safe and healthy and who will, through respect, tolerance and understanding, forge and maintain positive relationships with a diverse range of family and friendship groups. Ultimately, they are well prepared and equipped for the next stage in their school careers.