PSHE stands for Personal, Social, Health and Economic education. It is an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education. Whilst it is a non-statutory subject, it includes a range of statutory content outlined in the national curriculum and within specific guidance on safeguarding, drugs education, financial education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and health education.
At Ark Bentworth, we are committed to providing a broad and balanced life-skills curriculum through PSHE education. This is taught through the three strands of Relationships and Sex Education, Health Education and Living in the Wider World. Our PSHE curriculum is essential to providing pupils with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to manage their lives now, and in the future. Through quality delivery, it aims to develop:
- Confident individuals who know and understand how to live safe, happy, healthy and fulfilling lives
- Young people who are able to maintain positive, respectful and healthy relationships, within which they can thrive personally and socially
- Responsible citizens who understand they have rights and responsibilities that help them to make a positive contribution to society
- Successful learners who enjoy discovering new knowledge, making progress and achieving success
The knowledge and skills across the three main strands of PSHE education build sequentially through the following topics in Years 1 – 6, with pupils often revisiting an idea or concept again in a later unit:
- Fundamental British Values
- Families and Relationships
- Safety and the Changing Body
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, PSHE education is covered mainly through the prime areas of Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) and Communication and Language (CL), as well as through the specific area of Understanding the World.
The PSHE curriculum at Ark Bentworth, including RSE, is regularly reviewed to reflect the needs of the pupil population. In addition to weekly PSHE lessons, we include specific teaching on wellbeing and mindfulness as well as enabling pupils to be reflective and able to self-regulate through an approach called Zones of Regulation. PSHE teaching often works with pupils’ real-life experiences, addressing a range of personal, social, emotional and health issues. A safe, supportive and respectful learning environment is created by establishing clear ground rules, developed and agreed with all pupils. Lessons are also characterised by active and interactive engagement. In every unit, a variety of teaching and learning styles are used including videos, information sheets, visual aids, games, story books, pictures and drawing, role play and visits by external professionals and theatre groups, for example. The non-statutory content relating to sex education is offered in the Summer Term of Year 6 only. Arrangements for parents to withdraw Year 6 pupils from sex education lessons are clearly set out in the PSHE (inc. RSE) policy on our website.
Finally, as an inclusive school, Ark Bentworth values difference and diversity within our school community and the wider world. As such, PSHE education is delivered within the context of our school aims and values:
- School Aims: Aiming High, Achieving Together
- School Values: Respect, Resilience, Generosity, Honesty, Independence, Happiness
We believe that pupils should receive comprehensive, balanced and accurate information that relates to their needs. In exploring their own feelings and attitudes, and those of peers and wider society, our pupils are able to develop values on which to base decisions about relationships, health and living in the wider world