Intent
At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, we recognise that children today are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. We aspire to responsibly educate our children so that they know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal, and social lives in a positive way.
We recognise that PSHE/RHE have a key part to play in the personal, social, moral and spiritual development of young people. We aim to provide our children with the information they need to develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds, not just intimate relationships.
Through our PSHE/RHE curriculum, we aim to stimulate our children’s interest and understanding by equipping them with the skills needed to develop positive attitudes, values, and high levels of self-esteem, to challenge prejudice and negative attitudes in society and promote the skills needed for effective communication. We seek to develop ambitious, confident citizens and successful learners who are creative, resourceful, aspire to succeed and demonstrate ability to identify and solve problems. The social and emotional development of pupils is embedded throughout the entire school’s curriculum and culture.
Implementation
RHE is taught through the implementation of a high quality, diocesan approved curriculum, ‘Life to the Full’
Our curriculum content is taught through a carefully considered sequence of engaging topics in an age appropriate order which reflects the development of the child, with key concepts revisited throughout each phase. This allows our children to engage with their developing sense of identity and understanding of their place in the world as they progress through school and beyond. At St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, the teaching and learning of PSHE/RHE focuses on a holistic approach to learning. We plan for progression across these key concepts:
• Religious Understanding
• Me, My body, My health
• Emotional Well-being
• Life-Cycles
• Keeping Safe
• Living in the Wider World
• Our changing bodies
• Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• Families and close positive relationships
• Managing hurtful behaviour and bullying
• Safe relationships
• Respecting self and others
• Shared responsibilities
• Communities
• Online safety
• Economic well-being: Money
• Economic well-being: Aspirations, work and career
Teaching Styles
RHE is taught using the ‘Life to the Full’ programme as a discrete subject, timetabled across all phases. PSHE is also taught as discrete sessions with strong links to topics in English, Science, PE and RE for each year group. Taught with a spiral approach to learning in which pupils will revisit the same topics at an age-appropriate stage through their school life, the programme includes teaching about personal health, physical and emotional well-being, strong emotions, private parts of the body, personal relationships, family structures, trusted adults, growing bodies, puberty, periods, life cycles, the dangers of social media, where babies come from, an understanding of the Common Good and living in the wider world.
The entire teaching is underpinned with a Christian faith understanding that our deepest identity is as a child of God – created, chosen and loved by God. The programme is fully inclusive of all pupils and their families.
English
Teaching of PSHE/RHE actively promotes the speaking and listening elements of English by ensuring that each year group takes part in a range of high quality discussion activities where children are taught to respect the opinions of others, whilst sensitively sharing their own thoughts and feelings.
Science
During science lessons, children gain a greater depth of knowledge about the impact of healthy eating, exercise, sleep, the use of harmful substances and puberty on their bodies. They also learn about human reproduction.
RE
RE lessons promote the basic underlying message that we are created and loved by God and as such, we should show respect to our bodies. PE Pupils learn practical ways to keep their bodies healthy and the impact of safe, high quality exercise on their health.
Impact:
We believe that if children have successfully developed their knowledge and understanding of PSHE/RHE, then they will be able to articulate their understanding with confidence and demonstrate their learning through the way they manage relationships and cope with their changing emotions. The work produced by our children and the discussions they have, demonstrate that they are equipped with the social and emotional skills and knowledge that will enable them to be ready for the secondary curriculum and for life as an adult. By the end of year 6, children have a sound understanding of relationships, emotions, how to look after themselves, different families and human reproduction. They are equipped with the appropriate knowledge to develop their skills and form positive beliefs, values and attitudes which will greatly benefit them as they move on to Key Stage 3.
