PSHE & RSE
At Woodstock CE Primary School we aim to create a happy, purp
oseful and supportive environment where children are enabled to become successful learners, develop their full potential and achieve the highest educational standards they can. Our vision statement reflects a passionate commitment to learning and recognition of the uniqueness of individual learners. It is driven by our desire to offer the best possible education for our pupils in partnership with parents, the Church and the local community.
"PSHE education gives pupils the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe and to prepare them for life and work in modern Britain."
PSHE Association
Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) enables our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of a society. It aims to help them understand how they are developing personally and socially, and tackles many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. We strive to provide our children with learning opportunities across and beyond the curriculum, in specific lessons, circle time, special school projects and other activities that enrich pupils’ experiences. It allows pupils to learn about rights and responsibilities and appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society. Our children are encouraged to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community. At Woodstock CE Primary School we embrace in which PSHE & RSE, and Online Safety, supports many of the principles of safeguarding and its close links to the school’s Safeguarding, SMSC and British Values Policies.
Personal, Social, Health Education and RSE is central to our curriculum; it helps children grow and develop as individuals and as members of families and communities. Through PSHE pupils will have the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active and responsible citizens. Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of their school and communities. They reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling many of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. They learn to understand and respect our common humanity, diversity and differences so that they can go on to form the effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning.
The personal and social development of pupils underpins our curriculum. Through a carefully planned programme, supported by all who work in or with the school, we want children to leave Woodstock CE Primary School ready for the transition into secondary school and adult life. Our framework for PSHE embeds the three strands — health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world, as well as the statutory aspects of the Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education guidance.
Effective Relationships & Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education is crucial to developing and maintaining emotional and physical health. RSE is provided through the Personal, Social and Health Education Framework and is planned to ensure pupils receive their sex education in the wider context of relationships, and are prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experience of adult life. We believe that the teaching of sex education should be complementary and supportive to the role of parents and should have regard to parents’ views on its content and presentation.
Our RSE programme is designed following consultation with parents, to meet the statutory requirements of DfE guidance. Our education programme is dynamic and responds to latest updates from the DfE and other initiatives to ensure it responds to current practice and is bespoke to the needs of our children and families. For pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 Sex Education is provided by class teachers with the support of health professionals in a way that encourages them to consider moral aspects and the value of family life. As a school we have a legal duty to ensure that children are protected from teaching and materials which are inappropriate, having regard to the age, religion and cultural background of our pupils. Parents are informed in writing prior to the teaching of Sex Education and are given the opportunity to see teaching materials to be used and receive explanations of the way in which it is proposed to use them in the classroom. Teachers are trained and appropriately supported, to be able to teach RSE with confidence.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of any Sex Education provided, but not from teaching of the biological aspects of human growth and reproduction, a statutory part of the National Curriculum for Science. If a parent wishes to withdraw their child, they should put their request in writing to the Headteacher - a reason for this decision is not necessary.
Assessment in PSHE & RSE: Assessment is ongoing and informs future teaching building a picture of the child’s attainment and progress over time. There are also ‘check-in’ points throughout, and at the end of each unit against the objectives being taught. This gives teachers the information that they need to build a holistic picture of each individual child and enables them to plan further support and opportunities for retrieval; direct teaching and/or adaptation in future units. The subject leader monitors pupil outcomes to identify trends and patterns that inform future curriculum alterations and CPD opportunities.
To view our policy for RSE please click here.
Please follow the link here to the Young Minds website for parental guidance to support children's mental health.