Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education & Relationships Education
Every child is a unique gift from God, with his or her own unique gifts. Our Catholic school, inspired by the teaching of Jesus Christ, will always endeavour to meet the needs of every child within our school. At St. Edmund’s, we strive to ensure that all children and staff are offered the opportunity to develop to their full potential in individual, educational, moral, intellectual and spiritual needs.
The Life to the Full scheme of work enables teachers to deliver a fully integrated and holistic programme in Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Relationships and Health Education (RHE) that enables children to ‘live life to the full’ (John 10:10).
Life to the Full Plus is structured on ‘A model Catholic RSHE Curriculum’ by the Catholic Education Service. This scheme is then supplemented with lessons that cover British Values, financial and economic education and first aid to ensure full coverage of all areas of the PSHE and RHE Curriculum.
Our Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) Curriculum brings together citizenship with personal wellbeing, relationships, economic wellbeing and life education while living out our Mission Statement. Our curriculum is based on that of the PSHE Association. www.pshe-association.org.uk
Our curriculum covers statutory requirements with the intent of children developing in an age appropriate way to become healthy, independent and responsible citizens. It promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural mental and physical development of our pupils to prepare them for the wider World.
Teaching and learning in PSHE and RSE
At St Edmund’s the PSHE and RHE curriculum is covered using a range of different resources throughout the year. These include: The RE curriculum, the Science National Curriculum, The Computing National Curriculum, PSHE lesson planning, our mission statement and values, NSPCC resources and the CES approved programme ‘Ten: Ten Life to the Full Plus’ which promotes the teaching of the Catholic Church. PSHE and RHE are taught together through a whole-school approach, from Reception Class to Year 6. In line with Diocesan protocols, St Edmund’s have introduced a new scheme of work – Ten: Ten Life to the Full Plus. The Catholic Education Service have approved the Catholic Relationships and Sex Education curriculum that we have adopted across our primary school. This curriculum is also in line with the guidance issued by the Department for Education.
We are clear that parents and carers are the prime educators for children on many of these matters. We consult parents in developing and reviewing our policy to ensure that the policy meets the needs of pupils and parents and reflects the community we serve. Life to the Full Plus is intended to be a partnership between home, school and church; all parents have access to all lesson content through an online parent portal. Engaging Parents – Ten Ten Resources
The Catholic Education Service accentuates that any teaching about love and sexual relationships in a Catholic school must be rooted in the Catholic Church’s teaching about what it is to be truly human in Christ, what it means to live well in relationship with others and be presented within a positive framework of Christian virtue.
Relationships and Health Education is taught as part of a holistic education which seeks to form as well as inform young people in preparation for adult life. Catholic Schools are required to deliver Relationships and Health Education in accordance with the teaching of the Church. Relationships and Health Education is part of the mission of Catholic schools to educate the whole person.
IN EYFS, the provision is planned to ensure development in Physical, Social and Emotional Development (‘PSED) occurs daily. In provision, children will be supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self and explore the ideas of relationships, appropriate behaviours, self-confidence and self-awareness, rules and routines and restorative justice. Through effective PSED opportunities, children also develop other key skills e.g. Communication and Language and Understanding the World. In Key Stages 1 and 2, PSHE is taught through timetabled lessons and also through our subjects and the wider curriculum e.g. RE, circle times, assemblies, wellbeing days, mental health days, anti-bullying weeks and odd socks days etc. PSHE is taught through a ‘spiral programme’ with the learning organised into a series of recurring themes, each lasting a minimum of a half a term, which the children experience every year. The themes are ‘Health and Wellbeing’, ‘Relationships’ and ‘Living in the wider World’. Our PSHE plans state progressive knowledge and skills to ensure full coverage. We recognise the right for al pupils to have access to PSHE education learning which meets their needs.
Our plans are differentiated beyond the core knowledge to provide for the learning needs of all learners and to ensure all learners, including SEND, Pupil Premium and high attainers, are challenged, including through cross curricular links.
Life to the Full is a four-stage structure which is repeated across four different learning stages: Early Years Foundation Stage; Key Stage One; Lower Key Stage Two and Upper Key Stage Two. Within each learning stage, there are three modules which are based on the Model Catholic RSE Curriculum: created and loved by God, created to love others, created to live in community. Each module is then broken down into units of work.
The programme adopts a spiral curriculum approach so that as a child goes through the programme year after year, the learning will develop and grow with each stage, building on the last. The Twinkl Life elements taught in school cover the key area of living in the wider world. Again this area is revisited regularly through a child’s learning in primary school and enables children to build upon previous learning, exploring this key area at a depth appropriate for the age and stage of the child.
By the time children leave our school they will have developed the vocabulary and confidence needed to articulate their thoughts and feelings in a climate of openness, trust and respect and know when and how they can seek the support of others. They will be able to evaluate and understand their own wellbeing needs, practise self-care and contribute positively to the wellbeing of those around them. They will have developed the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to succeed at school and in the wider world, all within a context of the Catholic faith.
Click here for the National Curriculum Guidance on PSHE and RSE: Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Wiltshire Healthy Schools Accreditation
Saint Edmund's has successfully secured the Bronze level of the Wiltshire Healthy Schools scheme.
The Healthy Schools standards have been developed to meet the health priorities and needs of the children and young people of Wiltshire. The standards are linked to the current Ofsted Common Inspection Framework, national and local Public Health Outcomes and other guidance for schools including from NICE (National Institute of health and Care Excellence).
Schools acheiving the Wiltshire Healthy Schools Standards can be confident in their knowledge that they have set the foundation for best practise in Health Promotion throughout their setting.
In order to achieve the Bronzel level accrediatation, a school has to demonstrate that they are meeting criteria under the headings of:
* The Whole School Approach
*PSHE Education
* Healthy Weight (incorporating Healthy Eating and Physical Activity)
* Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health.