PSHE

Purpose and Aims

"Leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is a key feature of the school. From the time they join the school, pupils are gradually taught to take responsibility and to become independent learners.......They ensure that individual pupils are provided with the support they need. Leaders ensure that pupils are helped to develop life skills, such as resilience and how to be assertive." School Ofsted Report, June 2019

Purpose:

PSHE education is a planned, developmental programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. As part of a whole-school approach, PSHE education develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. PSHE education equips pupils to live healthy, safe, productive, capable, responsible and balanced lives. It encourages them to be enterprising and supports them in making effective transitions, positive learning and career choices and in achieving economic wellbeing. A critical component of PSHE education is providing opportunities for children and young people to reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes and explore the complex and sometimes conflicting range of values and attitudes they encounter now and in the future. Developing an understanding of themselves, empathy and the ability to work with others will help pupils to form and maintain good relationships, develop the essential skills for future employability and better enjoy and manage their lives.

Aims:

To build confidence, resilience and self-esteem
To identify and manage risk
To make informed choices and understand what influences their decisions
To recognise, accept and shape their identities
To understand and accommodate difference and change
To manage emotions and to communicate constructively in a variety of settings.

Provision

Our curriculum is categorised in 2 ways

Breadth - which gives pupils experiences across the PSHE and SRE curriculum
Depth - which helps pupils to think and act like young citizens

Whilst coverage is our goal for the “breadth” element, repetition and increasing the understanding via mastery learning is our goal for the “depth” element.

Our curriculum drivers shape our approach to teaching PSHE so that every opportunity is taken to relate PSHE to the needs of our pupils. PSHE is studied weekly in both Key Stages, either through PSHE sessions, values sessions or News and Views sessions. Cross curricular links and Learning Outside the Classroom are incorporated where possible and meaningful.

Progression and Assessment

Our progression includes 12 units which are visited once in KS1 and twice in KS2 at a more challenging level at each stage. We set out our expectations around the Harpenden Academy PSHE scheme (adapted from the Ealing scheme). We use the Chris Quigley three cognitive domains to ensure each child receives the right support and challenge: Basic (We call it Paddling), Advancing (we call it Snorkelling) and Deep (we call it Diving). It is expected that the vast majority of pupils will have an Advancing understanding by the end of each milestone (KS1, Lower KS2 and Upper KS2) and some will have a Deep understanding.

Assessment and reporting

We will assess the pupil’s depth of understanding each year using the PSHE scheme assessment guidance.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Improvement

The role of the leader in monitoring pupil’s outcomes is to audit teachers’ judgements via book looks as well as ensuring breadth and depth of curriculum through book looks, learning walks and learning talks (with pupils). Strengths and areas for development are identified and actions shared with staff then reviewed to assess impact. Book looks are done collectively in staff meetings and then collated by the leader. The subject leader action plan and monitoring evidence is kept in the monitoring file and evidence is gathered and celebrated in the PSHE and SMSC portfolios.