PSHE

Our PSHE curriculum is designed as a spiral curriculum in which the children revisit key skills each year. They are given regular opportunities to reflect upon their learning through discussion and worry boxes. At the beginning of each new topic, an initial activity is carried out to gauges pupils’ starting points in terms of their existing knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs.

Intention 1:

To ensure that the Jigsaw approach is embedded within the school ethos alongside zones of regulation. 

Intention 2:

To build upon the jigsaw approach into every part of school life. 

Intention 3:

To ensure that individual assessments inform prior understanding and help to build upon knowledge and skills for every child’s starting points.

The school curriculum will focus on three core learning themes: health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world. The scheme that is followed throughout school is ‘Jigsaw’ within a timetabled slot to ensure a spiral curriculum is met. This is further supplemented through pastoral support within school with our pastoral teacher Mrs Hindley. All children are also familiar with the zones of regulation which work alongside the Jigsaw scheme.

PSHE is taught regularly and can also be seen discreetly through other curriculum areas and whole school life. However, this does not replace regular PSHE lessons with a qualified, familiar member of staff. All children will have access to Relationship and Sex education that is in line with their age, needs and current government advice alongside high quality Science lessons where necessary. Parents will always be informed and invited into school to discuss any concerns.

Planning and resources are accessible to all. The subject is led by the PSHE co-ordinator who develops subject knowledge though regular training opportunities and research. The subject lead has shared summative assessments with staff that are in line with Jigsaw teaching. Alongside these, individual formative assessments are also completed at the start and end of units to show progression.

The subject lead also holds a lunch time club called ‘Time to Talk’ in which children have an open chat about school life, achievements, worries etc.  At present, the PSHE co-coordinator has been on ‘The Archbishop of York’ training to develop Young leaders and hopes to implement this with a KS2 class during the upcoming year. She has also been on RSE training to develop RSE planning and policy across the school..

Both the PSHE lead and SEND co-ordinator have been on ‘Roar’ training and have begun to use resources and strategies in everyday life within their own classes to ensure emotional and mental needs are being monitored and children are developing coping strategies.

PSHE is of a personal nature, and therefore should be treated accordingly. We feel that there is no ‘pass/fail’ in terms of a child; only the development of individual needs. Monitoring is carried out through pupil interviews, book monitoring, professional conversations and taking part in local/national initiative days and weeks to promote whole school involvement.

At Hunts Cross, we understand the importance of the Early Years. We ensure connections are made between the Early Year’s Goals and KS1 curriculum by carefully matching up objectives in our audit. We ensure staff understand expectations between these transition points when teaching through regular contact, feedback and shared resources.

Visitors are invited into assemblies to give talks and sessions around various topics such as road safety- Slow Down for Bobby, My BNK (Financial understanding) and Bully Busters. For sensitive issue against tackling stereotypes of refugees, we invite the Red Cross in. Lessons from the Red Cross about First Aid are also taught by staff based on key skills and knowledge from Reception to Year 6. Also, we have celebrated internet safety day, Neurodiversity week and dementia awareness workshops.

In future, we would like to apply for Jigsaw Flagship status.

The impact of our PSHE curriculum intent:

• School community is better informed to the knowledge and skills being taught within every year group.
• Some year groups are able to show individual progression for children from their own starting points. Summative assessment grids are available for all staff to access on the shared drive and reinforce the year group expectations.
• The audit tool has proven a valuable resource for the PSHE lead to monitor and spot gaps to be addressed within PSHE.
• Knowledge is appropriate to the age of the children and staff are better supported by knowing exactly what resources/vocabulary to use. Staff well being improved as less time is wasted on looking for resources/guidance.
• More transparency and improved communication with families.
• Children are beginning to independently use strategies from both the zones of regulation toolkits and Jigsaw PSHE lessons.
• Children are building upon their knowledge each year and learning of RSE is not a taboo unit that is rushed at the end of Year 6.
• It has been evident to see the clear progression with children who had MYBNK lessons in Year 4 and then revisit in Year 5 in terms of their economic understanding.
• Promotion of equality for all families showing as all families are celebrated.
• Children have had opportunities to learn outside of the school environment, have enjoyed coming into school and improved relationships.
• Further safeguarding information and key messages have been relayed to children.
• Experienced of real life situations in a safe environment.
• Access to zones of regulation ‘toolkit’ be able to look after their mental health and well-being to understand and manage their emotions.
• Recognise and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual respect, Rule of law and Liberty.
• Understand the physical and emotional aspects of RSE at an age appropriate level.
• Show respect for themselves and others whilst maintaining their own self esteem.

How do we develop the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development?
Spiritual Development

•  Children are encouraged to reflect about their own beliefs during collective worship.
• Class collective worship is planned for and based on our values.
•  The children are taught about World Religions and Christianity is the main religion taught.
• Children are given opportunities to be creative through drama and arts. We have dedicated weeks throughout the school, for example, Big Arts Week, Science week. Children take part in performances at Christmas, Class assemblies, class celebrations – guitar playing for parents, School Musicals.
•  Children are given time during lessons and around the school to reflect on their experiences.

Moral Development

•  At the beginning of each year during PHSE lessons children are asked to formulate their class rules. They are encouraged to think about rules throughout the world, the law, differences between rules, rules at home and rules in school.
•  The school encourages visitors in from different agencies. The Police regularly visit school and talk about different topics including Cyber safety and rules, Firework safety and code, Anti Bullying messages. Smoke free sports – have worked with children in Y5 and Y6 on staying away from smoking, Railway Network – rules on the railway.
•  Children are in teams based on Olympians. The children are rewarded with raffle tickets for good behaviour and effort.

Social Development

• Children are given opportunities to develop their social skills through a range of situations including
• Sports competitions against other schools
• PGL – outward bound activity weekend
•  Enterprise – Enviropool, Y6 Enterprise competitions (School won most creative award 2014)
•  Choir sang Christmas Carols around Christmas Tree in community and sang for the local business Eli Lilly.
• Children raised money for Children in Need.
•  Children from Y1 – Y6 are in the school Council
•  Three Y 6 children are in School’s Parliament.

Cultural Development

• Children learn about a range of cultures for example – Christmas around the world Assembly for parents, Kenya day in EYFS, Cultural Assemblies – children given opportunities to taste food from different cultures, food from around the world – School menus (World Cup theme) Brazil week.
•  Children are given opportunities to attend competitions for a range of Sports – Football, tennis, cricket, water polo, swimming, new age curling, mat ball, cross country, indoor athletics.
•  Children are involved in a range of art competitions – RSPCA animal art, Morris Homes – Homes of the future, Postage stamp designs, healthy menus.

Promoting the Fundamental British Values

Citizens of the UK are encouraged to

• Respect and obey the law
• Respect the rights of others, including their right to their own opinions
• Treat others with fairness
• Look after yourself and your family
• Look after the area in which you live and the environment.

We believe that our mission statement, code of conduct and school values underpin the fundamental British Values. At Hunts Cross Primary School, we promote the fundamental British Values throughout our curriculum. We teach the National Curriculum, the local agreed syllabus for religious education and we have developed our own PSHE, collective worship and safety curriculum, which further prepares our children for life in modern Britain.

Our curriculum is designed to offer our children a broad and balanced curriculum. Our curriculum adds richness and enjoyment to our pupils’ learning, fostering their interest in the wider-world, its processes and history, its people and their societies; in the arts and culture; in computing and the digital world; and in sports and healthy lifestyles. Through these subjects our curriculum promotes values necessary to live in our society today. We deliver the National Curriculum in a way which is appropriate to our city, our local area and our school community. It is a curriculum that sets in place firm foundations to promote life-long learning and develops self- esteem, resilience and confidence of all pupils.

Further examples of how we promote these values and prepare our pupils for life in modern Britain can be seen in the curriculum plans published on our website. The following is a brief overview.

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Foundation Stage covers the development of children from the age of three to the end of the reception year. It recognises that early childhood is an important stage of life and has its own particular needs.

The Foundation Stage acknowledges the many valuable skills children have developed and the importance of the role that parents play in this. Children learn best from first-hand experience and learning is inter-related to help children to achieve to their full potential.

Children will begin school having had a range of different experiences and they will have learned a great deal, particularly from their families.

Key Stage 1 and 2 Curriculum

We have developed an enquiry based curriculum which is vocabulary rich. Subjects taught at Key-Stage 1 (5-7) and Keystage 2 (7-11) are: English, Maths, Science, Art and Design, Computing, Design and Technology, Geography, History, Music, RE, PHSE and P.E. Keystage 2 children are taught French.

As with English, Maths and Science, we teach skills and knowledge leading to independent application. Year-on- year, these are built upon ensuring progression through the school. Opportunities to apply English and Maths skills are planned into foundation subjects. Curriculum maps are available from the subject pages providing further information.

Foundation subjects are assessed at the end of a unit of work using working towards, expected and greater depth criteria. This information is then used to plan for the further application of skills across the curriculum. Opportunities are provided to revisit skills to encourage a deeper understanding of concepts, embed ‘sticky’ knowledge and  refine specific skills.

Our curriculum is filled with first hand learning experiences, including visits to other settings, making good use of experts/visitors and subject specialists. Subject specialists who work at our school further enhance the experiences of the children, whilst also providing valuable CPD for the teaching staff. These include: Computing, Music, and PE.

Recently in KS2, we have been learning about money mindsets relating to every day spending and saving.

Year 3/4 have been learning about earning money, needs vs wants and setting money goals.

Year 5/6 have been learning about money habits, budgeting/cost of living and the benefits of saving.

With some much information on the news at the minute about the cost of living crisis, these sessions should stand the children in good stead and provide skills and advice for all of our families.