PSHE

Curriculum Intent

PSHE is at the heart of what we do and spans across all areas of school life. We are an all-inclusive community that celebrates and respects our similarities and differences. Our children develop their self-confidence and independence so that they can gain a better understanding of how to maintain good mental and physical wellbeing and to appreciate its importance. Our core school values help to inspire our children to be the best they can be. In doing so, they will succeed in having a positive attitude towards their life in school and at home.

At Dinglewell Infant School we:

• Develop the children's self-confidence and independence so that they can gain a better understanding of how to maintain good mental and physical wellbeing and to appreciate its importance
• Inspire our children to be the best they can be by promoting our core school values of care, co-operation, creativity, honesty, respect and responsibility
• Succeed in having a positive attitude towards their life in school and at home.

Our school values/curriculum drivers underpin all that we do at Dinglewell Infant School and are integral to our PSHE provision:

• Care - to care for ourselves and others and to know how to care for our mental and physical health
• Co-operation - working together as a team so that no one gets left behind
• Creativity - being creative when solving problems to help us understand how others are feeling
• Honesty - understanding that being honest isn’t always easy but it is always the best choice
• Respect - showing respect for our friends and family even when they have different interests and ideas
• Responsibility - taking responsibility for our actions and understanding that there are good and bad consequences to what we say and do

Implementation

We use the RSE statutory framework which gives the children the foundations so that they have a good understanding of the five main areas:

• families and people who care for me,
• caring friendships,
• respectful relationships,
• online relationships,
• and being safe.

Citizenship and financial capability are also included as part of our PSHE curriculum. We use values-based learning, British Values and SMSC objectives to provide good PSHE and RSE opportunities for children. Our PSHE curriculum allows our children to build upon prior knowledge and gives them the essential foundations of skills that they will need throughout life.

Our lessons are designed to be discussion based so they can be led by the children’s ideas and questions. We provide the children with a safe learning space that motivates and encourages healthy and positive discussions. Class rules are set up at the start of each academic year with an emphasis on listening to one another and showing respect. This means that the children get into a regular routine of participating in carpet time discussions. Teachers make use of annotating lesson plans, using post it notes to capture quotes, taking photos, or create a page for their whole class book/folder (as well as individual pieces of work).

We are also members of the PSHE Association and GHLL (Gloucestershire Healthy Living & Learning) and make use of their thematic based overview, resources and CPD. We have a wide range of fiction books that focus on specific strands (for example friendships, managing feelings, anxiety, and self-confidence). These are used in assemblies and lessons and give the children extra reading opportunities. The stories can often help to draw out discussions that link to the children’s own experiences.

Pupil voice surveys help us to get an overview for how the children feel about PSHE and how to improve it. 

Samples of work from both EYFS and Key Stage 1 are given to the PSHE Lead. Well-being surveys are completed by a sample of children from all classes throughout the year to assess the emotional wellbeing and to track progress made. Parents are informed annually of their child’s progress at two formal consultation sessions and receive a report at the end of the academic year which shows children’s strengths and areas for development.

Impact

Our pupils gain a detailed knowledge of PSHE and learn skills including speaking and listening, managing and regulating emotions, resilience, perseverance and patience. These skills are reflected in the work they produce across all subjects. End of year assessments will show the progress that the children have made. Such results will ensure the children are ready to progress into the next stage of their education. The skills they gain from PSHE will also help them in their home life, personal interests and aspirations outside of school. Our children will leave as motivated, tolerant, open-minded and all-inclusive individuals.