RSE & PSHE

Intent

At Bearbrook, personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) enables our children to become healthy, independent, resilient and responsible members of an ever-changing society.  This develops the whole child emotionally, intellectually, morally, socially and spiritually. We provide our children with opportunities to learn about rights and responsibilities and preparing them for life and work in the modern world. Through our whole-school approach to PSHE, it is our belief that excelling in these areas will lead to excellence across the curriculum.  Our children are encouraged to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider world.

The curriculumwill demonstrate appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding to fulfil the duties of the PSHE curriculum including, Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education (HE) whereby schools must provide a ‘balanced and broadly-based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils.'

Implementation - PSHE

Our PSHE curriculum is shaped to enable all children, regardless of background, ability and additional needs to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be.

At Bearbrook Combined School, we use the Kapow Curriculum which is a whole school approach that consists of three areas of learning in EYFS: Reception (to match the EYFS Personal, social and emotional development prime area) and five areas of learning across Key stages 1 and 2.

EYFS:

• Self-regulation
• Building relationships
• Managing self

Key stage 1 and 2:

• Families and relationships
• Health and wellbeing
• Safety and the changing body
• Citizenship
• Economic wellbeing

Each area is revisited to allow children to build on prior learning. The lessons also provide a progressive programme. The lessons are based upon the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health education, but where our lessons go beyond these requirements (primarily in the Citizenship and Economic wellbeing areas) they refer to the PSHE Association Programme of Study which is recommended by the DfE. Sex education has been included in line with the DfE recommendations and is covered in Year 6 of our scheme. The scheme supports the requirements of the Equality Act through direct teaching, for example learning about different families, the negative effect of stereotypes and celebrating differences, in addition to the inclusion of diverse teaching resources throughout the lessons.

Impact

A range of teaching and learning activities are used and are based on good practice in teaching RSE/PSHE education to ensure that all children can access learning and make progress. In key stage 1 and 2, there is an introductory lesson at the start of each year group which provides the opportunity for children and teachers to negotiate ground rules for the lessons. These introductory lessons can then be referred to throughout the year to help create a safe environment.

All lessons include differentiation to stretch the most able learners and give additional support to those who need it. Many lessons, stories, scenarios, and video clips provide the opportunity for children to engage in real life and current topics in a safe and structured way. Role-play activities are also included to help children play out scenarios that they may find themselves in. There are meaningful opportunities for cross-curricular learning, in particular with Computing for online safety and Science for growing, nutrition, teeth, diet and lifestyle. The scheme provides consistent messages throughout the age ranges including how and where to access help.

The role of parents and carers is recognised, we work with them and include them in their children’s learning.

RSE & PSHE Progression

PSHE Long Term Plan

RSE Guidance for Parents

"PSHE helps me understand how to support my friends better. One of my friends outside of school how additional needs, what I learn in PSHE helps me understand him and be more patient"
Year 6 pupil

"I like learning about online safety, I spend lots of time playing games on the computer so it is good that I know how to keep safe" Year 2 pupil

"You get to do lots of talking in PSHE lessons, I get to tell my classmates about things in my life"
Year 3 pupil

PCSO (police community support officer) Janine Sinclair and PCSO Andrew White came to visit year 6 on 15^th November. They came in to discuss online safety and our digital footprint. The children were shocked to learn about the age restrictions on some of their favourite games and social media sights. They learned about the laws around posting things online, and also looked at some examples of where celebrities had posted things years ago, that has now been dug up and they are having to make apologies for things they posted.

'There's lots in the news and things about famous people, like footballers, having posted bad things online when they were younger and now it's getting them into trouble.' - Year 6 pupil

'I knew there were age restrictions on social media, but it surprised me how many things we shouldn't really be going on. Most stuff said it was okay if our parents had given us permission, but it still made me think about going on some of them.' - Year 6 pupil

In November 2023 we were lucky enough to be visited by theAquafresh Toothpaste Team as part of their Shine Bright Campaign. The Shine Bright Campaign aims to help children and families to have the opportunity and access to oral health education – as they want all children to have the opportunity to shine!

Dr. Emily MacDonagh visited our Year 1 and Year 2 children to teach them about the importance of looking after their teeth, as well as the children learning about good oral hygiene by engaging with the Shine Bright educational materials.  Aquafresh's aim was to empower families by providing schools and parents/guardians with educational materials for kids to learn healthy habits and insights into their teeth while at school and at home.

The children loved learning about looking after their teeth with the Aquafresh and Dr Emily. 

To see view the video of Dr Emily's visit please click on the link below.

Aquafresh Shine Bright Campaign - Visit to Bearbrook from Dr Emily