PSHE and RSE Context

As a community of active learners, we at St Michael’s Easthampstead CE Primary School are committed to providing our children with the knowledge and skills they require for keeping themselves safe and healthy as they grow. Our PSHE & RSHE curriculum is a fundamental part of this commitment. All schools must provide a curriculum that is broadly based, balanced and meets the needs of all pupils. Under section 78 of the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010, a PSHE curriculum:

• Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and

• Prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

In 2020, Relationships and Sex Education was made compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.

PSHE at St Michael's Easthampstead

At St Michael’s Easthampstead CE Primary School, we teach Personal, Social, Health Education, as well as Relationships and Sex Education, as a whole-school approach to underpin children’s development as people and because we believe that this also supports their learning capacity. To ensure progression and a spiral curriculum, we are committed to providing a broad, discussion-based Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) education that prepares our children for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Our curriculum, based on the Kapow scheme, aims to create an ethos of trust and respect within the school community. We want all members of our school community to develop their resilience, independence and confidence, and learn to take responsibility for making the most of their abilities. Our children are encouraged to engage in decision making around the school, and our discussion-based curriculum in PSHE and RSHE encourages our children to express their thoughts and opinions on a wide range of contemporary issues in life in the UK and beyond today. We want to see our children play an active part in, and contribute to, our school and wider community.

Aims for PSHE at St Michael's Easthampstead

The aims of St Michael’s PSHE and RSHE curriculum are linked to our wider SMSC aims and are to give children the opportunity to:

• Become successful, independent life-long learners who enjoy progressing on their emotional and academic journey.
• Develop a knowledge, understanding and appreciation of their own beliefs and culture, and those of others.  
• Make informed decisions and judgements on spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues based on an appreciation of their own and others’ rights and responsibilities.
• Grow as caring, collaborative and responsible citizens who can make a positive contribution to their own society and the wider global community.
• Extend their understanding of economic well –being and healthy life styles.
• Develop a sense of resilience and perseverance in tackling real-life issues.

Our Kapow based PSHE and RSE Scheme

Our Kapow-based PSHE and RSHE curriculum is designed to:

1. Promote Personal Development: Equip our children with the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need to thrive as individuals and members of both our school community and wider society.

2. Support Wellbeing: Foster emotional literacy and resilience, encouraging students to manage their own wellbeing and support others around them.

3. Encourage Healthy Relationships: Teach our children about relationships, respect, consent, and boundaries, ensuring they understand how to build healthy, positive interactions both in and outside of school.

4. Prepare for Future Opportunities: Provide insights into the world of work, financial literacy, and understanding citizenship to empower students to make informed decisions in their lives.

5. Embed British Values: Promote values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect, reflecting the diverse society in which we live. This links closely to the promotion of, and living by, our school Values and Ethos, based around the parable of the Good Samaritan.

This also supports the “Personal Development” and “Behaviour and Attitude” aspects required under the Ofsted Inspection Framework and values promoted by SIAMS, as well as significantly contributing to the school’s Safeguarding and Equality Duties, the Government’s British Values agenda and the SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) development opportunities provided for our children.