PSHE Curriculum Intent:

At Dalestorth Primary and Nursery School, we teach PSHE by meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum. We aim to deliver a high-quality education which teaches pupils to develop skills and knowledge which enable them to access the wider curriculum and prepare them to be a global citizen now and in the future.

We aim to deliver quality first teaching that follows a carefully planned sequence of lessons that allow space and time to talk, reflect, share and experience life together. PSHE is taught in a safe, caring and nurturing way. Building mutual trust and respect between all within the classroom. PSHE is taught progressively throughout the school and will cover specifics unique to our area. We want children to develop independence, resilience, respect, trust, social justice and tolerance. Teaching is designed to take account of our progression documents to ensure age appropriate content. The curriculum will demonstrate appropriate subject knowledge and understanding to fulfil the duties of the Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) whereby schools must, ‘provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities and responsibilities and experiences for later life.’

Talking Points - A Physical Health, Mental Wellbeing and Relationships Curriculum for Primary Schools.

At Dalestorth Primary School, we deliver PSHE sessions once per week using the Talking Points Curriculum. This follows the requirements from the DfE on the teaching of PSHE in Primary Schools.

The sessions are designed to be discussion based, focusing on relationships, health, emotions, safety, wellbeing and the statutory aspects of the Relationships and Sex Education.

In the first session, children discuss a 'talking point' and answer a question related to this. They then spend time reading a text together which has a meaning embedded within it. This is then followed up by further talking points and questions for children to answer. In session two, the children have a choice of activities to complete which focusses their understanding further on the issue in session one.

What is SMSC/PSHE?

All maintained schools like ours must meet the requirements set out in section 78 of the Education Act 2002 and promote the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development of its pupils.

We teach and promote SMSC through everything we do in school and more specifically through PSHE, RE, Assembly & Worship, School Rules, Vision & Ethos, relationships and rapport in school, and the use of School Council. 

Through SMSC / PSHE provision schools should:

•Enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence.

•Enable children to distinguish right from wrong and respect the civil and criminal law of England.

•Encourage children to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the local community and to society as a whole.

•Enable children to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England.

•To develop further tolerance and harmony between different cultural religions by enabling children to experience and acquire an appreciation of, and respect for their own and other cultures.

•Encourage respect for other people and encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies in England.

Through ensuring pupil’s SMSC development we are promoting and teaching British Values. ...

What are British Values?

British Values promote democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and a tolerance to regard people of all faiths, races, cultures, disabilities and those that are different with respect. The teaching of fundamental British Values forms part of the PSHE work we do within school and as such is taught alongside this and RE.

The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote these fundamental British Values. The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated this year in the document ‘Promoting Fundamental British Values as part of SMSC in Schools’, DfE November 2014.

The list below describes the understanding and knowledge a child should have as a result of schools teaching and promoting British values…

• An understanding of how citizens can influence decision making through a democratic process.

• An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety.

• An understanding that there is a separation of power between the executive and the judiciary, and that while some public bodies such as the police or the army can be held to account through Parliament, others such as the courts maintain independence.

• An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law.

• An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour; and an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.