PSHE
Intent
At Lenthall Infant and Nursery School, we regard PSHE as a crucial element of our commitment to providing a broad and balanced curriculum. Our goal is to enhance the personal development of children by equipping them with the attributes, skills, and knowledge essential for their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing—both in school and beyond.
We encourage pupils to positively contribute to school life and the wider community, fostering their character development by building resilience, confidence, independence, and self-worth. This prepares them for life in Modern Britain, enhancing their understanding of our community and the world.
Our PSHE curriculum equips children with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead confident, healthy, and independent lives, becoming informed, active, and responsible British citizens. We strive to deliver a high-quality PSHE curriculum that engages, inspires, and challenges pupils, empowering them to make safe and informed decisions while understanding risk.
We acknowledge the vital role of PSHE in supporting mental health, academic achievement, and future success, and aim to instil our appreciation for its power in our children.
Implementation
The teaching of PSHE at Lenthall Infant and Nursery School is grounded in the EYFS curriculum, the National Curriculum, and our purchased PSHE Scheme of Work, 'PSHE Matters Derbyshire.'
To ensure a structured approach across the school, we have implemented a progression of skills that allows children to revisit and build upon their previous learning, preparing them for the next stages in their development. This progression thoughtfully complements national curriculum subjects like science, computing, RE, and PE without duplication.
In Early Years, PSHE is taught as part of the learning challenge curriculum. Our scheme aligns with Early Learning Goals and references milestones from 'Development Matters' and the 'Characteristics of Effective Learning.' Each of the 12 modules presents a variety of activities and is flexible, allowing teachers to adapt the curriculum based on pupils' and community needs. Throughout this setting, PSHE is continuously reinforced through opportunities in a supportive environment, integrating EYFS development objectives.
In Key Stage 1, the PSHE curriculum consists of 12 modules designed to be taught in any order over a two-year period, ensuring flexibility. Each module begins with learning opportunities from the PSHE Association Programme of Study 2017, focusing on the core themes: Health and Well-being, Relationships, and Living in the Wider World. Citizenship is actively encouraged through practical activities such as charity fundraising and planning special events.
Our curriculum offers essential skills and attributes applicable across all subjects, like active listening, self-confidence, reflection, teamwork, and decision-making. Assessment for learning opportunities are integrated into lessons, enabling self-evaluation and reflective practices.
Moreover, we understand that PSHE can be taught outside the conventional lesson format. It can be integrated into daily practices such as assemblies, clubs, and school events. Pupils are encouraged to engage in local and national initiatives like anti-bullying day and internet safety day. Our school fairs help develop financial awareness by enabling children to create and sell products. Additionally, we invite local speakers, health workers, police, and community representatives to share their roles in fostering a supportive environment.
Impact
In our PSHE programme, we aim to foster a love for learning that enriches pupils' experiences and equips them with essential life skills. We help children develop the vocabulary and confidence to articulate their thoughts and feelings, recognise their wellbeing needs, and seek support when necessary. We measure the impact of our curriculum through various methods:
- Pupil voice discussions: Engaging students to share their insights about their learning.
- Learning walks: Observing and assessing teaching practices.
- Class floor books: Documenting practical work to reflect on learning journeys and facilitate discussions.
- Book looks: Conducted by the subject leader to evaluate teaching content and work quality.
- Termly planning: Ensuring evidence of delivery and lesson sequencing.
- EYFS assessments: Regular evaluations against Development Matters and ELGs at the end of EYFS.
- KS1 assessments: Monitoring pupils' progress through the PSHE Matters Derbyshire scheme on a termly basis.
- Formative feedback: Providing insights during lessons to guide improvements.
- Pupil progress monitoring: Closely tracking progress to inform teaching strategies and sharing information during transitions between year groups.
Our Ultimate End Goal:
What will our children to be able to do when they leave us?
We envision that our PSHE education equips children with the knowledge, skills, and attributes necessary to navigate life’s challenges and seize opportunities. Tailored to our community's unique needs, our curriculum empowers pupils to overcome learning barriers, elevate aspirations, and enhance life chances, particularly for our most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
By the time they leave us, all children will know they are unique individuals with the potential to make the world a better place. They will understand that we take pride in their contribution to our small school community and that we are dedicated to nurturing their dreams.
