“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we can change ourselves, the tendencies in the world will also change.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Intent
Central to our school’s approach to PSHE education is the understanding that for our children to flourish as learners, we must also nurture and guide them as young people. We want our children to leave us in the best position possible, ready for their next stage of education and the challenges this brings, and well-placed to make a positive contribution to society in the long term. Our values-led approach aims to equip children with the skills necessary to thrive in the future. We want children to be open-minded, respectful and compassionate towards others, as well as having the confidence to celebrate the individual differences which make themselves and others unique and special. This is especially pertinent to our school, located in a relatively affluent, homogenous area. Therefore, we recognise the need to broaden our children’s horizons by providing them with experiences and knowledge which they are unlikely to encounter in the immediate local area. The small size of our school means that children develop strong bonds with their peers, with friendships often maintained beyond the end of Year 6. We also want children to be empowered to look after their own mental and physical health.
Implementation
We firmly believe that children’s PSHE learning should not be limited solely to the dedicated lesson time; rather it should be intertwined with the wider curriculum. We use the Jigsaw PSHE curriculum as the main basis for our provision from EYFS-Year 6. Its cyclical approach ensures children are revisiting and building upon the core concepts and ideas each year. The units are scheduled in a way which means the whole school has a shared PSHE focus for each term:
- Being Me in My World
- Celebrating Difference
- Dreams and Goals
- Healthy Me
- Relationships
- Changing Me
The ‘circle time’ approach to these lessons gives children opportunities to share their own thoughts and experiences (if they are comfortable doing so) in a safe space. As part of each lesson, pupils are also encouraged to take a moment to pause and practice mindfulness. Alongside the Jigsaw program, we also use the Zones of Regulation to help children develop self-awareness and emotional self-regulation strategies. Use of 1:1 reflection time after behavioural incidents gives children an opportunity to evaluate what has happen through the language of the 4 Zones, identifying the trigger, their response, and deciding on effective strategies to help reduce the likelihood of it happening again. In recognition of the even greater challenges faced by many of our children following the disruption to their lives during lockdown, we have employed an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant, who works with individuals and small groups of children who need additional support.
At our school, we want every child to feel happy, accepted, and proud of who they are. Each term, we have a No Outsiders lesson that helps children learn about diversity and inclusion through engaging picture books. These stories open up conversations about friendship, respect, and the idea that everyone is different but equally special. The lessons encourage children to think about their own views, celebrate individuality, and understand that there are no outsiders in our school community. Read more about our No Outsiders lessons here.
Beyond the dedicated PSHE sessions, these key messages are promoted throughout the school week. Children are supported in developing their resilience when faced with challenges, with effort and perseverance recognised and celebrated regardless of outcome. PE lessons provide plentiful opportunities to develop resilience through learning the new skills required to master a variety of sports, as well as the experience of winning and losing. Discussion of the psychological side of sport forms a key aspect of weekly PE sessions. The Headteacher leads a weekly assembly focused on our school values, with opportunities for children to consider how they can demonstrate these as they go about their day. We have recently worked with Diversity Role Models, who gave staff training on protected characteristics, as well as completing pupil, parent, governor and staff questionnaires. The feedback from these was positive, particularly in terms of the low frequency of bullying incidents and effectiveness of the school’s response to any incidents which did occur. As a result of our work with Diversity Role Models, we have considered how to showcase a more representative, inclusive range of examples (e.g. focusing on the black explorer Matthew Henson as well as Ernest Shackleton, ensuring that selected literature includes characters with protected characteristics). In addition, our Anti-Bullying learning covers a range of protected characteristics, to raise awareness, foster acceptance and encourage greater celebration of differences between individuals and groups. Celebrating Mental Health Week and Anti Bullying Week gives us a further chance to foster among our children a culture of openness, acceptance and compassion towards themselves and others.
Through our ‘Healthy Me’ unit in PSHE, our Science learning around food groups and nutrition, our healthy school meals and our twice-weekly PE sessions, we ensure that children recognise the importance of maintaining good physical health. We also participate in the ‘Eat Them To Defeat Them’ challenge, which encourages children to eat more fruit and vegetables. Throughout the school day, children have opportunities to move and exercise, with regular movement breaks included in lesson time.
Impact
Our children will leave Bladon equipped to lead happier and healthier lives, with the agency to make their own way through the world and positively impact the people around them and in wider society. They will be able to form positive and healthy relationships with others, will show compassion and tolerance towards others regardless of differences, and will be able to appreciate their own capabilities and strengths as an individual in the world.