PSHE & RSE Curriculum
WHISTON JUNIOR AND INFANT SCHOOL: Personal, Social, Health and Economics Education (PSHE) Policy and Scheme of Work
PSHE education is a school subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and prepare for life and work in modern Britain. Evidence shows that well-delivered PSHE programmes have an impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Our Programme of Study for PSHE education (key stages 1-5) aims to develop skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, teamworking and critical thinking in the context of learning grouped into three core themes: health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world (including economic wellbeing and aspects of careers education).
The national curriculum also states that ‘all schools should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), drawing on good practice'. PSHE education contributes to schools' statutory duties outlined in the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010 to provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum and is essential to Ofsted judgements in relation to personal development, behaviour, welfare and safeguarding.
The relationships education, relationship and sex education and health education RSE education is compulsory.
Relationship and Sexual Education (RSE) and Health Education
Whiston Junior and Infant School aims to provide quality education for children between four and eleven years of age.
Our aim is to provide high standards of teaching and learning through:
- A rich, broad, balanced and creative curriculum which sustains the engagement of all learners.
- Operating an environment which is safe, healthy, caring and supportive for everyone.
- Encouraging self reliance and pride in all achievements.
- Developing learning skills and a love of learning, including the ability to question, enquire and be independent in their approach to learning.
- Promoting the development of tolerance and respect for others, regardless of race, creed or gender and ensure that all learners have equality of opportunity.
About this guidance:
What is the status of this guidance?
This is statutory guidance from the Department for Education issued under Section 80A of the Education Act 2002 and section 403 of the Education Act 1996 – further details are in Annex A.
Schools must have regard to the guidance, and where they depart from those parts of the guidance which state that they should (or should not) do something they will need to have good reasons for doing so.
This document contains information on what schools should do and sets out the legal duties with which schools must comply when teaching Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education. Unless otherwise specified, ‘school’ means all schools, whether maintained, nonmaintained or independent schools, including academies and free schools, nonmaintained special schools, maintained special schools and alternative provision, including pupil referral units.
Who this guidance is for
This statutory guidance applies to all schools, and is therefore aimed at:
• governing bodies of maintained schools (including schools with a sixth form) and non-maintained special schools;
• trustees or directors of academies and free schools;
• proprietors of independent schools (including academies and free schools);
• management committees of pupil referral units (PRUs);
• teachers, other school staff and school nurses;
• head teachers, principals and senior leadership teams;
• Diocese and other faith representatives; and
• for reference for relevant local authority staff.
What this guidance updates
This guidance replaces the Sex and Relationship Education guidance (2000).
This guidance will be reviewed three years from first required teaching (September 2020) and every three years after that point.
The guidance should be read in conjunction with:
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (statutory guidance)
• Respectful School Communities: Self Review and Signposting Tool (a tool to support a whole school approach that promotes respect and discipline)
• Behaviour and Discipline in Schools (advice for schools, including advice for appropriate behaviour between pupils)
• Equality Act 2010 and schools
• SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years (statutory guidance)
• Alternative Provision (statutory guidance)
• Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools (advice for schools)
• Preventing and Tackling Bullying (advice for schools, including advice on cyberbullying)
• Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools (advice for schools)
• The Equality and Human Rights Commission Advice and Guidance (provides advice on avoiding discrimination in a variety of educational contexts)
• Promoting Fundamental British Values as part of SMSC in schools (guidance for maintained schools on promoting basic important British values as part of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC)
• SMSC requirements for independent schools (guidance for independent schools on how they should support pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development).
The Governing Body of Whiston Junior and Infant School believes that RSE is a vital element of our children’s healthy development. A parent has a legal right to withdraw their child(ren) from all or part of any RSE provided (but not from the biological aspects of human growth and reproduction necessary under the National Curriculum for science). We wish to work in partnership with all parents and strongly recommend that any parent considering this action discusses their concerns with the head teacher.
We teach RSE at Whiston because:
- ‘Effective relationship education, sex education and health education is essential if young people are to make responsible and well informed decisions about their lives’. The school has a key role, in partnership with parents/carers, in providing RSE.
- Research has shown that young people who feel good about themselves are more knowledgeable and confident about safe and healthy relationships.
- ‘Research demonstrates that good, comprehensive sex and relationship education does not make young people more likely to enter into sexual activity. Indeed it can help them learn the reasons for, and the benefits to be gained from, delaying such activity’.
‘Relationship Education, Sex Education and Health Education Statutory Guidance’ [DfE 2020]
Use the link below to view our RSE Policy - Approved by school governors, in consultation with staff and parents.
https://www.whistonjunior-infant.co.uk/key-information/school-policies
