LITTLEGARTH SCHOOL - PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH & CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION (PSHCE) POLICY

Introduction

Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education enables children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society, in line with the government’s initiative of “Every Child Matters”. We encourage our children to play a positive role in contributing to the life of the school and the wider community. In doing so, we help develop their sense of self- worth.

The PSHCE curriculum is taught in both Key Stages 1 and 2. The school offers a well- structured and progressive programme that covers all areas of personal, social, health and citizenship education. The materials used encourage the children to take increasing responsibility for themselves by drawing on personal experiences.

The National Curriculum

Key Stage 1: children learn about themselves as developing individuals and as members of their communities, building on their own experiences and on the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development. They learn the basic rules and skills for keeping themselves healthy and safe and for behaving well. They have opportunities to show they can take some responsibility for themselves and their environment. They begin to learn about their own and other people's feelings and become aware of the views, needs and rights of other children and older people. As members of a class and school community, they learn social skills such as how to share, take turns, play, help others, resolve simple arguments and resist bullying. They begin to take an active part in the life of their school and its neighbourhood.

Key Stage 2: children learn about themselves as growing and changing individuals with their own experiences and ideas, and as members of their communities. They become more mature, independent and self-confident. They learn about the wider world and the interdependence of communities within it. They develop their sense of social justice and moral responsibility and begin to understand that their own choices and behaviour can affect local, national or global issues and political and social institutions. They learn how to take part more fully in school and community activities. As they begin to develop into young adults, they face the changes of puberty and transfer to secondary school with support and encouragement from their school. They learn how to make more confident and informed choices about their health and environment; to take more responsibility, individually and as a group, for their own learning; and to resist bullying.

At each key stage the National Curriculum is broken down into four key elements which are completely covered throughout Littlegarth’s whole school PSHCE programme. The four key elements are:

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1. Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of their abilities. 2. Preparing to play an active role as citizens. 3. Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle. 4. Developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people.

The aim is to ensure that all students have equal access to the Littlegarth PSHCE programme. The children will learn to value themselves as well as others, develop relationships and friendships, and have a clear understanding of how to communicate respectfully with others. Citizenship education is important because it allows children to gain the knowledge, skills and understanding to help them play an effective role in society. It will help them become knowledgeable, considerate and responsible citizens in the classroom and beyond. It encourages them to play a helpful role in their own communities and gives them greater insight into the way democracy and the economy work. It encourages respect for all and develops children's abilities to debate and reflect on issues of concern.

Delivery

PSHCE is delivered within a whole school approach which includes:

 Formal PSHCE lessons  Teaching through and in other curriculum areas (for example, links with drama and role play, debate and discussion in literacy, working together in pairs or small groups, improving health in PE, environmental, health and drug issues in science and beliefs, values and practices in RE)  Through Pastoral care and guidance  School Council  Assemblies, whole school, house and class  Annual residential trips  At playtimes and lunchtimes, opportunities exist for playing co-operatively with play equipment  The children are involved when visitors come into school  Through the management of other whole school policies (e.g. Behaviour and Discipline Policy, Bullying Statement, Equal Opportunity Policy and Health and Safety Policy. The Sex Education Policy has been written separately but is incorporated within PSHCE lessons).

Differentiation

We teach PSHCE to all of our children. Learning opportunities are matched to the individual needs of all of our children. This will be at the class teacher’s discretion. Activities can be varied for differing abilities and the expected outcomes will also be taken into consideration.

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Resources

The resources for this course are:

 Specifically planned tasks from the PSHCE co-ordinator  ‘Getting Personal’ photo-copyable files published by Folens  ‘ Personal, Social and Health Education’ and ‘Citizenship and Personal, Social and Health Education’ books also published by Folens.  Videos are used from the ‘Living and Growing’ series.  “Espresso” interactive teaching resource, subject specific  SEAL & ECM resources  Internet sites, for example, “Primary Resources” which are linked to PSHCE  “First News” a weekly newspaper for each form group  Current Affairs articles (newspapers, magazines, television)  Outside Speakers

ICT Links

Many of the topics looked at in the PSHCE curriculum can be investigated further by accessing the internet. This tool could be extremely useful for topics such as environmental issues and for exploring the way the European Community works. Topics of work can also be word processed for presentation purposes. Children are able to use the computers to create power point presentations, designs and access information. Refer also to the Safeguarding Policy.

ECM Agenda

The PSHCE programme fundamentally supports the ECM agenda items of:

 be healthy  stay safe  enjoy and achieve  make a positive contribution  achieve economic well-being.

Through the different topics and learning opportunities the children will be encouraged to discuss and develop ideas on how they can fulfill these criteria and support others in achieving them. S.E.A.L

PSHCE helps to underpin effective learning, positive behaviour, regular attendance and the emotional health and well-being of all who learn and work in schools. The topics covered within

Littlegarth School Reviewed by Curriculum Cttee PSHCE Policy Next Review date: May 2015 Last approved by Board on 19 June 2014 Page 3 of 4 LITTLEGARTH SCHOOL - PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH & CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION (PSHCE) POLICY this programme are directly linked to the outcomes of the SEAL directives. PSHCE helps to support children’s understanding of learning, positive behaviour patterns and the need for co- operation and inter-personal skills.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

Teachers assess the children’s work by making informal judgments as they observe them in the lessons. We have clear expectations of what the children will know, understand and be able to do at the end of each key stage.

We keep records of pupil achievements within school and the community, holding celebration assemblies to acknowledge these successes.

A comment relating to each child’s pastoral welfare will be covered in the annual report to parents on children’s progress.

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