Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) and Citizenship
PSHE & C
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education and Citizenship (PSHE & C) aims to equip children with the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to grow personally and socially and to make positive choices as they grow and move into adult life and contribute to their communities and society.
Whilst PSHE & C is a non-statutory subject, the Relationships Education and Health Education aspects of PSHE education are compulsory in primary schools. Therefore, both Relationships Education and Health Education are taught as statutory subjects within our wider PSHE & C. Our PSHE & C curriculum also takes into account the necessary statutory guidance on drug education and the importance of physical activity and diet for a healthy lifestyle.
In Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS), this area of learning is called ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development’ (PSED).
Through this area children are supported to:
- manage emotions
- develop a positive sense of self
- set themselves simple goals
- have confidence in their own abilities
- to persist and wait for what they want
Through adult modelling and guidance, children will learn:
- how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating
- how to manage personal needs independently
Through supported interaction with other children, they will learn:
- how to make good friendships
- co-operate and resolve conflicts peaceably
During key stages 1 and 2, PSHE & C education offers both explicit and implicit learning opportunities and experiences which reflect pupil’s increasing independence and physical and social awareness, as they move through primary school. It builds on the skills that pupils started to acquire during EYFS to develop effective relationships, assume greater personal responsibility and manage personal safety, including online. PSHE & C education helps pupils to manage the physical and emotional changes at puberty, introduces them to a wider world and enables them to make an active contribution to their communities.
Our PSHE & C curriculum in key stages 1 and 2 is based on three core themes within which there is broad overlap and flexibility.
- Health and wellbeing
- Relationships
- Living in the Wider World
Our programme is structured around an overarching question for each term or half term. These begin in Key Stage 1 as ‘What?’ and ‘Who?’ questions and build throughout Key Stage 2 into ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ questions.
In KS1 pupils will learn about the following questions:
- What is the same and different about us?
- Who is special to us?
- What helps us stay healthy?
- What can we do with money?
- Who helps to keep us safe?
- How can we look after each other and the world?
- What makes a good friend?
- What is bullying?
- What jobs do people do?
- What helps us to stay safe?
- What helps us grow and stay healthy?
- How do we recognise our feelings?
In KS2 pupils will learn about the following questions:
- Why should we eat well and look after our teeth?
- Why should we keep active and sleep well?
- How can we be a good friend?
- What keeps us safe?
- What are families like?
- What makes a community?
- What strengths, skills and interests do we have?
- How do we treat each other with respect?
- How can we manage our feelings?
- How can we help in an accident or emergency?
- How can our choices make a different to other and the environment?
- How can we manage risk in different places?
- What makes up a person’s identity?
- What decisions can people make with money?
- How can friends communicate safely?
- How will we grow and change?
- How can drugs common to everyday life affect health?
- What jobs would we like?
- How can we keep healthy as we grow?
- How can the media influence people?
- What will change as we become more independent?
- How do friendships change as we grow?
In addition, we teach pupils how society is organised and governed. We have a school council at Belmont Primary School, where pupils are elected to voice pupil issues and to help to develop solutions. This allows children to experience the process of democracy in school.