PSHE Intent:

At Bottesford Schools Federation, our PSHE curriculum plays a central role in supporting every child to become a well-rounded, respectful, responsible and resilient citizen, equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

Our curriculum is rooted in our federation vision, “We RISE Together” – do what’s right, help others and reach your best. Our RISE values of Respect, Integrity, Strive and Empowerment are embedded throughout PSHE, alongside the fundamental British Values. Through these principles, we encourage pupils to value themselves and others, make responsible choices, contribute positively to their communities and develop the confidence to become active citizens.

Through the Jigsaw PSHE programme, complemented by learning tailored to the needs of our pupils and community, we provide a warm, nurturing, structured and progressive approach to personal, social, health and economic education. Our curriculum enables pupils to develop a strong sense of identity and purpose and a secure understanding of how they fit into and contribute to the wider world.

The purpose of our high-quality PSHE curriculum is to provide pupils with the relevant knowledge, skills, vocabulary and understanding to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, relationships, safety and future lives. Children learn how to develop and maintain positive and healthy relationships, keep themselves physically and emotionally safe, understand themselves as they grow and change, manage challenges and recognise when and how to seek help.

We place a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, resilience and mental and physical wellbeing. Children are taught practical strategies for understanding and managing emotions and are introduced to SMILERS – seven steps to wellbeing. Mindfulness is embedded within our PSHE provision to develop emotional awareness, concentration, self-regulation and focus.

Our PSHE curriculum reflects our whole-school commitment to ambition for all. We have high expectations for every pupil, including pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. Teachers use high-quality adaptive teaching, appropriate scaffolding, visual and practical approaches, targeted support and additional challenge to ensure all children can access learning, participate meaningfully and achieve aspirational outcomes. Whole-school and key stage assemblies complement and reinforce our PSHE curriculum, providing regular opportunities to revisit key themes, celebrate our RISE values and British Values, explore current and relevant issues, and strengthen pupils’ understanding of what it means to be a respectful, responsible and active member of our school and wider community.

Our approach is also evidence-informed. Learning is carefully sequenced and revisited so that children build secure knowledge and understanding over time. Retrieval practice, spaced opportunities to revisit key concepts and connections with prior learning support pupils in transferring important knowledge and skills into their long-term memory.

We recognise that PSHE is most powerful when children can connect learning to their own lives. Lessons therefore promote active engagement, discussion, collaboration, role-play, problem-solving, reflection and real-life scenarios. Children are encouraged to develop their own voice, consider different perspectives and practise applying their learning to situations they may encounter now and in the future.

Our curriculum deliberately broadens pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding. Children learn about different families, relationships, cultures, religions, identities and communities, developing respect for diversity and an understanding of the importance of equality and inclusion.

At Bottesford, we are responsible citizens. Through PSHE, we want every child to develop the confidence, resilience, empathy and self-belief needed to make a positive difference to their own lives and the lives of others. Our ultimate aim is for pupils to leave us as healthy, fulfilled and empowered individuals, prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and challenges of their next stage of education and of life beyond school.

Our PSHE & SRE Curriculum:

Our PSHE curriculum is delivered through a clear, progressive programme of learning using Jigsaw PSHE. Its spiral structure enables key knowledge, concepts and skills to be revisited and developed over time, with shared half-termly themes taught at an age-appropriate level across the federation.

The curriculum meets the statutory requirements for Relationships Education and Health Education and is complemented by relevant learning in subjects including Science, Computing, RE and PE.

Emotional literacy, resilience and mental and physical health are central to our provision. Pupils learn to recognise and communicate their emotions, develop strategies for self-regulation and understand how choices around physical activity, sleep, nutrition and relationships affect wellbeing. SMILERS helps pupils begin to recognise their feelings and build a simple toolkit of strategies to help them feel happy, calm, safe and supported.

Relationships Education and Sex Education (RSE) are taught sensitively and at an age-appropriate level, in line with statutory guidance and school policy. Pupils learn about friendships, families, respectful relationships, boundaries, consent, growing and changing, diversity and how to seek help. Relevant biological aspects are also taught through Science.

Online Safety is taught explicitly and linked closely with Computing. Pupils learn to use technology safely and responsibly, including understanding online relationships, privacy, personal information, communication and the reliability of online content.

Economic wellbeing and financial awareness help pupils understand money, saving, spending, needs and wants, and how choices can have both immediate and longer-term consequences.

British Values and SMSC development are embedded throughout PSHE. Pupils explore democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect, diversity, responsibility and ethical decision-making, with meaningful links across the wider curriculum.

Our RISE values underpin learning throughout PSHE:

• Respect – valuing ourselves and others and celebrating diversity.

• Integrity – making responsible choices and doing what is right.

• Strive – developing resilience and responding positively to challenge.

• Empowerment – building confidence, independence and informed decision-making.

Teachers adapt learning to meet the needs of individuals and groups through appropriate scaffolding, visual and practical resources, pre-teaching, additional processing time and greater-depth opportunities. This ensures that pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils can access the full curriculum, while all pupils are appropriately challenged.

Retrieval practice is used to revisit key vocabulary, concepts and prior learning, helping pupils build secure and connected understanding. Assessment is primarily formative and is based on discussion, pupil responses, reflection and application of learning.

Our PSHE curriculum evolves in response to the needs of our children, families and community, as well as changes in statutory guidance, society and technology. Pupil voice and emerging local and national issues help ensure learning remains relevant and purposeful.

Through this approach, PSHE develops communication, collaboration, self-regulation, resilience, critical thinking and responsible decision-making, supporting pupils to become confident, independent learners who are prepared for the next stage of their education and life beyond school.