PSHE
How do we teach?
Our PSHE is curriculum follows the Primary Edge Quickstart programme, which covers the areas:
- LORIC Leadership, Organisation, Resilience, Initiative and Communication.
- E-safety
- Wellbeing
- Mind to be Kind
Each year group has their own road map, showing their PSHE learning journey through the year, which covers all the key objectives.
Why do we teach in this way?
PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) education is a school curriculum subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. PSHE education helps pupils to stay healthy, safe and prepared for life – and work – in modern Britain. When taught well, PSHE also helps pupils to achieve their academic potential.
Under section 78 of the Education Act 2002 and the Academies Act 2010, schools must provide a ‘balanced and broadly-based curriculum’ which promotes ‘the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life’. PSHE education makes a major contribution to schools fulfilling this duty. Schools also have duties in relation to promoting pupil wellbeing and pupil safeguarding (Children Act 2004) and community cohesion (Education Act 2006).
Our PSHE curriculum is based on the statutory content in the national curriculum but is bespoke to our children and, taught alongside our RSE and VotesforSchools curriculum, makes up the foundation of our SMSC offer.
How is this adapted for vulnerable learners and high attainers?
PSHE education is a school curriculum subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy, safe and prepared for life and work. When delivered well, PSHE education has an impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Our PSHE curriculum is accessible to all children. As the sessions are discussion based, children of all abilities are able to take part and express their thoughts and feelings. Children are supported by talk partners or in talk trios and all contributions are valued.
Pupil Leadership
At Manor Primary School, we recognise the importance of providing our children with the opportunities and support to play a role in making decisions that affect them and participating as active young citizens. Pupil leadership can take a number of forms, including classroom-based practices, whole-school projects and community-based projects. In the classroom, children play key roles in the running and maintaining of their classroom environment. This is achieved through monitors as well as elected representatives for the School Council and Anti-Bullying Representatives. There are also a number of opportunities for pupils to contribute to the life of our whole-school community:
- School Council
- Anti-Bullying Ambassadors
- School Prefects
- Head and Deputy Head of House
School Council is an elected body, with two representatives from each class from Year 3 to Year 6. They meet twice a term, with meetings being chaired by the Heads of House. The council are then responsible for addressing issues raised through pupil voice, organising events and leading assemblies to share the impact of their work.
Anti-Bullying Ambassadors is also an elected body, with a representative from each class from Year Three to Year Six. They meet every fortnight, with meetings being chaired by the Deputy Heads of House. They are responsible for raising the profile of anti-bullying and promoting kindness within our school community. They create an action plan and this identifies their priorities for the year.
The School Prefects are appointed by the head teacher, having written a letter, setting out why they feel they would be suitable for the role and if they would like to be considered for House Head or Deputy. Once in post, they hold a variety of roles throughout the year, contributing to assemblies, events, school visits etc.
Through having a number of leadership roles throughout school, pupils have the choice to take an active role in a variety of areas of school life, depending on their avenues of interest or skill. Our pupil leadership offer also ensures that even pupils who may not have the confidence to take a leadership role, still can make a contribution to how the school is run.
As children move up through the school, the level of leadership and responsibility increases, meaning that when they are ready to transition to Secondary School, they do so as active young citizens who are able to make positive contributions to not only their immediate school community but the wider society.
All pupils can apply for leadership roles within their classroom or the wider school community. This application process can be adapted for each child, ensuring all children have the same opportunity. High attainers can use these avenues of leadership to share their skill and expertise with others, nurturing and developing their own areas of interest.
Votes for Schools
VotesforSchools is an award-winning voting platform for young people that supports the teaching of Personal, Social and Health Education as well as allowing our pupils to explore a wide range of topics. Topics are chosen by a Pupil Panel to ensure engagement and that they are pitched at an age-appropriate level.
Each week, children are presented with a new topic and key question. We begin the week with a whole school assembly to introduce the new topic, led by a different teacher each week. The children are encouraged to actively participate in these assemblies with discussion points and opportunities to cast a vote.
We follow these sessions with a whole class VotesforSchools lesson. These sessions are aimed at Key Stage One and Key Stage Two separately and aim to delve deeper into the week’s topic. The children are encouraged throughout the lessons to ask questions, express opinions and listen to others. The lesson finishes with a vote on the key question which is then entered into the system to be added to the national picture. Votes are anonymous and the national picture is revealed in the following weeks. The children are able to see if their opinions match or differ from those of their peers around the country.
VotesforSchools exposes our children to the experiences, thoughts and opinions of both their peers in the classroom and in the wider community. This in turn promotes the British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
The children are learning essential skills in both the assemblies and the lessons in their classrooms. They are freely expressing opinions in a thoughtful and measured way. They are encouraged to use terms such as, “In my opinion...” and “I believe…” to promote oracy and respectful interactions. The children listen to the opinions of others and are able to use, “I respectfully agree because …” and, “I respectfully disagree because…” to debate on a question or issue raised.
The act of voting on a question or topic allows the children an insight into democracy and will prepare them for future, more nationally impactful, voting experiences. While also giving them the opportunity to see that children with different experiences may vote in a contrasting way.
VotesforSchools is accessible to all children. As the sessions are discussion based, children of all abilities are able to take part and express their thoughts and feelings. Children are supported by talk partners or in talk trios and all contributions are valued.
We offer a weekly KS2 VotesforSchools after school club to encourage higher attainers to explore a topic more deeply and further to debate with others.
