PSHE

"One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things." Charlie Mackesy

Personal, Health and Social Education

Our School Values in PSHE:

We show love by valuing ourselves and others so that we can become healthy and fulfilled individuals with a sense of purpose.

We show courage by responding to challenges with confidence so that we are building resilience through hope and aspirations.

We show unity by having an understanding of what it is to live in a democratic society (through British Values) and how to maintain healthy relationships with one another.

We show inspiration by being active citizens within our community through making informed decisions and going above and beyond in the way we contribute to others.

Our curriculum:

In PSHE at Bishop Aldhelm’s, we aim to equip the pupils with the skills needed to embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful life. It is a cohesive subject that helps children to understand and see the value that they bring to the world. We want pupils to be able to use the skills they learn to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships and to build their independence. Pupils can put this knowledge into practice as they develop the capacity to make sound decisions when facing risks, challenges and complex contexts. Everyone faces difficult situations in their lives and the skills learnt in PSHE can support young people to develop resilience, to know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support.

In our school we choose to deliver Personal, Social, Health Education using Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE. Through implementing the Jigsaw PSHE programme it will support the development of the skills, attitudes, values and behaviour, which enable pupils to:

• Have a sense of purpose

• Value self and others

• Form relationships

• Make and act on informed decisions

• Communicate effectively

• Work with others

• Respond to challenge

• Be an active partner in their own learning

• Be active citizens within the local community

• Explore issues related to living in a democratic society

• Become healthy and fulfilled individuals

Alongside Jigsaw PSHE we also draw upon the objectives posed by the PSHE Association to ensure that we are teaching a full progressive safety curriculum ensuring that all our children can recognise how to be safe in their own lives and support the safety of others around them. The Department of Education statement about British Values reads: ‘We want to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.’  We use Jigsaw activities to contribute to our teaching of British Values.

Importance to Bishop Aldhelm’s children:

PSHE is fundamental to support everyone’s journey in life, most specifically for Bishop Aldhelm’s children - getting them ready for their next phase of learning. Our children greatly benefit physically, emotionally and mentally through the PSHE learning that they receive at our school. Our children develop and aim to maintain a healthy idea of self (including self-confidence, realistic self-image, self-worth, assertiveness) as well as identify and use links between values, beliefs, decisions and actions so that they become a well-rounded and fulfilled individual.

Local Links

At Bishop Aldhelm’s we are taking part in a pioneering local project called ‘Stormbreak’ which aims to give opportunities for children to use movement for mental health. Our children have regular access to these activities provided by trained teachers and outside visitors. We link with our local safeguarding teams for presentations including SSCT (Safe schools and Communities Team), local and national mental health charities.

We want children leaving Bishop Aldhelm’s to have:

• the understanding about what makes a strong and appropriate relationship

• the knowledge about how to keep themselves physically healthy

• the knowledge about how to keep themselves mentally healthy

• the knowledge about how they change as they get older

• had the opportunity to take part in Stormbreak sessions conducted within PSHE lesson time as well as at other times across the day/week.

• understood how to follow an agreed charter for PSHE discussions in every lesson: We take turns to speak, we use kind and positive words, we listen to each other, we have the right to pass, we only use names when giving compliments or when being positive and we respect each other’s privacy (confidentiality)