PSHE and RSE Curriculum                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Mission Statement

Celebrating Excellence through our Faith and Learning

PSHE Overview – St Mary’s

Intent

At St Mary’s, PSHE is central to our mission of nurturing pupils to become confident, responsible, and compassionate individuals. Rooted in our Catholic ethos, our curriculum equips pupils with the knowledge, skills, and values they need to thrive as members of society. We aim to develop their sense of self-worth, resilience, and respect for others, fostering a community where diversity is celebrated and every child feels valued.

Through PSHE, we provide purposeful opportunities for pupils to explore real-life issues, ask questions, and think critically about their choices. Our intention is that pupils leave St Mary’s prepared to make informed decisions, contribute positively to school life, and live out Gospel values in the wider world.

Implementation

PSHE is taught weekly across the school using Ten Ten’s Life to the Full Plus programme, which delivers a Catholic approach to PSHE and RSE in line with statutory guidance. The curriculum is structured around three core modules:

  • Created and Loved by God – Understanding personal dignity and self-worth.
  • Created to Love Others – Building healthy relationships and exploring family, friendships, and online safety.
  • Created to Live in Community – Encouraging service, dialogue, and working for the Common Good.

This spiral curriculum revisits key themes each year, deepening understanding as pupils progress. Lessons include prayer, storytelling, music, and reflection, creating an engaging and faith-filled learning experience.

PSHE learning is also embedded across the wider curriculum and reinforced through themed events such as Anti-Bullying Week and Safer Internet Day. Where appropriate, we respond to individual or class needs and use external agencies (e.g., NSPCC, Life Bus) to enrich provision.

To support emotional wellbeing, pupils use the Zones of Regulation framework, helping them identify and manage emotions effectively.

Impact

Through the teaching of PSHE and RSE, the children of St Mary’s become confident, emotionally literate, and open-minded individuals. They understand the importance of maintaining both physical and mental health and develop the ability to communicate their thoughts and feelings effectively using strong oracy skills. Pupils know where and how to seek help and support, how to build healthy relationships, and how to respect diversity and differences within society.

We evaluate the impact of our PSHE curriculum in the following ways:

Pupil Achievement and Progress

  • Teacher assessments based on questioning, observations, and pupil outcomes (including work in journals).
  • Scrutiny of progress in journals and pupil conferencing.
  • Clear expectations from Ten Ten’s Life to the Full Plus programme for what pupils should know and understand at the end of each key stage.
  • Learning walks and monitoring by the PSHE lead.

Pupil Attitudes

  • Feedback during learning conversations and through pupil and parent/carer surveys.
  • Observations of attitudes and behaviour in lessons across the curriculum.
  • Quality of work produced, including pride in presentation.
  • Attendance and punctuality as indicators of engagement.

RSE

Our RSE curriculum is delivered through Ten Ten’s Life to the Full Plus, fully aligned with statutory requirements and deeply rooted in Catholic teaching. It promotes dignity, respect, and understanding of relationships within the context of faith.

 

 

 

Curriculum Overview

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Protected Characteristics

It is against the law to discriminate against someone because of:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage and civil partnership
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation

These are known as Protected Characteristics. In UK law, individuals are protected under the Equality Act 2010 from these types of discrimination.

Our Ethos and Commitment

As a Catholic school, we strive to be a haven of respect and custodians of the true dignity of each human being. We welcome pupils and staff from all faiths and none. More than a quarter of a million pupils and almost half of teachers in Catholic schools are not of the Catholic Faith and are welcomed to share faiths together on a daily basis.

We encourage, celebrate, and value the diversity of all our communities. We actively promote the principle of equality for all, aiming to ensure everyone within our community is treated fairly, with respect and dignity. We seek to eliminate any form of inequality, bullying, or discrimination.

Pope Francis speaks eloquently on the matter of equality:

“The Church does not exist to condemn people but to bring about an encounter with the visceral love of God’s mercy. For the Church to offer God’s mercy it must ‘go outside and look for people where they live, where they suffer and where they hope’. The enemy of mercifulness is self-righteousness.”

Life to the Full – Our Curriculum Programme for Relationship and Health Education

We believe that all human life is sacred and that everyone should have the opportunity to live life to the full. Our "Life to the Full" Programme delivers part of our equality curriculum. The core principle of this programme is that we are ‘created, chosen, and loved by God’; our equality derives from our value in God’s eyes as beloved sons and daughters. We are called to love God, love others, and show God’s mercy in our actions. This principle is integrated into every teaching from Early Years through to Year 6, articulated in age-appropriate ways throughout the programme.

Children learn about Protected Characteristics developmentally, continuing this education as they move to secondary school. Primary schools lay strong, age-appropriate foundations for a fully realised curriculum in later years.

Our focus is to inform, present, and explain legal rights, underline the fundamental dignity and worth of the person, and outline the erroneous nature of all unjust discrimination. At the same time, in age-appropriate ways, the programme articulates the teachings of the Catholic Church, especially regarding relationships, sex, and marriage.

Addressing Protected Characteristics in Primary School

  • Age: The dignity of individuals at all ages is explored in the "Life Cycles" unit (All Key Stages, Module 1 Unit 4). Activities include "Grandparent Days" and working with Osborne Court Care home.

  • Disability: We discuss disability throughout our curriculum, from learning about the Paralympics to inviting disability groups to school. Examples include visits from coachese delivering Boccia and Paralympic events

  • Gender Reassignment: This subject is not currently explored at the primary level in the Life to the Full programme. Foundational language about our core identity as children of God is provided to address specific issues when necessary.

  • Marriage and Civil Partnership: Family structures are explored in sessions such as “Who’s Who?” (EYFS Module 2.2.1) and "Family, Friends and Others" (LKS2 Module 2.2.1). The "Paradise Street" dramas (UKS2 Module 1) also represent various family structures, including same-sex partnerships.

  • Pregnancy and Maternity: Pregnancy is explored age-appropriately throughout the primary school programme in the "Life Cycles" unit (All Key Stages, Module 1 Unit 4).

  • Race: Our curriculum ensures racial representation and explores racial equality through events such as Black History Month and Holocaust Memorial.

  • Religion and Belief: Understanding of other world religions is deepened through our RE programme. Activities include inviting parents of different faiths to share their stories and visiting places of worship. We celebrate a different faith each year.

  • Sex: The programme establishes an understanding of gender equality and dispels gender stereotypes through various units, such as “Me, My Body, My Health” (All Key Stages, Module 1 Unit 2).

  • Sexual Orientation: While sexual attraction is not addressed in depth, discussions about same-sex attraction are handled factually if the topic arises.

Our Vision

"Education is an act of hope that, from the present, looks to the future. Education means entering into the heart of reality, contributing to the flourishing of humanity and to its dignity." Pope Francis

Our vision is to provide an education that not only respects but celebrates diversity, laying the foundation for a more inclusive and equal society.

 

Click here for more information about our RSE Curriculum and Consultation

How can I help my child be a Philosopher at home?

Sometimes PSHE education conversations with your child will arise incidentally, when you playing or cooking together, when you are watching television or films, or through news stories. In such cases we cannot always control the stimulus for the question or conversation, only how we manage it. Other times, you may wish to initiate a conversation about a topic you feel is important to approach.

Encourage discussion: Let your child talk about PHSE topics at home to help them explore the content.

Research: Research areas that are coming up in your child’s PHSE program so you can anticipate questions.

Be honest: If you can’t answer a question, be honest and let your child know you can explore the question together.

Issues approached through PSHE education can include controversial topics on which people may have strong views and opinions — part of PSHE education is about enabling young people to reflect on these and develop their own thoughts and ideas. As parent-educators you may find that you are having to explain different points of view or that your child’s view is different or in conflict with your own. It is important to listen — be open to hearing your child’s views, explain others’ as best you can and accept that at times, we have to agree to disagree