ST MARY'S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

PSHE and RSE Curriculum                                                                                 

Our Mission Statement

Celebrating Excellence through our Faith and Learning

Intent:

At St Mary’s we believe that our pupil’s need a curriculum that allows them to become enthusiastic and engaged learners. The PSHE Curriculum equips pupil with essential skills for life and provides them with a foundation to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society: we search for purposeful, meaningful opportunities to allow pupil to experience this.

To extend and deepen the pupil’s learning; we endeavour to make strong links with the diverse multi - cultural backgrounds of the pupils and staff and we build upon these experiences to develop pupils who appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society. At St. Mary’s we have an inclusive approach to PSHE, we ensure that our pupils can access the curriculum and that is tailored to meet their individual needs.

In PSHE we nurture pupils, by providing them with enriching experiences that prompt pupils to ask questions and think critically about, and articulately explain, their choices. Our intention is that as the pupils of St Mary’s grow and mature, they develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community.

Implementation:

At St Mary’s, we use Ten Ten’s ‘Live Life to the Full’ RSE programme to meet the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. The scheme of work is supplemented by JIGSAW so that we are able to deliver the full PSHE curriculum as suggested by the PSHE Association. We want to ensure we provide the children of St Mary’s with a broad curriculum that enables them to develop their knowledge and skills by supporting their wellbeing.

RSE and Health Education - ‘Live Life to the Full’ Scheme of Work

 This scheme of work has been chosen as it matches the Catholic ethos of our school while delivering lessons that provide full coverage of the RSE and Health Education curriculum. Live Life to the Full is split into 3 three modules:

• Created and Loved by God
• Created to Love Others
• Created to Live in Community

It provides a spiral curriculum as the repetition of, and building upon of modules, allows children to embed their previous knowledge before challenging and stretching it through extension activities.

PSHE

To compliment the teaching of RSE, the children of St Mary’s are also taught about further aspects of the PSHE curriculum as provided by the PSHE association. For PSHE, we have subscribed to the JIGSAW scheme, which is a programme for Primary PSHE. Like Ten-Ten, it is also a spiral, progressive scheme of work. PSHE is also covered in class by regular whole class circle time sessions, group support and/or individual support.

Curriculum Overview

Impact

Through the teaching of PSHE and RSE, the children of St Mary’s become confident, emotionally literate and open-minded individuals. The children at St Mary’s have an understanding of the importance of keeping both physically and mentally healthy. The children are able to use oracy skills to communicate their thoughts and feelings while knowing where and how to seek help and support. The children know how to develop healthy relationships and how to respect diversity and differences.

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

Pupil achievement and progress

We measure pupil achievement – the acquisition of knowledge and skills – and progress using a number of strategies, including:

• Teacher assessments, based on questioning in class, observations and pupil outcomes (which includes their work in books) are used for formative, ongoing assessment.
• Scrutiny of progress in books and pupil conferencing with children. The JIGSAW and Ten-Ten scheme include clear expectations of what the pupils will know, understand and be able to do at the end of each key stage.
• In conversations with children, teachers and school leaders ask questions relating directly to age-related expectations and to times when they might have needed more support or when they experienced greater challenge.
• Learning walks.

Pupil attitudes

We measure pupil attitudes using a number of strategies, including:

• feedback during learning conversations and in pupil and parent/carer surveys
• attitudes and behaviour in lessons across the curriculum
• the quality of the work they produce, including taking pride in presentation
• attendance and punctuality

Children, particularly older children, will be encouraged to reflect on and self-assess their learning in terms of enjoyment, relevance, inspiration and creativity.

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.

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