Luddendenfoot J&I School
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education Policy
Personal, social, health and citizenship education is concerned with qualities and attitudes, knowledge and understanding and abilities and skills in relation to oneself and others. It encourages social responsibilities and morality that pupils need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens.
Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of the school and the community. This encourages recognition of their own worth, the ability to work co-operatively and a sense of responsibility. They will become aware of their personal and social development and acquire the skills to cope with the moral and cultural issues they encounter as part of growing up. Pupils learn how the political and social institutions are relevant to their lives and develop a respect for differences and diversity and the importance of understanding relationships.
At Luddendenfoot we believe that PSHCE is at the heart of education and is an entitlement of every pupil. Our school ethos reflects the shared belief that these key issues are essential to its development:-positive relationships
We aim to provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and achieve, to promote children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life and to develop knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens.
These are interdependent aims for the whole school curriculum which can be achieved through the provision of PSHCE which we see as a whole school approach to raising achievement.
Objectives
self-respect
Roles of the Teacher
Children need to be encouraged to come to terms with their own emotions, to behave with consideration for others’ needs and to learn the necessary skills to lead a safe and healthy life. They will need to form close relationships with the adults working with them. As they grow older the importance of peer and group relationships will increase. However they will continue to need security and stability in their environment. They will also have the opportunity to encounter a widening range of personal and social learning experiences and a growing knowledge and understanding of social issues.
There should be high expectations of the children, they should be helped to clarify their thinking to formulate strategies for dealing with the identified tasks, to be listened to with discrimination and politeness and be accepted as worthwhile individuals. Teachers who offer good examples will have a valuable effect on children’s expectations, self-esteem and attitudes.
All teachers will make a major contribution to the curriculum of PSHCE although some may specialise in particular aspects such as sex and relationships and drugs education.
Good teaching relies on using appropriate methods for the aim of the lesson. Teachers therefore need a repertoire of flexible, active learning methods. These may include:-
We aim to create a safe, supportive and caring community for everyone, including pupils, staff, parents and governors and to promote mental and physical health by following National Healthy School Standards.
The curriculum for PSHCE will be provided through a combination of the following:-
These are identified opportunities:-
Pupils will be taught knowledge, skills and understanding through opportunities to:-
During Key Stage 1 pupils’ learn about themselves as developing individuals and as members of their communities, building on their own experiences and on the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development. They learn the basic rules and skills for keeping themselves healthy and safe and for behaving well. They have opportunities to show they can take some responsibility for themselves and their environment. They begin to learn about their own and other people’s feelings and become aware of the views, needs and rights of other children and older people. As members of a class and school community, they learn social skills such as how to share, take turns, play, help others, resolve simple arguments and resist bullying. They begin to take an active part in the life of their school and its neighbourhood.
During Key Stage 2 pupils learn about themselves as growing and changing individuals with their own experiences and ideas, and as members of their communities. They become more mature, independent and self-confident. They learn about the wider world and the dependence of communities within it. They develop their sense of social justice and moral responsibility and begin to understand that their own choices and behaviour can affect local, national or global issues and political and social institutions. They learn how to take part more fully in school and community activities. As they begin to develop into young adult, they face the changes of puberty and transfer to secondary school with support and encouragement from their school. They learn how to make more confident and informed choices about their health and environment; to take more responsibility, individually and as a group, for their own learning; and to resist bullying.
All pupils regardless of race, gender or ability should have the opportunity to develop their personal and social skills. Children with special needs may often require particularly sustained and sensitive support from their teachers and peers.
Confidentiality
Pupils occasionally make personal disclosures, either in class or to individual teachers.
Teachers should make it clear to pupils that although most information can be kept confidential teachers can not offer unconditional confidentiality and information about behaviour likely to cause harm to the pupil or to others must be passed to the appropriate authority. This may be the designated teacher for child protection or the Headteacher.
Handling sensitive and controversial issues
Sensitive and controversial issues may arise in PSHCE teaching. Sex education, religion and politics are examples of topics which concern values and beliefs and may arouse strong feelings. Other issues likely to be sensitive or controversial include family lifestyle and values, law and order, environmental issues, bullying and bereavement.
Teachers should ensure pupils establish ground rules about how they will behave towards each other over sensitive issues, ensure there is balanced information available and provide adequate support for any pupil who may be troubled by an issue raised.
Assessment of skills, knowledge and understanding can include:-
Personal targets can be set from the skills and knowledge which pupils have the opportunity to learn, against which assessment of progress and recording achievement can take place.
Factual knowledge and understanding can be assessed through quizzes, word searches and games.
Understanding and applying knowledge may be observed and assessed in real or simulated experiences.
Personal and social skills can also be assessed in real or simulated situations.
Opportunities for recording of learning and progress will be generated through the different activities undertaken in the PSHCE curriculum.
Formal evidence can be recorded by:-
The pupil’s annual report will include a commentary on personal and social learning in the same manner as academic reporting.
Visitors
Visitors should:-
All staff will have a copy of the PSHCE policy in their file. Any issues that arise from the implementation of the policy, or the teaching of PSHCE can be raised with the co-ordinator or the Headteacher.
The co-ordinator will lead the teaching of PSHCE within the school. They will be responsible for the implementation of the policy under the direction of the Headteacher. They will ensure an adequate level of resources and be responsible for the dissemination of new information and training opportunities to enhance professional development.
Monitoring is an ongoing process which ensures that the PSHCE curriculum is effectively implemented and involves teachers at classroom level monitoring their lessons, the co-ordinator monitoring curriculum experiences and the Headteacher monitoring implementation of targets set in the school development plan.
Evaluation is the process which measures whether the programme is effective and worthwhile and involves teachers evaluating a lesson and a unit of work, the co-ordinator evaluating the scheme of work and the Headteacher evaluating PSHCE as part of the annual review of the school development plan.
The policy will be reviewed in line with the school development plan. All staff, governors and school council will be included in the procedure. The views of parents will be sought.
Appendices
Project Charlie Y 1-4
Project Charlie Y 5-7
Health for Life 1
Health for Life 2
QCA Citizenship Key Stages 1 & 2
Sex Education Policy
Drugs Education Policy