Rationale and Development of Policy

Personal, Social, Health and Economics education  (PSHE) and Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Development (SMSC) help to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens.”

The National Curriculum Handbook for Primary teachers in England

All maintained schools must meet the requirements set out in section 78 of the Education Act 2002 and promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their pupils. Through ensuring pupils’ SMSC development, schools can also demonstrate they are actively promoting fundamental British values.

Department of Education, 2014

At Billesley Primary School we recognise the importance of the above statements. 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.

Aims and Objectives

Our PSHE and SMSC programme is underpinned by the following aims:  

Opportunities for children to explore and develop:

• Their own values and beliefs  
• Spiritual awareness  
• High standards of personal behaviour
• A positive and caring attitude towards other people
• An understanding and respect for their and others social and cultural traditions  
• An appreciation of the diversity and richness of cultures and the world around them.
• Lively enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves to tasks
• How British values relate to their everyday experiences
• Good emotional wellbeing and positive mental health
• Careers and aspirations for the future
• Economic wellbeing

Our mission as a school is to:

• Promote good emotional health and raise pupils’ feelings of self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth.
• Raise the awareness of PSHE and SMSC with parents, pupils, staff and governors.
• Create a safe and supportive school environment that promotes good health and reflects our school ethos, enabling them the opportunity to become responsible citizens.
• Promote the needs of all pupils, irrespective of gender, culture or ability.
• Provide pupils with the necessary skills to become confident, healthy and active global citizens of the world and prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

Equal Opportunities

The teaching of PSHE and SMSC is in line with the school’s policy for equal opportunities, SEND and inclusion. It reflects the ethos of the school by providing a secure, non-judgemental environment in which pupils can develop their potential to learn. All pupils are treated equally irrespective of their gender, culture, race, religion or special needs.

Teaching PSHE and SMSC

All teachers are responsible for teaching PSHE and SMSC in line with their own job description.  

Teachers consider a breath of opportunities when planning for the learning outcomes. PSHE and SMSC links closely to every part of school life and teachers and pupils are aware of this at all times.

There are four different approaches that can be applied when teaching PSHE and SMSC issues and a sound curriculum is provided when all three elements are combined.

The first element is the “taught” curriculum and consists of designated PSHE/SMSC sessions, including Jigsaw PSHE sessions and P4C. Relationships and Health Education became statutory from September 2020, and is already established as part of our PSHE and SMSC Curriculum.

The second element is the “incidental” curriculum and consists of cross-curricular lessons, such as e-safety and religious education.

The third element involves the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and links children’s rights to the discrete learning taking place in the session. All children are taught that they have rights, have the right to exercise and enjoy their rights and the role that adults play in ensuring children have access to these rights. These are explored in weekly assemblies as well as PSHE sessions.

The final element is the “informal” curriculum and consists of a wide variety of techniques:

• Relationships between staff and pupils
• School values and ethos
• Links with parents and the community
• Links with other policies, e.g. SRE, drugs and management of medicines, behaviour management, child protection
• Peer mentoring scheme
• Assemblies
• Use of outside visitors
• School council

• Residential trips
• Special focus weeks e.g.Health Week, anti-bullying week and Mental Health Awareness Week
• Philosophy for Children
• Events, such as theatre trips, museums, places of worship

CPD sessions are delivered to teaching staff at least once a year, covering NOPs, curriculum coverage and RSE.

Content and Time Allocation

Time Allocation

45 minutes for each PSHE session, taught over three/four weeks at the beginning of each half  

term. The remaining sessions in that half term will be R.E.

Themed weeks and special days when appropriate.

Content

Please refer to the National Curriculum. We have created a bespoke curriculum, which responds to the needs of the school community and we use Jigsaw as a resource. Our curriculum is reviewed annually.  

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

Teachers, the PSHE co-ordinator and the Headteacher undertake informal assessment on an on-going basis in line with the school policy for Assessment, Recording and Reporting.

Many aspects of PSHE and SMSC lend themselves most appropriately to self-assessment. Pupils are encouraged to make judgements about their own development by:

• Posing questions about themselves
• Considering their current understanding
• Deciding future needs

This has a positive impact on a pupil’s self-awareness and self-esteem.

Evidence of a pupil’s progress can be shown in a number of ways:

• Individual written work
• Group tasks
• Discussion
• Questioning
• Observation
• Reflection
• Special tasks
• Photographs
• School website and social media
• SMSC  books

Teachers use a selection of the above to keep a record of pupils’ understanding.

The pupils’ annual reports to parents include a comment on personal and social learning.

Monitoring and Evaluating PSHE and SMSC

Teachers, the PSHE co-ordinator and the Headteacher undertake informal evaluation on an on-going basis in line with the school policy for Monitoring and Evaluation. Pupil voice is also a crucial part of this process through Pupil Book Studies.

Specific Issues

Confidentiality

Pupils are informed that teachers and staff are not able to promise 100% confidentiality. On the rare occasion that there are suspected child protection concerns, the school will follow the procedures laid down by The Elliot Foundation Academy Trust and Local Authority.  Any concerns must be referred to a DSL, who will follow school procedures (see safeguarding policy)

Use of outside visitors

The school follows LA guidelines and will contact the LA/HEU if in doubt about the suitability of the material to be used by a visitor.  

All visitors to school will be DBS checked.

Visitors are given copies of our No Platform Policy to read before they deliver their session/s.

Working with parents

Parents are given the opportunity to discuss any issues, schemes of work, methods of teaching and resources. Any specific issues may be discussed with the class teacher, the PSHE co-ordinator (Miss Cole) or the Principal.