Intent

PSHE at Hawthorns School is at the core of everything we do in school and supports our children to become independent, confident, healthy and responsible members of society as well as developing the whole child intellectually, morally, socially and spiritually. Through our whole school approach to PSHE, we believe that the foundations for developing, protecting and maintaining long-term wellbeing will prepare children for life in society now and in the future.

We provide children with protective teaching on essential safeguarding issues, developing the knowledge of when and how children can ask for help, and support them to stay healthy, build and maintain successful relationships and become active citizens, responsibly participating in society around them

 We aim to cover a wide range of the social and emotional aspects of learning, enabling children to develop their identity and self-esteem, respond to challenges, solve problems, handle risks and to develop self-confidence. They learn to make informed decisions that lead to happy healthy lives.

With an ever-changing society we support our children to understand the diverse world around them and their rights and responsibilities within this. 

Our statutory Relationships and Sex Education curriculum (RSE) sits within our PSHE curriculum and supports children to learn about their changing bodies, relationships, their place in society both in school and beyond, caring for and looking after their bodies and awareness of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours towards their peers within social situations.

Implementation

The PSHE Association SEND Programme of Study which is widely used by schools in England is recommended and referred to by the DfE in key documentation relating to PSHE provision in schools. This scheme of work covers all the required objectives and follows the three core areas of Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World. The scheme of work fulfils the requirements of the Statutory Relationships and Health Education, setting these learning intentions in the context of a broad and balanced PSHE curriculum.

Children have numerous opportunities to develop confidence, resilience, vital life and independence skills at a level appropriate to their needs and learning styles through every day experiences which may be planned but also often arise incidentally. These are delivered in a creative manner, using many approaches such as role play, discussion and games.

At Hawthorns, in addition to Relationships Education, we also teach aspects of Sex Education that is covered in our Science Curriculum. Alongside this we teach about different kinds of relationships, including same sex relationships, and gender identity because it is important that our children should understand the full diversity of the world they live in and be prepared for life in modern Britain.

We believe that focusing on developing a 'Growth Mindset' in our children will help them to build resilience, independence and confidence; embrace challenge; foster a love of learning; and increase their level of happiness. We do this through the language we use in class, praising children for their efforts, and using language to encourage children to change their way of thinking.

This supports both our school and PSHE aims and values, and we focus on Growth Mindsets in all aspects of school life. Visitors such as emergency services and the school nurse complement our PSHE curriculum to offer additional learning. We encourage our pupils to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community.

Impact

By the time our children leave our school they will:

• Be able to approach a range of real-life situations and apply their skills and attributes to help navigate themselves through modern life
• Be on their way to becoming healthy, open minded, respectful, socially and morally responsible, active members of society
• Appreciate difference and diversity
• Recognize and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual respect, Rule of law and Liberty
• Be able to understand and manage their emotions
• Be able to look after their mental health and well-being
• Be able to develop positive, healthy relationship with their peers both now and in the future.
• Understand the physical aspects involved in RSE at an age-appropriate level
• Have respect for themselves and others.
• Have a positive self esteem.