PSHE Curriculum

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education at Westwood Farm

“It is vital that when educating our children’s brains, we do not neglect to educate their hearts.” Dalai Lama

PSHE Lead: Mrs. Maggie Dutton

At Westwood Farm, children’s well-being, happiness, and safety are our priority, and PSHE is the key vehicle through which we share this with children. We regard PSHE as an important, integral component of the whole curriculum; it is central to our approach and at the core of our motto and ethos, building from Personal, Social and Emotional Development in EYFS, through PSHE, including SMSC and Relationships and Sex Education in KS1 and KS2.

Our Personal, Social, Health and Economic education programme helps to give children the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens. We encourage our pupils to play a positive role in contributing to the life of the school and the wider community. In so doing we help develop their sense of self-worth.

We use Jigsaw PSHE which is a comprehensive whole school scheme that uses a mindful approach. 

Click here for Jigsaw information leaflet for parents and carers Sept 2023

The whole school focuses on the same theme each half term, but at differing, age-appropriate levels.

Autumn 1	Being Me in My World
Autumn 2	Celebrating Difference
Spring 1	Dreams and Goals
Spring 2	Healthy Me
Summer 1	Relationships
Summer 2	Changing Me

Click here for Jigsaw Overview map Sept 2023

Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is incorporated into our PSHE curriculum. Relationships Education is statutory. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from the aspects of Sex Education which are not part of the primary Science curriculum.

Each year we offer a parent workshop in the Summer term to learn more about our RSHE curriculum.

Click here for Jigsaw RSHE Guide for parents and carers Sept 2023

More information about what is covered in each year group, together with some additional documents published by Jigsaw can be found on the Password Protected PSHE webpage. Please contact the school office for the password to access these documents.

Promoting Fundamental British Values at Westwood Farm Schools Federation

The Department for Education has reinforced the need for schools to ‘create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the Fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and the tolerance of those with different faith and beliefs’.

Our work on British Values is included in our PSHE work and throughout all our work; they underpin all that we do. At Westwood Farm we value the diverse ethnic backgrounds of all pupils and families and undertake a variety of events and lessons to celebrate these. In addition to the themes developed through assemblies and in reaction to normal everyday events, our curriculum reinforces and supports the promotion of traditional British values. Children and families regularly support and often initiate school involvement in raising awareness and money for charitable causes showing their values for people different to themselves.

Democracy

Democracy is demonstrated through various means throughout the school. The pupils have the opportunity to take part in a democratic election each year, nominating and voting for class representatives on the school council. Initially this is for Years 1 to 6. FS2 children are invited to join the school council once they have settled into school. The children have their voices heard for example through class voting for the class story in FS2 and through questionnaires and/or interviews on a range of school related issues.

In KS2, the children have previously participated in UK Parliament Outreach program to increase their awareness of how they can be active citizens, both now and in the future.

The Rule of Law

We provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, English law through our PHSE curriculum and link this to their everyday lives through the consistent reinforcement of our own school rules, values, and expectations. The children help to select class rules and fully understand and contribute to the school charter used within the school. Pupils are taught the reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. This process is demonstrated through the systems used in school which are frequently revisited in class and assemblies where they are linked to life in general. Visits from authorities such as the Police serve to reinforce this.

Individual Liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment, whether it is through the choice of challenge, how they record their work or participation in our extra-curricular clubs and opportunities – pupils are given freedom to make choices. As a school we educate children to take responsibility for their behaviour and provide boundaries within which they can make choices.

We encourage pupils to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, whilst ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils.

We challenge stereotypes, prejudice, and inequality so our children can see and importance of individual liberty and just as importantly experience it at school. We deliver a very inclusive learning environment so all children can access the widest range of activities and thinking. Following our school motto, the school implements a strong nurturing and caring which incorporates an anti-bullying culture.

Mutual Respect

Our school ethos and behaviour policy has been developed through the concept of mutual respect, and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is demonstrated in daily life.

Tolerance of Others Faith and Beliefs

This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience the celebration of such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying are further supported by learning in R.E and PSHE. We support pupil’s understanding of the differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and different family situations.

As part of our RE curriculum we organise visits to places of worship and visits to our school by local faith and community leaders.

Members of different faiths and religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance the learning within classes. This includes helping pupils to value and respect their own and other’s cultures and ways of life through developing their understanding of our diverse and global community.

Through many means, (some of which are firmly established within the life of the school and others which are as a reaction to events in the world) our pupils learn to understand what it means to be British within their everchanging multi-cultural world. 

As part of our Behaviour Policy, we teach all the children about the ‘Westwood Way,’ and we try to ensure this is woven into our work on PSHE.

The Westwood Way;

Do be gentle

Do be kind and helpful

Do work hard

Do look after property

Do listen to people

Do be honest

Odd Socks - Caring Week/Antibullying