PSHE
Our Statement of Intent
PSHE education is central to everything at Stanford Infant School; we want our children to feel safe and happy. We aim to build and develop skills within the children that enable them to build positive friendships and relationships, and also skills that will enable them to keep themselves and others healthy and safe now and in the future. Our curriculum is ambitious and designed to give all children the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. It provides opportunities to embed new knowledge and practice skills that can confidently be used in real life situations on and offline.
Our PSHE curriculum offers our children significant opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to achieve, to be resilient and lead safe, confident, happy, healthy, responsible and independent lives. It aims to help them to understand how they are developing personally, socially and emotionally, to explore a range of attitudes and values, and supports personal development and behaviour for learning, including promoting attributes such as kindness, respect, consent, resilience and self confidence.
Through our PSHE education we provide the children with safe learning environments to practice and develop the skills necessary to manage the moral, social and cultural challenges and responsibilities that are part of growing up and living in the world.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development - Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage EYFS 2021
Children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives, and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Underpinning their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. Children should be supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and wait for what they want and direct attention as necessary. Through adult modelling and guidance, they will learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and manage personal needs independently. Through supported interaction with other children, they learn how to make good friendships, co-operate and resolve conflicts peaceably. These attributes will provide a secure platform from which children can achieve at school and in later life.
Purpose of Study – PSHE Association
PSHE education is a planned, developmental programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. As part of a whole-school approach, PSHE education develops the qualities and attributes children need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. PSHE education can help schools to reduce or remove many of the barriers to learning experienced by children, significantly improving their capacity to learn and achieve (see our evidence briefing). The PSHE education programme makes a significant contribution to children’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development, their behaviour and safety and the school’s statutory responsibility to promote children’ wellbeing. In addition the learning provided through a comprehensive PSHE education provision is an essential to safeguarding children. PSHE education equips children with the knowledge, understanding, skills and strategies required to live healthy, safe, productive, capable, responsible and balanced lives. It encourages them to be enterprising and supports them in making effective transitions, positive learning and career choices and in achieving economic wellbeing. A critical component of PSHE education is providing opportunities for children and young people to reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes and explore the complex and sometimes conflicting range of values and attitudes they encounter now and in the future. PSHE education contributes to personal development by helping children to build their confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and to identify and manage risk, make informed choices and understand what influences their decisions. It enables them to recognise, accept and shape their identities, to understand and accommodate difference and change, to manage emotions and to communicate constructively in a variety of settings. Developing an understanding of themselves, empathy and the ability to work with others will help children to form and maintain good relationships, develop the essential skills for future employability and better enjoy and manage their lives.
Relationship, Sex and Health Education is always appropriate to the children’s age and stage of development and is an essential part of safeguarding. Relationship and Sex Education in Year 2 will cover:
- learning about growing and changing;
- the differences between most girls’ and boys’ bodies;
- knowing how to keep their bodies safe;
- growing skills in positive body image;
- learning how to build healthy and caring friendships.