PSHE & RSE
“It is vital that when educating our children’s brains, we do not neglect to educate their hearts.”
Dalai Lama
What is the intent of PSHE at Meadows?
At Meadows Primary School & Nursery, we are committed to ensuring all in our school family can aspire, grow and flourish. It is therefore our intent to provide the best start in life for all children in our care by providing a broad, balanced and enriching curriculum. We intend that our pupils acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. As part of a whole school approach, we teach the qualities and attributes children need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. We provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place and we help pupils develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy.
How is PSHE implemented at Meadows?
We teach PSHE both discretely and through thematic units. Our thematic units come from the Dimensions Curriculum and the discrete units comes from Dimensions’ 3D PSHE Programme.
Dimensions is a scheme of work that covers all aspects of PSHE in an age-appropriate way; it has been mapped out so that there is a clear progression from Early Years to Year 6. Substantive knowledge in PSHE is threaded throughout each of the three core themes. Disciplinary knowledge in PSHE are the social and emotional skills acquired, and the interpretation of themselves and how to support themselves and others through changes.
Our focus is on teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other children and with adults.
Through our PSHE teaching, pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes needed in order to keep themselves healthy and safe whilst preparing them for life and work.
There are three underlying core themes taught throughout Dimensions 3D PSHE, within which there is broad overlap and flexibility. These themes are:-
Children are encouraged to participate in a wide variety of activities, enabling them to make significant contributions to both life in school and within the wider community. This allows them to become aware of their skills and talents, develop their self-worth, learn to work as part of a team and take greater responsibility for their own learning. In doing so, they are able to reflect and evaluate on how they are making progress.
The 3D PSHE Programme provides pupils with the means to handle many of the social, cultural, spiritual, physical and moral issues that occur throughout life. It helps pupils to develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully, and contribute positively, to life in modern Britain. Pupils learn to respect similarities and differences between our diverse cultures in order to build successful and meaningful friendships and relationships that are vital to the world we live in.
Dimensions 3D PSHE supports the development of the attitudes, values, skills and behaviour which enable pupils to:-
- Live healthy lifestyles
- Address personal hygiene
- Develop an awareness of changing and growing
- Deal with different emotions in an appropriate way
- Keep safe
- Communicate well with others and work as a team
- Define, identify and know how to respond to bullying
- Know where and how to seek help when needed
- Treat everybody with respect
- Form and build positive relationships
- Understand the reasons for rules, and their responsibility to keep them
- Learn about their responsibility in caring for others
- Be active in their own learning
- Be active within their community
- Manage money well
- Keep safe online
- Self-assess and identify their strengths and weaknesses
- Know how to make emergency calls
- Know basic First Aid
- Work collaboratively and respectfully
- Appreciate diversity
- Empathise with other points of view
- Express opinions clearly
- Understand the changes that occur in puberty
- Develop strategies for managing changing emotions
How does PSHE progress at Meadows?
Awaiting Content
How can I support my child in PSHE?
Allowing your child to talk about PSHE topics at home can be a really good way for them to explore and contextualise some of the content. If you have time, research some of the areas you know are coming up in your child's PSHE programme, and anticipate any challenging questions. There are a wealth of books you may also wish to find at the library, or purchase as appropriate, to support your child:
Here are some useful websites you may find of support: