PSHE at the Skylark Federation
Intent
Personal, social and emotional development plays a vital role in everyday life at the Skylark Federation. Our intent for PSHE is for all children to feel happy, healthy, safe and listened to. We support children to reflect on their own experiences and to understand how they are developing personally and socially as they grow.
Through PSHE, children are encouraged to understand and respect diversity, recognise and value differences within our communities, and form effective, fulfilling relationships. We help children to develop emotional resilience and self-awareness, and we believe it is essential that they recognise their own self-worth and take increasing responsibility for their learning and behaviour.
Our PSHE curriculum enables children to acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to access the wider curriculum and to prepare them for life now and in the future as responsible global citizens. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development, preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Relationships, Sex and Health Education supports children to understand how to keep themselves safe and to develop positive, healthy relationships, both now and as they grow older.
Implementation
Statutory guidance for PSHE covers three core themes: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships, and Living in the Wider World. At the Skylark Federation, we use the Let’s Talk scheme developed by Opening Young Minds to deliver our PSHE and RSHE curriculum.
The scheme provides children with the tools and language they need to express their emotions, manage challenges and develop positive personal skills. It supports the creation of a school culture that values wellbeing, reflection and respectful relationships.
The key focus areas within the Let’s Talk scheme are:
- Resilience
- Relationships
- Wellbeing
- Health Education
- Friendships
- Living in the Wider World
- Sex and Relationship Education
As part of the Let’s Talk curriculum, there is also a strong focus on careers through a dedicated Careers Curriculum. Each class explores a different career termly, helping children to broaden their understanding of the world of work and develop aspirations for the future.
PSHE learning is progressive from Reception to Year 6, enabling children to build on and deepen their knowledge, skills and understanding over time.
PSHE is taught weekly through discrete lessons to ensure full curriculum coverage. There are also occasions when PSHE is taught responsively, for example when a particular issue arises within a class. This ensures that learning remains relevant and meets the individual needs of our pupils.
We have implemented a whole-school approach to Therapeutic Thinking through our Behaviour Policy. This supports our commitment to developing the whole child and aligns with our spiral curriculum approach, enabling children to revisit and strengthen key skills and understanding.
Themed weeks with a PSHE focus include Anti-Bullying Week and Children’s Mental Health Week. Where possible, visitors are invited into school to enrich learning, including professionals such as firefighters from the local fire station and parents sharing their careers and experiences.
PSHE is also an important part of school assemblies, where children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is nurtured and challenged. Our termly values are drawn from Values for Life, and children’s achievements are celebrated during weekly celebration assemblies. A Kindness Award is used to promote and recognise positive behaviour and a culture of kindness across the school.
Impact
By the time children leave the Skylark Federation, they will:
- be able to approach a range of real-life situations and apply their skills and attributes confidently
- be developing into healthy, open-minded, respectful and socially responsible members of society
- appreciate difference and diversity
- recognise and apply British Values, including democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, the rule of law and individual liberty
- understand and manage their emotions
- know how to look after their mental health and wellbeing
- develop and maintain positive, healthy relationships
- understand the physical aspects of Relationships, Sex and Health Education at an age-appropriate level
- show respect for themselves and others
- have a positive sense of self-esteem
The impact of our PSHE curriculum can be seen in the behaviour, attitudes and relationships of our pupils. Subject leaders and school leaders monitor the effectiveness of PSHE through regular review and evaluation to ensure it continues to meet the needs of all children.