PSHE & RSE
‘A child’s mental health is just as important as their physical health and deserves the same quality of support.’ Catherine, Princess of Wales
PSHE - Personal, Social, Health & Education
PHSE is a part of everything we do at The Lea. It is reflected in the ethos of the school and the school environment. PSHE is taught as a discrete lesson as well as indirectly in every lesson and is ‘hidden’ throughout our curriculum, assemblies and time together as a school. There are also overlaps with other curriculum subjects, e.g. PE (learning different ways to keep healthy and active), Computing (keeping safe online) and Science (lifecycles and growing).
Nursery and Reception follow the Early Years Curriculum which includes Personal Social and Emotional Development, and this is a central part of the learning opportunities children have throughout the school day in Early Years.
Relationships & Sex Education
An element of the PSHE curriculum (which overlaps with elements of the Science curriculum) is Relationships & Sex Education (RSE). Under 2019 guidance from the Department for Education this became a statutory part of the curriculum from September 2020.
The following government links in relation to this may be of interest:
Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education
The Jigsaw approach supports are teaching and learning of this area. Please do refer to our school policy and the linked documents below for more information.
Requests for the right to excuse your child from the non-statutory components of sex education should be put in writing to the Headteacher.
SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural)
SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) development is recognised by all in school as vital to children achieving and being happy in life. We take every opportunity to support children with this development both informally (in the playground and around school) promoting restorative ways of resolving any issues which arise and through more formal sessions including assemblies, lessons, circle times, interventions, visitors and trips.
Citizenship
Citizenship is also an important element of our PSHE curriculum. Children are encouraged to make sensible and informed choices reflecting on their roles as members of a community. Children in every year group will also participate in a citizenship project over the course of the school year in which they have an opportunity to contribute to wider society.
For example, Year 4 class contributed locally – singing a medley of Christmas songs at the Memory Lane Café in Harpenden in support of those with dementia. In Year 5, the children contribute at a more international level e.g. being involved in raising funds in order to ‘toilet twin’ with a community on another continent.
Pupil Voice 2024