PSHE and RHE
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Intent |
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At the South Hams Federation we believe that PSHE and RHE provides a vehicle for developing our children’s attitudes, values and sensitivities towards others. We believe that through implementing an appropriately structured programme across the whole school we will enable children to both develop a positive sense of self as well as a respect and understanding for others. To embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life, pupils need knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships. Pupils can also put this knowledge into practice as they develop the capacity to make sound decisions when facing risks, challenges and complex contexts. We aim to support our children to develop resilience, to know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support. In line with the 2026 statutory RSHE guidance, our curriculum ensures that all pupils learn:
PSHE education is taught in an age and stage appropriate way, following a spiral approach that revisits and embeds learning. We use the PSHE Association Programme Builder to ensure developmental progression and age‑appropriate learning. We recognise that our school faces our own unique opportunities and challenges and therefore tailor our PSHE and RSHE education curriculum to the needs of our pupils. It is our intent to design a PSHE curriculum with appropriate subject knowledge and understanding as well as, skills to fulfil the duties of the National Curriculum. We provide a balanced and broadly based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural development of children, as well as their physical and mental well-being. Our PSHE curriculum is a golden thread throughout our schools and the wider community. |
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Implementation |
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To ensure our intent works in our day-to-day classrooms we understand that our implementation needs to be:
“Good quality teaching takes into account all children in the class and plans small enough steps for the vast majority of children to achieve success with scaffolding and support, and for others to be challenged in the same concept to a greater depth of reasoning.” (EEF) Planning and Timetabling Our curriculum is structured using the PSHE Association Programme of Study, ensuring full coverage of the 2026 statutory Relationship Education and Health Education requirements. Medium‑term and lesson planning are supported by the Programme Builder, and teachers use the federation’s standard lesson format to ensure consistency and high‑quality delivery. Teachers use quality‑assured PSHE Association resources, ensuring accuracy, safeguarding compliance and age‑appropriate content. The long‑term overview ensures statutory coverage of:
PSHE curriculum incorporates Relationship and Health Education and identifies links to British Values, Cultural Capital, SMSC and the school ethos. We ensure that the PSHE curriculum is implemented throughout the whole school. Every class has dedicated time for PSHE (weekly session). PSHE assemblies are also held focussing on wellbeing, safety and British Values. Pedagogy: A coherent sequence: Reflection, re-cap and examples As a school, we have developed our understanding and use of a variety of pedagogical approaches that focus on how children learn. We believe that these approaches enhance and develop our mastery approach. We are using the 10 principles of Instruction (Rosenshine) to underpin our planning; specifically, carefully planning opportunities for retrieval through the use of carefully scaffolded questioning. We understand that with retrieval practice, regularly visiting areas already learnt before, helps to connect new ideas to ones that are already known. Elicitation Tasks and AFL Within lessons we use elicitation tasks where pupils are given time to discuss what they already know about the chosen unit, this enables teachers to use their assessment for learning to adapt PSHE and RSHE lessons to the needs of the pupils in their class. Questioning Teachers will use questioning throughout PSHE and RHE lessons to elicit children’s understanding and promote and challenge children to deepen understanding of concepts. Questions should be precise and develop thinking. Teachers will build opportunity for AFL into lessons and will use regular opportunities for discussion and use strategies to check and deepen a pupil’s understanding. Modelling, Discussion and Dialogue Talk is central to PSHE and RSHE. Pupils are encouraged to:
This builds confidence, empathy and critical thinking. SEND Pupils Where children are working significantly below the expected age related requirements of the curriculum, scaffolding and targeted work takes place on a daily basis. These activities are planned by the teacher in discussion and collaboration with the SENDCO, parents and the TA working within the class. We believe that it is important that all learners are taught within the classroom with their peers, where interventions are needed teachers and teaching assistants follow bespoke evidence informed intervention. Teachers have access to a SEND toolkit available from the PSHE Association to aid planning for pupils with SEND. We also pre-teach children who are at risk of falling behind in certain areas, this develops curiosity and interest as well as gives these children confidence and practice in retrieval before they learn new topic areas. Collaborative and Reflective CPD As part of The South Hams Federation, staff benefit from shared training, moderation and curriculum development, ensuring consistency and high‑quality practice across schools. Diversity, Inclusion and Prevent Our curriculum promotes equality, respect and inclusion. In line with the strengthened 2026 guidance on extremism and safeguarding, pupils learn:
This supports pupils to think critically and recognise harmful influences. |
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Impact |
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Pupil Voice Because PSHE is discussion‑rich, pupil voice is a key indicator of understanding. Conversations with pupils demonstrate:
KS2 pupils also record learning to demonstrate progression and reflection. Progression Effective monitoring and evaluation as well as informed and adaptable planning ensure progress is evident for all learners. Progress can be seen week on week as a teaching sequence is delivered as well as over a whole unit, termly and over the course of the academic year. Timely ‘book looks’, cross federation moderation and learning walks review progress in relation to the progression of skills for each year group and guarantee consistency and high expectations are maintained. Learning Environment The learning environment seeks to challenge, inspire and aid all learners within The South Hams Federation. The working walls in each class showcase the curriculum being taught and the planned sequence of learning for the unit. The work on display celebrates the achievements of the learners and the progress they are making. Reading The purpose of children recording is to allow teachers to measure whether pupils have understood the concept being taught and the level of depth to which they have understood it as well as allowing our children to deepen their understanding of the content by working individually and independently. Within The South Hams Federation a consistent and regular delivery of PSHE improves the physical and social wellbeing of pupils. The PSHE curriculum helps pupils become, aspirational, respectful and tolerant as well as mentally and physically healthy. Pupils are prepared for their next steps in life and know where to find help and support where needed. Pupils can recognise and apply the British Values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, rule of law and liberty to their school and wider life and talk confidently about the importance of this. |
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Research Research based evidence is collected to design and develop our PSHE curriculum. PSHE Association evaluated research ‘A case for PSHE’ indicates that PSHE when taught well - helps keep children and young people safe, physically and emotionally healthy and prepared for life and work. PSHE Association evaluated research ‘PSHE, Academic Attainment and Employability’ indicates that growing evidence to suggest that the skills and attributes acquired through PSHE education have a significant impact on pupils' academic achievement, employability and future life chances. PSHE Association evaluated research ‘Effective Prevent education’ in partnership with Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), outlines 11 key principles of effective practice in prevention education and the positive impact of these been addressed in school. |