Implementation

At Thomas Harding Junior School, PSHE lessons are based upon the PSHE Association's scheme of work. Our Curriculum plans have been adapted to ensure that we develop our pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding around  the three core themes of:  health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world.

Our curriculum  is a spiral, progressive scheme of work, which is planned to expand pupils’ understanding of the overarching concepts and the development of essential skills and aims to prepare children for life, helping them to know and value who they are and understand how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world. There is a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health.  Our planning includes statutory and non statutory content, and where applicable, this has been selected and adapted to ensure  that it is relevant and appropriate to our ASPIRE ethos and the bespoke needs of our pupils. 

Furthermore, our school teaches Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) using the Christopher Winter Project resources during the Summer term. RSE lessons at Thomas Harding give the children essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful relationships and staying safe both on and offline. 

Each class is taught PSHE for one hour each week; using a range of teaching strategies which include: 

• Pre-teaching of key vocabulary and other concepts when appropriate
• Drama, debate & speaking and listening to enhance children's ability to articulate their feelings and opinions. 
• Practical lessons
• Clear modelling of written and spoken language – writing styles that are learnt in English are adopted in PSHE lessons with the same level of expectation.
• Word banks to support learning
• Work is recorded in a variety of styles in books to show a range of different learning styles – mind maps, photos, posters, use of ICT
• Scaffolding and support  to ensure that  all pupils are able to access the curriculum effectively to maximise their learning

Themed events 

Throughout the year, we hold themed weeks and days which highlight key themes and revisit concepts to help children know more and remember more, some examples of recent themed weeks and days are: 

• Anti bullying week
• Show Racism the Red Card
• Walk to school week
• Healthy eating week
• Health and wellbeing week
• E-safety Week 
• Mental Health Awareness day (inside out)
• Year 4 mother and daughter evening (linked to mensuration) 

Wider Curriculum  

• We believe that focusing on developing a 'Growth Mindset' in our children will help them to build resilience, independence and confidence; embrace challenge; foster a love of learning; and increase their level of happiness. We do this through the language we use in class, praising children for their efforts, and using language to encourage children to change their way of thinking. This supports both our school and PSHE aims and values, and we focus on Growth Mindsets in all aspects of school life.
• PSHE, including SMSC and British Values, are an integral part of the whole school curriculum, and is therefore woven into all other areas of the curriculum. 
• Visitors, such as emergency services, complement our PSHE curriculum to offer additional learning.          
• Each year we invite the NSPCC in to conduct an assembly and workshops to encourage children to speak out and stay safe.
• We encourage our pupils to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community. We challenge all of our pupils to look for opportunities to show the school values of Aspiration, Success, Pride, Integrity, Resilience and Equality.                                                                                                       
• Assemblies are linked to PSHE, British Values and SMSC and cover any additional sessions that would benefit the whole school.                                                        
• PSHE, British Values and SMSC displays throughout school reinforce the PSHE curriculum enabling children to make links.

Impact

By the time our children leave Thomas Harding Junior  school they will:

• Be able to approach a range of real life situations and apply their skills and attributes to help navigate themselves through modern life
• Be on their way to becoming healthy, open minded, respectful, socially and morally responsible, active members of society
• Appreciate difference and diversity
• Recognise and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual respect, Rule of law and Liberty
• Be  able to understand and manage their emotions
• Be able to look after their mental health and well-being
• Be able to develop positive, healthy relationship with their peers both now and in the future.
•  Understand the physical aspects involved in RSE at an age appropriate level
•  Have respect for themselves and others.
•  Have a positive self esteem