Hillside Primary School
PSHE, RSE & Safety Curriculum
PSHE Statement
At Hillside Primary School, personal, social and health education (PSHE) enables our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of a society. It aims to help them understand how they are developing personally and socially, and tackles many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. We provide our children with opportunities for them to learn about rights and responsibilities and appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society. Our children are encouraged to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community.
We deliver the PSHE curriculum by utilising first hand experience and sharing good practice. However, we are aware that the delivered curriculum must reflect the needs of our pupils. We expect teachers to use a PSHE programme to equip pupils with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions. We believe that the purpose of PSHE education is to build, where appropriate, on the statutory content already outlined in the national curriculum, the basic school curriculum and in statutory guidance on: ie, drug education, financial education, citizenship, personal safety, sex and relationship education (SRE) and the importance of physical activity and diet for a healthy lifestyle.
We believe that PSHE plays a vital part of primary education and needs to be taught at least weekly. This enables staff to ensure full coverage of PSHE, RSHE and SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) is taught in their year group. There are always occasions where teachers may feel it necessary to teach PSHE as a result of an issue arisen in their own class. PSHE is integral to the development of children values in order for them to become a positive citizen in a forever changing community. PSHE is an important part of school assemblies were children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural curiosity is stimulated, challenged and nurtured.
RSE
At Hillside Primary School, we understand the importance of educating pupils about sex, relationships and their health, for them to make responsible and well-informed decisions in their lives.
The teaching of RSHE can help to prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. It allows us to promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at school and in the wider society.
We are clear that parents and carers are the prime educators for children on many of these matters and the school’s role is to provide our pupils with high-quality and age-appropriate teaching to support their personal development and pastoral needs.
The RSHE policy outlines how the school’s RSHE curriculum will be organised and delivered as well as what will be taught to the various year groups. You can access a copy of this policy via the link below.
Defining Relationship, Sex and Health Education
The DFE guidance defines RSHE as “lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development. It is about the understanding of the importance of marriage and family life, stable and loving relationships, respect, love and care.
Working with parents
We believe in effective communication between home and school. If parents have concerns regarding RSHE, they may submit these via email, or contact the school office to arrange a meeting with the Head Teacher.
Right to withdraw
Parents have the right to request that their child is withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSHE.
Parents do not have a right to withdraw their child from the relationships or health elements of the programmes.
Requests to withdraw a child from sex education will be made in writing to the Head Teacher.
