PSHE & RSE

Intent – What do we want children to learn?

At Birchwood, we want every child – whatever their background or needs – to grow into a confident, kind and capable person.

Through PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education), children learn the knowledge, skills and values they need to:
feel good about themselves
get along with others
make safe and healthy choices
understand their place in the world

We encourage pupils to take part in a wide range of activities in and beyond the classroom. This helps them:
• recognise their own worth
• work well with others
• take responsibility for their learning
• understand right and wrong
• respect differences and diversity

We use the Kapow PSHE scheme to deliver our PSHE curriculum in a structured, age-appropriate way.

What skills does PSHE help children develop?

Kapow PSHE supports children to:
• feel a sense of purpose
• value themselves and others
• build healthy friendships and relationships
• make informed choices
• communicate clearly
• work as part of a team
• cope with challenges
• take responsibility for their learning
• be active members of the school and local community
• understand how a democratic society works
• become healthy, confident and happy individuals

Implementation – How do we teach PSHE?

All Birchwood pupils have a weekly PSHE lesson. We also use real-life situations and current issues to support learning.

Each year, children learn through five main topics:

1. Family and Relationships

Children learn about:
• different types of families
• friendship and kindness
• respect and fairness
• understanding feelings
• boundaries and personal space
• bullying and how to deal with it

2. Health and Wellbeing

Children learn about:
• emotions and managing feelings
• confidence and resilience
• healthy eating, exercise and rest
• hygiene and sun safety
• people who help keep us healthy

3. Safety and the Changing Body

Children learn about:
• staying safe at home, school and online
• trusted adults and emergency services
• personal safety and privacy
• road safety, medicines and first aid
• body awareness and online safety

In Upper Key Stage 2, children also learn about:
• puberty and growing up
• how babies are conceived and develop
• alcohol awareness
• basic life-saving first aid

(Our PSHE fully meets all statutory Relationships and Sex Education requirements.)

4. Citizenship

Children learn about:
• rules and rights
• democracy and how parliament works
• caring for others
• community groups and charities
• respecting differences
• how to be responsible citizens

5. Economic Wellbeing

Children learn about:
• money and budgeting
• value for money
• different jobs and careers
• stereotypes in the workplace
• using their skills and interests for the future

Lessons are carefully planned so children build on what they already know as they move through the school.

We also link PSHE to:
Forest School
Birchwood Bolts
SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural learning)

Impact – What will this look like for our pupils?

You will see PSHE making a real difference in school life:

Forest School
All pupils take part in Forest School. Activities build teamwork, confidence, resilience and trust.

Pupil Voice
Children take on real roles such as:
• School Council
• Eco Council
• Digital Ambassadors
• Head Gardeners
• Chicken Monitors
• Meeters & Greeters