Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) in the Ashington Learning Partnership supports pupil’s understanding of their own spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development. PSHE across the partnership enables pupils to become responsible, resilient British citizens with a good knowledge of keeping themselves and others safe and healthy.  PSHE ensures that every pupil, regardless of their background, develops a healthy, curious mind by providing progressively built explicit opportunities to develop their self-regulation and resilience. 

The curriculum content for PSHE is designed to broaden and deepen children’s understanding and knowledge over time, and support the development of memory and recall, by progressively structuring content to return to key concepts, with greater complexity and depth each time. It supports children as they broaden their vocabulary and develop oracy by building opportunities for children to reflect and express their personal resonance with the ideas they study. PSHE content is guided by existing DfE guidance on Sex and Relationships, tackling bullying, Drug and Alcohol Education, Safeguarding and Equalities. In doing so, PSHE contributes to Knowledge, Skills and Understanding Passports, supporting children on their journey to be Healthy Citizens, Cultural Explorers and Sustainability Ambassadors. 

Delivering carefully crafted, meaningful PSHE is a core part of our duty to safeguard children, it equips them to become engaged, informed, compassionate citizens, giving them the understanding and skills they need to deal with their experiences in both the local community and outside of it. Our curriculum is built to provide children with an authentically compassionate attitude towards equality and social justice so that they can enact positive change in our local community, including explicit teaching of the protected characteristics defined under the Equality Act.  PSHE delivery is flexible to respond to trends and events emerging from specific individual, classes or cohorts of children and develop their responses to local, national and global issues. 

High quality PSHE starts in two-year old provision by giving children a secure understanding of building friendships and being compassionate members of a group which is continued throughout EYFS provision through age-appropriate storytelling and role-play. Pupils learn to express their feelings and emotive response to the ideas they encounter. In KS1, this is developed into a robust knowledge of safety, resilience and getting goals and a foundation understanding of equality. Pupils learn to respond with an opinion and encounter other people’s differing views. At KS2, knowledge is broadened and deepened to embed a more complex view on individuals and communities and the challenges they face in society. They learn to develop a reasoned opinion and personal response to these ideas.

RSE

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is about the emotional, social and cultural development of pupils, and involves learning about relationships, friendships, sexual health, healthy lifestyles, diversity and personal identity. RSE involves a combination of sharing information, and exploring issues and values. RSE is not about the promotion of sexual activity.

We teach RSE as a part of our PSHE lessons. The teaching of puberty is part of Health Education and is also taught through PSHE lessons. We have developed the curriculum in consultation with parents, pupils and staff, taking into account the age, needs and feelings of pupils. Health and Relationships Education is statutory for children in Primary Schools. Sex Education is non- statutory and parents have the right to withdraw. The curriculum overview is sent to parents each year so they know clearly what is being taught, when and what they have the right to withdraw from, should they feel it necessary.

Our RSE Policy is currently being reviewed in line with DfE draft guidance 2024. Following the Government's consultation and final publication of the updated guidance, our policy shall be revised to reflect these changes.