PSHE & RSE
At Michaelchurch Escley Primary School, we believe that a strong foundation in Personal, Social, Health, and Education (PSHE) is essential in helping our pupils develop the skills, knowledge, and understanding they need to succeed both in school and beyond. Our PSHE and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum has been carefully designed to promote pupils’ well-being, resilience, and emotional intelligence, nurturing their personal development as they grow.
Our PSHE and RSE curriculum is structured around five key areas, which are revisited and built upon each year to ensure continuity in learning:
- Families and Relationships: Pupils learn how to form respectful relationships, resolve conflicts, challenge stereotypes, and address issues like bullying.
- Health and Well-being: This covers strategies for maintaining mental and physical health, including healthy eating, relaxation techniques, sun safety, immunisation, and the importance of sleep.
- Safety and the Changing Body: Pupils gain knowledge about administering first aid, medicine safety, road and online safety, and the changes that occur during puberty.
- Citizenship: Pupils explore topics such as human rights, democracy, diversity, and community, as well as environmental protection.
- Economic Well-being: This section introduces pupils to financial decision-making, budgeting, saving, and exploring career opportunities.
- In Year 6, pupils also cover a sixth key area: Identity: Pupils explore what shapes individual identity, including body image and self-esteem.
What is the difference between PSHE and RSE?
At Michaelchurch Escley, PSHE provides children with the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to lead healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives. It covers a broad range of topics that support pupils' overall development, helping them navigate the complexities of the modern world with confidence. RSE is an integral part of the PSHE curriculum, specifically focuses on helping children develop respectful, healthy relationships and understand the physical, emotional, and social changes that come with growing up. RSE is delivered in an age-appropriate and sensitive manner, ensuring that all pupils feel comfortable and supported throughout their learning.
We also recognise that RSHE topics have strong links with Science and RE subjects, however there is the potential for RSHE related topics and discussions to arise in all subjects taught in school. When this occurs, teaching staff will support and guide discussions with sensitivity. In line with our school motto ‘Be Curious’. We encourage all children to ask questions and be inquisitive about RSHE, as we do in all other subjects. At Michaelchurch Escley Primary School we teach RSHE as set out in our RSHE policy, which reflects the requirements of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education
We teach some aspects of sex education, we are clearly outlined in our policy, and we consult with parents before these topics are taught. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from sex education lessons. However, parents cannot withdraw their child (ren) from science lessons or relationship education.
For more information on statutory requirements and guidance, please refer to the following documents:
Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory Guidance
PSHE Association Programme of Study
National Curriculum for Science