At Towngate Primary Academy, we are committed to the holistic development of our pupils, placing a strong focus on our pupils personal development and welfare.
Subject co-ordinator is Mrs Schofield.
The PSHE curriculum at Towngate Primary Academy is designed to be ambitious and give all learners, including the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life through explicitly planned lessons and enrichment activities such as church visits, charity races (Race for Life and Wakefield Hospice Reindeer Run) and interventions such as the Kingsway Church Unique Identity intervention and friendship groups, Life Skills and Luggage for Life.
Our PSHE curriculum is designed with the appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding to fulfil the duties of the National Curriculum whereby schools must provide a ‘balanced and broadly-based curriculum,’ promoting the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our pupils and preparing them to be global citizens, both throughout their primary school journey and in their future roles within a global community.
PSHE is integral to the development of children’s values in order for them to become positive citizens in a forever changing community. Our progressive curriculum, our school environment, and our school ethos, promotes pupils’ self-esteem and emotional well-being; promote British Values; and provide the skills that pupils will need to succeed in -and positively contribute to- the wider world. Lessons are sensitively planned, taking thorough consideration for the needs and demands of the pupils in our care. PSHE is an integral part of our school assemblies as children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural curiosity is stimulated, challenged and nurtured.
Our curriculum offer is derived from the Early Years Framework, National Curriculum and is supplemented by the ‘SCARF’ scheme with regular updates from the PSHE Association and the Anti-bullying Alliance. Picture News is used to allow children opportunities to learn about news around the world; developing resilience, respect and understanding that they have a voice that can be used to impact things that they feel passionately about, through assemblies and discreet lessons
| Implementation:
Staff structure their lessons to incorporate Rosenshine’s Principles which enables clear presentation of subject matter through small steps, such as ‘My turn, Your turn’, to reduce cognitive load. Furthermore, staff systematically check for understanding after they have presented information in small sections therefore allowing children to know more, remember more. Misconceptions are identified and adjustments made to the lesson in response to children’s feedback. This learning is sequenced and progressive to ensure each phase of learning builds on the vocabulary, knowledge and skills taught in the previous year, allowing children to deepen knowledge further, to be able to know more and remember more. It also prepares them to be global citizens, both throughout their primary school journey and in their future roles within a global community. Staff utilise resources and experiences such as Kings Church interventions, Well-being Wednesday, fundraising opportunities, school visitors, national and international events. The spiral curriculum starts in EYFS and follows the children through to Upper key stage 2. The distribution of the lessons is complemented by a specific focus on key campaigns throughout the year such as Anti-bullying Week, Safer Internet Day, Children’s Mental Health Week, Careers Week, Friendship day, NSPCC Days. Teaching includes open learning activities which suit the ethos of PSHE. Activities allow opportunities for discussion and debate, providing opportunities for pupils to develop their skills, knowledge and attitude. The impact of children debating or discussing- even practising using language or talking about feelings can help them develop key skills for the future. PSHE, BV and SMSC displays throughout school reinforce the PSHE curriculum enabling children to make links. In our reading corners, children have access to a range of texts and picture books, non-fiction books, topic books, black history books, magazines and newspapers which explore the themes covered throughout our PSHE curriculum. Children have access to Ipads and laptop computers (rotated through the different classes) in KS1 and in KS2 each child has access to their own chrome book, to support their learning through research and factual information. |
Our learners develop detailed knowledge and skills which can be applied to real world contexts. According to The PSHE Association: ‘When delivered well, PSHE education has an impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged’ PSHE Association.
Pupil voice shows that:
Displays around school will show a varied and engaging curriculum with enrichment opportunities for children to be proud of their achievements. Children’s books, dojo and PSHE books will show a clear progression of skills with expectations set out in the progression grid.
We know that everyone experiences life challenges that make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.
The Department for Education (DfE) recognises that: “In order to help their children succeed; schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy”. We make our school a place for children and young people to experience a nurturing and supportive environment that has the potential to develop self-esteem and give positive experiences for overcoming adversity and building resilience.
We offer different levels of support:
Universal Support– This is delivered through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum using our Values Based Curriculum, Learning Powers, PSHE and Picture News to meet the needs of all our pupils.
Additional support– We offer bespoke workshops for groups of children who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences.
Targeted support– Our pastoral team work closely with children and their families to offer a personalised approach to support wellbeing.
To find out more about mental health and well-being at Towngate, please do not hesitate to contact us.
– develop sleeping well
– support for devices and social media
– managing childhood worries
– building emotional resilience
– transition to high school
Our Relationships and Sex Education Leader is Mrs L Poole.
At Towngate Primary Academy, we deliver the RSE (relationships and sex education) curriculum by ensuring that our pupils’ needs and community is reflected in the curriculum we teach. We believe that the purpose of RSE education is to build, where appropriate, on the statutory content already outlined in the National Curriculum, our comprehensive PSHE curriculum and with the considerations of our parental community firmly in mind. Our Relationships and Sex Education curriculum is derived to build upon pupils’ prior knowledge and readiness for new knowledge, set at an age-appropriate level. Teachers plan and deliver the content of the RSE curriculum following the subject progression grid which is supplemented by the SCARF scheme of learning, paying particular attention to the progression in vocabulary pupils are taught to use. Some aspects of the RSE curriculum including lifecycles are taught in science, and others are taught as part of personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE).
Each phase builds progressively to ensure pupils receive a well-rounded curriculum, ensuring pupils’ learning is pertinent and retained.
The RSE curriculum is woven into other subject areas in order to ensure the curriculum complements other subject matters including science, Values Based Learning and PSHE. The curriculum progresses through a series of units which we believe provide pupils’ with the essential knowledge and skills in order to make well informed decisions at every stage of their journey growing up. Class teachers expose pupils to the vocabulary to be taught in regular reviews to ensure this becomes retained and effectively applied in discussion. During lesson times, children partake in partner / collaborative learning where children learn to talk and discuss their ideas. Children are encouraged to ask questions to lead their own learning follow an enquiry based approach. Worry or question boxes are available to pupils every day in all phases across school and these are used to support pupils’ enquiry and curiosity.
When delivering the Sex Education aspect of the curriculum, children are reminded of the safe space we are working in and can ask questions in anonymity to ensure all pupils can learn in a safe and positive environment. The curriculum is further enhanced by conducting regular assemblies which follow key themes throughout the academic year, visits into school by professionals including School Nursing, the Police Force, Barnados and Drugs Awareness Charities to talk about keeping safe online, drugs and alcohol awareness, and charity workers/volunteers.
We measure the impact of our RSE curriculum through conducting pupil voice and observation of pupil relationships. We collate information through pupil surveys to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum in place: this is collected at a range of ages, often by our RSE leader or pastoral staff in school.
We hold consultation with parents and teachers to ensure that our curriculum is purposeful and a good fit for our children and the community in which we serve.
Through the provision in place, our children are aware of how to keep themselves safe, what healthy relationships look like and how to establish and maintain good relationships. It is this curriculum and positive relationships with adults in school that allow pupils to become confident individuals who have positive body awareness, an in-depth knowledge of how to keep themselves safe and healthy and who will, through respect, tolerance and understanding, forge and maintain positive relationships with a diverse range of family and friendship groups.
This supports our children as the transition through the academy, maintaining the accumulation of knowledge and experiences to take with them onwards to secondary school and into later life.
Policy Development and Consultation
In order to implement the Relationships and Sex Education curriculum in the academy, a consultation process was conducted, involving volunteers from our parental community; these individuals worked alongside the RSE Leader in school to review documentation – including curriculum coverage and policy – for implementation.
Please see below the RSE subject policy and progression grid which details the coverage of the Relationships and Sex Education curriculum here at Towngate Primary Academy.
Parental Rights to Withdraw
Parents have do not have the right to withdraw their children from the ‘relationships’ education curriculum, however parents do have the right to withdraw their children from sex education, with the exception of any statutory science curriculum content. Those parents/carers wishing to exercise the right to withdraw their child from part or all of the sex education aspect of the curriculum are invited in to see the teacher and/or RSE Co-ordinator who will explore any concerns and discuss any impact that withdrawal may have on the child.
Once a child has been withdrawn they cannot take part in the sex education aspect of the programme until the request for withdrawal has been removed. It is then the responsibility of the parents/carers to deliver the content of the RSE to their child as they see fit.
