Here at Thorn Primary School, we have a whole school approach to health and wellbeing, promoting positive behaviour, mental health, wellbeing, resilience and achievement.
In PSHE we explore how to look after the environment; economic education and the changing rights and responsibilities children have as they grow older. We focus on keeping physically healthy, developing a growth mindset to facilitate resilience as well as setting goals and ways to achieve them.
We teach our PSHE curriculum through the strands of:
Our RHE curriculum is taught through the strands of:
Our PSHE & RHE programme supports our school values: Respect & Communication; Teamwork & Cooperation; Resilience & Perseverance; Motivation & Curiosity; Self-Confidence & Esteem; Independence Alongside the British Values of: Democracy; Rule of Law; Individual Liberty; Mutual Respect; Tolerance
To support our teaching of the statutory Relationships & Health Education (RHE) requirements, we use Coram Life Education's SCARF resources. Coram Life Education is the UK's leading provider of relationships, health and wellbeing education. The sessions are fun, engaging and memorable with friendly mascots, discussions and short films. Through this curriculum, children begin to understand the impact of their choices and behaviours on every aspect of their health and wellbeing - and learn the skills and information needed to make positive, informed health choices.
School will consult parents regularly to inform them of upcoming RHE learning ensuring parents are prepared for any questions.
What can you do to support your child's learning at home?
We recognise the vital role parents/cares play in educating their children on these matters. There are many things you can do to support your child's understanding and encourage them to ask questions. Here are some:
1. If you feel it is time to talk to your child about growing up and the changes they are likely to experience it’s best to offer it in small chunks, rather than do it in one go, often known as ‘The Talk’. This gives children time to digest the new information and ask you further questions as they develop more understanding.
2. If your child asks you questions try to stay calm, and not worry if you don’t know the answer. There are plenty of websites that you can use together to help you find the answers to their questions in a factual, honest, age appropriate way (see details below).
3. Use everyday opportunities to bring up the topic; things you see on TV or hear on the radio can be great conversation starters to talk about topics such as relationships or body image. Reading books with your child is also a great way of introducing topics and helping children to understand themselves, their bodies and the world around them.
4. If you do have family names for genitals, ensure your child also knows their scientific names too. Nobody likes to think their child is at risk of abuse, but knowing the correct words for their genitals will help them report abuse if it did ever happen.
5. By showing your child that you are comfortable with them asking you questions now, you are helping to develop a relationship with.
Helping your children understand changes at puberty (coramlifeeducation.org.uk)