Introduction
This policy sets out to show how Personal, Social, and Health Education is provided through discrete teaching as well as through the whole school ethos.
1. School Aims
Our aims at Powers Hall Academy are:
“A good self-image is the most valuable psychological possessions of a human being” (John Powell 1976).
“We must move toward developing competency and self-worth, accompanied by responsible decision making and helping one another. In this atmosphere schools can empower young people with courage, confidence and life skills instead of burdening them with feelings of fear and inadequacy” (Nelson, Lett and Glenn).
2. Kitemarks
At Powers Hall Academy we are very proud to have received The Essex School Award Scheme Kitemark in 2001 for the promotion of positive behaviour management and The Healthy Schools Award in 2003. We continued to promote the Healthy Schools ethos and were awarded The National Healthy Schools status in 2007.
3. What is PSHE & Citizenship?
PSHE comprises all aspects of schools’ planned provision to promote their children’s personal and social development, including health and wellbeing (Preparing Young People for Adult Life, 1993).
PSHE is not simply a tool by which a moral message is delivered to children. It should be a supportive atmosphere in which children develop discussions, thinking and reasoning skills to support their beliefs. Children should be encouraged to learn from each other and therefore respect each other’s views and opinions. At Powers Hall we strive to provide an atmosphere which encourages the above. Adults model appropriate behaviour between adult to adult and adult to pupil.
Education for citizenship at key stage 2 comprises three interrelated strands.
4. PSHE & Citizenship within the National Curriculum
Section 351 of the Education Reform Act 1996 requires schools to provide ‘a balanced and broadly based curriculum which a) promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school arid society; and b) prepares such pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.’
5. Why Teach PSHE and Citizenship?
Aims
PSHE &. Citizenship is central to the educational entitlement of all children at Powers Hall Academy. The way the curriculum is managed, its organisation and the varying teaching styles used are central to the school’s philosophy and ethos, its aims, attitudes and values. All contribute to the personal and social development of children in school. All our activities are aimed to promote equal opportunities for all children (See Equal Opportunities Policy).
Inclusion statement
In a school there are always children who, for varied ‘reasons’, cannot access the day-to-day curriculum in the same way as the majority of their peers. These children are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to learning situations and could be said to be excluded from the curriculum. The ‘reasons’ may be physical, behavioural or related to communication or learning difficulty. It can be, and this is so in the majority of cases, a combination of these.
Inclusion at Powers Hall seeks to remove this disadvantage by providing a package of support for these children individually, in small groups and as a whole class that enables them to be fully included in all areas of the curriculum.
Inclusion is not merely having the physical presence of a child in the classroom. It is ensuring that he/she is actively involved in the learning process.
6. The Curriculum
The PSHE curriculum is divided into three main learning categories. These are knowledge, skills and understanding. Within PSHE to cover the knowledge objectives, the curriculum is divided into 6 main areas of study. The themes of study are:
To allow for all six themes of study to be covered in depth and to also allow for progression of knowledge, skills and use of resources the six themes are covered each year.
As well as the knowledge and understanding objectives, skill objectives are also covered within lessons associated to the themes of study. The three interrelated strands of citizenship stated on page two are covered in ‘Positive Contribution’ as well as through the running of the school council and environment council.
7. Implementation
How the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum is provided
At Powers Hall Academy a combination of three different forms of curriculum provisions are implemented as recommended by QCA Initial Guidance for Schools 2000. These are:
i. Discrete curriculum time
ii. Teaching PSHE and Citizenship through other subjects/curriculum areas
iii. Through PSHE and Citizenship activities and school events
i. Discrete Curriculum Time
Discrete provision is separate, time tabled, planned PSHE/Citizenship with progression of themes, skills and materials through the key stage. As outlined in section 6. the six themes of knowledge study for PSHE are:
As well as the knowledge objectives, skill objectives are also covered within lessons associated to the themes of study.
As highlighted in section 3. education for citizenship at key stage 2, comprise three interrelated strands:
ii. Teaching PSHE & Citizenship through other subjects (CCL)
Some subjects in the curriculum have opportunities to make links with the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum through their programmes of study.
(QCA Initial Guidance for schools, 2000)
iii. PSHE and Citizenship activities and school events
Outside agencies attend Powers Hall Academy to lead assemblies and/or work within the classroom with the children in class units. The expertise and skills offered by visitors complement those of the teaching staff and provide added value to the school’s work. These outside visitors include a number of agencies. A few of them are:
Day visits, residential experiences, school clubs, charity special days and curriculum weeks within school provide opportunities for children to plan and work together, and develop and maintain relationships under different circumstances. Powers Hall Academy has a Peer Mediator service and Play leaders for Playtime and Lunchtime.
At Powers Hall Academy an annual school play brings together the whole school community-. It is a very special social event, which gives the community of Powers Hall the opportunity to work together and produce something they can be proud of It raises the pupils’ self esteem and powers of concentration. It teaches them to practice and fine tune their work in order to produce something of real worth.
QCA State that 5% of the curriculum time should be spent on PSHE and Citizenship activities. At Powers Hall Academy one hour per week has been allocated on the curriculum map for the study of PSHE and Citizenship activities. This time is to be shared between the three forms of curriculum provision.
8. Teaching and Learning
PSHE and Citizenship at Powers Hall Academy is taught using a variety of teaching strategies and resources. This is to provide the breadth of effective learning opportunities for all pupils, taking into account their different preferred learning styles and their varied and individual educational needs.
a) Teaching Strategies
Some of the teaching strategies used to implement the school PSHE and Citizenship curriculum include:
b) Resources
At Powers Hall Academy a variety of teaching resources are used to implement the PSHE and Citizenship Curriculum.
We believe that real children’s literature is an excellent road into work of a sensitive nature.
To support PSHE and Citizenship lessons a variety of published material is also utilised, including schemes and videos.
Children in Years 5 and 6 are trained in peer mediation and Play Leadership. At Powers Hall Academy children are asked to comment on their lessons, both orally and in written form, and are invited to suggest tasks to enhance their learning. This gives the children greater ownership of their lessons.
9. Behaviour Management
Powers Hall Academy has a positive approach to behaviour management.
At the start of each academic year the school rules are utilised to establish a year group code of conduct which covers both the registration group and sets. The school holds weekly celebration of achievement assemblies.
See Behaviour Management Policy for information on the lunchtime room.
10. Goal Setting
At the start of each half term children are set a maths and literacy target to focus upon. They also set themselves a half termly and a weekly personal target to work towards. These are regularly reviewed. Maths and literacy targets are set at the start of each week and the children review them.
The behaviour management and goal setting strategies have all been implemented to help pupils with the notion that they have a choice over their behaviour. They help to raise self esteem and reward good behaviour and attitudes towards work. Some of the strategies were suggested by the pupils and have been implemented into the schools behaviour management policy.
11. Assessment, Recording and Reporting
In PSHE and Citizenship assessment is conducted at the end of each unit using lesson objectives/outcomes from discrete teaching. Children are also asked to comment on their learning at the end of each unit. These assessments can be used for assessing, recording and reporting on PSHE & Citizenship at Powers Hall Academy. Impact of teaching is also monitored by the coordinator through surveys with staff and children. Monitoring of playtime and Lunchtime records are also used to monitor impact of teaching and learning.
12. Cross References To Other Policies:
13. Policy Agreement and Review
We use cookies to track usage and improve the website.
Click here for more information.