PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education)

Intent

At Leopold Primary School, PSHE is central to developing confident, healthy and responsible pupils who are prepared for life in modern Britain. Our curriculum helps children understand themselves, build positive relationships and make informed choices about their wellbeing and safety. We want pupils to develop emotional literacy, resilience and respect for others, enabling them to become thoughtful members of the community.

Our PSHE curriculum aims to ensure that children:

Build healthy friendships and understand how to care for others.
Learn about different families and respectful relationships.
Develop emotional awareness and strategies to manage feelings.
Understand how to stay physically healthy and mentally well.
Know how to stay safe - offline and online - and seek help when needed.
Prepare confidently for the changes that come with growing up.

Our approach reflects the statutory Relationships Education and Health Education guidance, and promotes equality, respect and inclusion throughout.

Implementation

PSHE is taught regularly across the school following a carefully sequenced long-term plan. In EYFS, PSED is supported through Kapow Primary and is embedded throughout the wider EYFS curriculum and provision. From Year 1 to Year 6, PSHE is taught weekly, building on these early foundations and developing pupils' knowledge and skills progressively.

Each half-term has a clear theme, allowing pupils to revisit and deepen their understanding as they mature. These themes include friendship, families, respectful relationships, physical health, mental wellbeing and transitions/growing up.

Lessons include discussion, role play, storytelling, scenarios and reflection activities. Teachers create a safe and supportive environment where children can share ideas, ask questions and develop confidence in expressing themselves. PSHE is also reinforced through assemblies, circle times, themed weeks such as Anti-Bullying Week and Children’s Mental Health Week, and wider pastoral support.

Curriculum Progression

In EYFS, Kapow Primary supports the teaching of PSED through the areas of Building Relationships, Self-Regulation and Managing Self. This provides the foundations for the relationships, health and wellbeing learning that pupils continue to develop from Year 1 onwards. This aligns with the EYFS Curriculum Map, where children progressively develop positive relationships, emotional regulation, resilience, cooperation, independence and self-care.

From Years 1–6, each year group studies the same overarching themes in age-appropriate ways:

Caring Friendships and Responsibilities (Autumn 1): e.g., characteristics of friendships, trust and conflict resolution.

Families and People Who Care for Me (Autumn 2): e.g., different family structures, feeling safe, care and support.

Respectful Relationships (Spring 1): e.g., manners, self-respect, stereotypes and bullying, including cyberbullying.

Physical Health (Spring 2): e.g., healthy eating, exercise, sleep, substance risks and first aid.

Mental Wellbeing (Summer 1): e.g., understanding emotions, online content and activities that support wellbeing.

Transitions & Growing Up (Summer 2): e.g., changes in the body, coping with transition, puberty and menstruation.

Impact

By the end of primary school, pupils at Leopold:

Understand how to build and maintain healthy friendships and relationships.
Show respect, empathy and understanding towards people with different backgrounds and beliefs.
Can recognise and manage a range of emotions.
Know how to keep themselves healthy—physically, mentally and emotionally.
Understand how to stay safe, including online.
Are prepared for changes such as moving to a new class, transitioning to secondary school and the physical changes of puberty.

Supporting PSHE at Home

Parents and carers can help by:

Talking regularly about feelings, friendships and kindness.
Encouraging healthy routines including sleep, eating and physical activity.
Discussing online safety and helping children make responsible choices.
Being open and supportive when children ask questions about changes or emotions.

Working together, we can help children develop the confidence, wellbeing and life skills they need to thrive.