"Personal, Social, Health and Economic education equips children with the knowledge, skills, and attributes to manage their lives, now and in the future. It helps them to make positive choices, develop healthy relationships, and understand the world around them."

PSHE Association

Intent

At Wessex Gardens, our PSHE curriculum is designed to empower pupils with the knowledge, skills, and attributes essential to staying healthy, safe, and successful in an ever-evolving world. Through the Barnet PSHE and Wellbeing Framework, we aim to support pupils' personal development, academic achievement, and overall wellbeing.

The core intent of our PSHE curriculum is to:

• Promote Health and Wellbeing: Equip pupils with the tools to understand, manage, and improve their physical and mental health, helping them make informed choices that support lifelong wellbeing.
• Foster Positive Relationships: Guide pupils in forming respectful and positive relationships, teaching them to resolve conflicts, express themselves, and interact with others in a responsible and caring way.
• Navigate the Wider World: Prepare pupils for their futures by providing them with an understanding of careers, economic wellbeing, and citizenship, ensuring they are ready to contribute meaningfully to society.
• Build Resilience and Emotional Growth: Encourage self-awareness, empathy, and resilience, helping pupils to make responsible decisions and develop the emotional intelligence necessary to thrive in their personal and academic lives.

Implementation

We deliver the PSHE curriculum through a carefully structured approach, ensuring that learning builds progressively year-on-year. The curriculum is based on the statutory elements outlined in the Department for Education (DfE) guidance for Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), Health Education, and other non-statutory aspects like economic wellbeing, careers, and being a responsible citizen.

The PSHE programme at Wessex Gardens is organized around three core themes:

Core Theme 1: Health and Wellbeing

• Pupils are taught to understand the importance of mental and physical health, including how to maintain healthy eating habits, manage stress, stay physically active, and develop resilience.
• Key areas include internet safety, first aid, preventing substance misuse, and managing changes during adolescence.

Core Theme 2: Relationships

• Pupils learn about different types of relationships, including friendships, family relationships, and online relationships. They explore how to communicate effectively, respect boundaries, and manage conflicts.
• Topics such as consent, equality, empathy, and emotional regulation are central to this theme

Core Theme 3: Living in the Wider World

• This theme focuses on teaching pupils about economic wellbeing, careers, and what it means to be a responsible citizen.
• Pupils explore concepts of rights and responsibilities, diversity, equality, and the importance of environmental sustainability.

The curriculum is designed to be delivered in a spiral approach, meaning key concepts and skills are revisited each year, allowing pupils to build on prior learning and deepen their understanding. We also integrate these lessons across different subject areas to ensure a cross-curricular approach, ensuring relevance and application of these skills in real-life situations.

Our PSHE lessons incorporate a variety of teaching methods, including discussions, role play, case studies, and interactive activities to engage pupils and support delivery.

Impact

The impact of our PSHE curriculum at Wessex Gardens will be evident in the personal, social, and academic growth of our pupils. By the end of their primary education, pupils will be:

• Confident in managing their health and wellbeing, knowing how to make informed decisions that support their physical and emotional health.
• Empathetic and respectful in their relationships, demonstrating kindness, understanding, and effective communication in different settings.
• Resilient and responsible individuals who understand how to manage risks, make ethical decisions, and respond appropriately to challenges.
• Well-prepared for the wider world, understanding the importance of financial literacy, citizenship, and how to navigate future career and life choices.

Through our PSHE education, pupils will also demonstrate positive social skills, including effective teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. The curriculum encourages pupils to take responsibility for their own learning, reflect on their actions, and set personal goals for improvement. By fostering these essential skills, we ensure pupils are ready to face the challenges of secondary education and beyond, equipped with the knowledge and resilience to thrive in society.

In addition, regular assessment of pupils’ progress in PSHE education is conducted through class discussions, activities, and reflection tasks. This allows teachers to tailor support to individual needs, ensuring that all pupils are progressing and achieving in line with their potential.

The PSHE curriculum at Wessex Gardens aims to provide pupils with the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities they need to become healthy, responsible, and active citizens. Through a flexible and structured approach, we ensure that pupils develop the essential skills and confidence required for their future success.