Curriculum Intent

1. Clear and concise curriculum - A high quality, carefully structured curriculum that is live every day and builds into the school’s culture.

2. Developing emotional literacy - The curriculum embeds emotional literacy and each lesson encourages pupils to develop this, articulating themselves with sophistication.

3. Keeping children safe - The let’s talk curriculum emphasises healthy relationships to explore concepts such as boundaries, calm conflict, collaboration, honesty, tolerance and empathy. 

4. Inclusivity - Our lessons support children of all abilities to achieve to their full potential within our PSHE curriculum. 

5. Resilience - Develop an open and courageous classroom, which provides children with the skills to build resilience.

Curriculum Implementation

At South Borough Primary School, PSHE is taught weekly in all year groups. The school has implemented the Opening Young Minds PSHE curriculum, Let’s Talk. Teachers deliver engaging lessons that encourage pupils to participate in practical activities and role playing scenarios, whilst modelling the key skills needed to maintain healthy relationships and develop pupils’ emotional literacy. 

Initially, previous learning will be reviewed before pupils are introduced to new concepts - each year this builds upon the prior learning in this topic. Our curriculum promotes oracy, helping pupils to understand and articulate their emotions. A lesson will last between 45 minutes and an hour. Within our PSHE lessons, pupils will have the opportunity to explore viewpoints in a respectful manner. Live modelling and scaffolds promote meaningful discussion, which allow all of our pupils to contribute in lessons.

Pupils are given the opportunity to apply skills learnt in a supporting and encouraging environment. We believe that application of these skills throughout our curriculum is extremely important. Teachers encourage pupils to reflect and think deeply. For example, facing a mistake is important not only because we get into trouble, but because taking responsibility for our actions helps us to build trust and maintain positive relationships. 

Regular assessment of pupil understanding takes place throughout each lesson. Teachers implement school wide strategies to check understanding and question pupils effectively, which is then reflected in their weekly journal pages. This allows pupils to reflect on their learning and demonstrate the opportunities in which they have applied their understanding. End of term quizzes are also used to gague pupil understanding of a concept, allowing teachers to understand whether or not pupils have achieved their end points. 

Key links to South Borough’s Teach with PRIDE Guide:

• Planning: Our PSHE curriculum is meticulously planned and sequenced to align with long-term maps and statutory requirements, ensuring learning is logical and progressive.

• Responding: Teachers actively respond to pupils by monitoring discussions, providing in-the-moment feedback, and sensitively addressing any misconceptions to ensure accurate understanding.

• Inclusion: Inclusion is central, with all lessons using purposeful resources, discussion scaffolds, and specific adaptations to ensure every pupil can access the learning and feel represented.

• Delivery: Delivery of PSHE is achieved through a collaborative "I do, We do, You do" approach, using modelling and safe, structured discussions to build pupil confidence. This is alongside live modelling, which allows the teacher to demonstrate effectively an appropriate outcome for a task.

• Expectations: High expectations are maintained by fostering a culture of respectful debate and challenging pupils with complex, age-appropriate scenarios that promote critical thinking and empathy.