At Horningsham Primary School, Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) is central to developing confident, resilient and empathetic learners. Using Kapow as the basis of our PSHE curriculum, we equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to make safe, informed decisions, manage their wellbeing and build positive relationships throughout their lives. The intent of our PSHE curriculum is to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain so that they lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
In our small, mixed-age classes, lessons are delivered flexibly and are carefully differentiated to meet pupils’ developmental needs and reflect the context of our school community. Teaching approaches include discussion, role-play and reflection, enabling pupils to explore ideas in a supportive and inclusive environment. The curriculum follows a spiral approach, revisiting and building on key themes over time:
- Families and Relationships
- Health and Wellbeing
- Safety and the Changing Body
- Citizenship
- Economic Wellbeing
- Transition
In EYFS, PSHE is delivered through Kapow’s PSED units, aligned with the Early Learning Goals. As pupils progress through the school, learning is carefully sequenced and builds systematically to develop self-awareness, responsibility and understanding of their role in society. Key knowledge, skills and vocabulary are revisited over time, enabling pupils to deepen understanding and apply learning with increasing confidence and independence. PSHE promotes emotional resilience, positive relationships, inclusion and safeguarding. Pupils learn to recognise unsafe situations, identify trusted adults and know how to seek help, contributing to a strong culture of safeguarding. The curriculum meets statutory requirements for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE); further detail is available in our RSHE policy.
The PSHE curriculum actively promotes British Values, including respect, tolerance, democracy, the rule of law and individual liberty, and supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development. It is inclusive and reflects a wide range of families, relationships and lived experiences, promoting equality, respect and mutual understanding. PSHE is closely linked with other areas of the curriculum, including RE and Worldviews, and is further reinforced through assemblies and whole-school events.
Teachers use discussion, reflection and observation to check pupils’ understanding and inform future teaching, ensuring learning meets pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, respectful behaviour and an increasing ability to manage emotions and relationships effectively.
By placing PSHE at the heart of our curriculum, we aim to nurture happy, healthy and responsible individuals who are well prepared for the next stage of their education and for life beyond school.