At Waterside Primary academy, we intend to provide a whole school PSHE curriculum that develops the needs of every child in a safe, nurturing environment where our values of ‘Attitude, Effort, Respect and safe’ enable children to thrive emotionally and socially. We want children at Waterside to deepen their personal, social, health and emotional development using the ‘Jigsaw’ scheme, whilst also expanding upon their prior knowledge using skills they have been taught through lessons (including Oracy training) as they progress through school. We aim for all children, regardless of their age, gender or sexuality, race, religious beliefs (or none) or academic ability, to be able to articulate their thoughts in a safe environment that embraces every child’s uniqueness in the world today.

We want to provide a safe space for children to enjoy PSHE, by providing them with the skills to make safe and informed choices, taking responsibility for their actions, respecting and valuing difference and being the best person that they can possibly be. Waterside aims to develop pupils’ acceptance and understanding of others regardless of their background, religion, race, gender or sexuality.

Our intent is for children to learn about themselves and the world around them by developing their knowledge of their local, national and global communities whilst building on their own experiences and the experiences of others. Children are encouraged to be resilient in their learning, and accept that their peers may have views that are different from their own.

At Waterside, we follow ‘Jigsaw’, which is a comprehensive whole school approach that provides a scheme of learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage through to, and including, Year 6. This brings consistency and progression to children’s learning and meets the statutory requirements as set out by the DfE in 2020 for ‘Health Education’ and ‘Relationships and Sex Education’.

Each class has PSHE timetabled for a minimum of 40 minutes per week with additional time being allocated to learning at various times throughout the year for specific events such as: Anti-bullying Week, Black History Month, Sponsored Events and activities as they arise, for example the bereavement of a monarch/peer/parent etc. Such events are either whole school activities or tailored to meet the needs of a specific class.

The units of work are tailored to each year group under the following themes called ‘Jigsaw pieces’:

· Being Me in My World

· Celebrating Difference

· Dreams and Goals

· Healthy Me

· Relationships

· Changing Me (RSE element)

Each ‘Jigsaw piece’ is delivered through a curriculum that builds year upon year and the whole school follows the same theme each half-term; each year, the group builds and develops knowledge, skills and the ability to articulate their emotions/feelings in greater depth as they get older and progress through school. This is explained in more detail in the snapshot overview.

What is taught and how, is ultimately a decision for the school and we are legally required to teach the statutory guidance. The right to withdraw your child from a small number of sex education lessons is explained in the PSHE/RSE policy.