Intent

At St Mary’s C of E Primary School, we recognise that PSHE, including Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), plays a vital role in safeguarding and closely links to our Safeguarding, SMSC and British Values policies.  Our intent is to deliver a broad, balanced and progressive PSHE curriculum through the Kapow Primary scheme, ensuring that all children can access learning which enables them to know more, remember more and understand more over time.  Through carefully sequenced lessons, our curriculum supports the development of the whole child. It enables pupils to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage their lives now and in the future. This includes understanding relationships, keeping safe (including online), maintaining physical and mental health, managing money and developing resilience.  Rooted in our Christian values, our curriculum promotes respect, kindness and responsibility. We aim to provide a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment where children feel confident to explore their thoughts and emotions, ask questions and develop their understanding of the world around them.

Implementation

The flexible structure of Kapow allows us to respond to current events and address local, national or global issues in an age-appropriate way. Learning is further enriched through themed weeks and national events such as Anti-Bullying Week, Black History Month, Mental Health Awareness Week and International Women’s Day.  Teaching is inclusive, carefully planned and adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. Lessons are designed to be engaging, discussion-based and knowledge-rich, while remaining sensitive to pupils’ maturity and understanding.  We also enhance learning through selected external visitors, such as the School Nurse (puberty education), Road Safety teams and Essex Fire Service, ensuring pupils gain real-life context and practical understanding.

Impact

The impact of our PSHE curriculum is that children leave St Mary’s equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, relationships and future aspirations.  Pupils demonstrate kindness, respect and empathy towards others, reflecting our school vision and the protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act 2010. They understand and apply British Values in an age-appropriate way and are prepared to contribute positively to life in modern Britain.  By the end of each key stage, pupils will have met the statutory end-of-key-stage outcomes for Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education. Through the progressive structure of Kapow, children build on prior knowledge, develop confidence in discussing important issues and demonstrate increasing maturity in their understanding of personal safety, health and citizenship.  Ultimately, our curriculum ensures that pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education and are developing into responsible, resilient and reflective members of society.