At Ox Close Primary School, we believe the personal, social, health and economic education of the children in our school is vital in providing the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future. PSHE (which includes Relationship and Sex Education) is at the heart of our school ethos and underpinned by our school values, whereby pupils develop the qualities and attributes to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. Our PSHE curriculum places a strong emphasis on the importance of emotional wellbeing and mental health and links closely with SMSC and British Values within the school.
We strive to provide a PSHE curriculum that delivers accurate, balanced and relevant knowledge. Children are given opportunities to explore, clarify and, if necessary, challenge, their own and others’ values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities on a range of topics. As a result, children develop positive personal attributes such as resilience, self-confidence, self-esteem and empathy. Children learn how to identify and manage risk, make informed choices and understand what influences their decisions, resolve conflict, manage their emotions and communicate positively in different contexts.
We provide our pupils with a secure understanding of diversity both within the school community and in the wider world. We strive to help our children value the positive impact they can have and the contributions they can make throughout their school journey and beyond in their future lives.
In all areas of our curriculum, we place an emphasis upon developing key vocabulary to help equip the children with the tools they need to immerse themselves in the subject.
Here are some important documents linked to the teaching of PSHE (including RSE) at Ox Close:
RSE Curriculum Map and End Points
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education
Ox Close Primary School recognises that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural element of a child’s education is crucial to their development as an individual, allowing them to take their rightful place in the community as local, national and global citizens. SMSC is about the values students are encouraged to hold, their attitude towards learning, knowledge and society.
At our school, SMSC permeates the work that we do. Through SMSC, we seek to develop attitudes and values that will enable our children to become responsible and caring members of society. We provide children with a curriculum that enables them to develop a knowledge and understanding of diverse cultures, particularly those within their own society. We also encourage children to develop questioning, enquiring minds and learn how to express their ideas appropriately.
As a school we are aware of our collective responsibilities towards SMSC and we ensure that all staff are aware of their role in developing interpersonal skills, resilience, self-esteem and in preparing children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
We celebrate student achievement, foster a sense of community and involve students as active participants as much as possible. There are weekly awards assemblies and parent events to recognise effort and participation in school life.
Children are also encouraged to contribute to the school by developing their leadership roles as School Council memebers.