PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Emotional education)

Intent

At Hatch Warren Infant School we follow Twinkl Life’s PSHE and Citizenship scheme of work.  It aims to equip children with essential skills for life; it intends to develop the whole child through carefully planned and resourced lessons that develop the knowledge, skills and attributes children need to protect and enhance their wellbeing.  Through these lessons, children will learn how to stay safe and health, build and maintain successful relationships and become active citizens, responsibly participating in society around them.  Successful PSHE curriculum coverage is a vital tool in preparing children for life in society now and in the future.  Lessons in this scheme of work have their foundations in seeing each other and everybody’s value in society, from appreciation of others in units such as British values, to promoting strong and positive views of self in Think Positive and Be Yourself.   Twinkl Life PSHE and Citizenship units aim to cover a wide range of the social and emotional aspects of learning, enabling children to develop their identity and self-esteem as active, confident member of their community.  The themes and topics support social, moral, spiritual and cultural development and provide children with protective teaching on essential safeguarding issues, developing their knowledge of when and how they can ask for help.

Twinkl Life’s PSHE and Citizenship resources are fully in line with the Learning Outcomes and Core Themes provided by the PSHE Association Programme of Study which is widely used by schools in England and is recommended and referred to by the DfE in all key documentation relating to PSHE provision in schools.  This scheme of work covers all the required objectives and follows the three core areas of Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World.  The scheme of work fulfils the requirements of 2020 Statutory Relationships and Health Education, setting these learning intentions in the context of a broad and balanced PSHE curriculum. 

Implementation

Twinkl Life’s PSHE scheme of work is designed to be taught in thematic units, which consist of six lessons, each with supporting materials including a planning overview, assessment statements and display materials.  It is suggested that these units are taught in a spiral curriculum that revisits each them every two years.  This enables children to recall and build upon previous learning, exploring the underlying principles of PSHE education regularly at a depth that is appropriate for the age and stage of the child.  Lessons also signpost key words, building rich vocabulary to develop understanding.

Twinkl Life’s PSHE units are designed to be delivered in a creative manner, using many approaches such as role play, discussion and games with groups of various sizes.  These activities enable children to build confidence and resilience.  Resources are also provided for communicating with parents and carers about how and why each theme is covered and suggestions for extending learning at home.

Assessments for learning opportunities are built into each lesson, which will enable self-evaluation and reflective learning and allows teachers to evaluate and asses progress.  Each lesson begins with discussion of children’s existing knowledge and experience, providing an opportunity for baseline assessment.  Each lesson ends with an opportunity to consolidate and reflect upon learning.  Tools are provided for summative assessment, allowing progress to be recorded and tracked.

PATHS

We follow the PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) Programme for Preschool/Kindergarten in Year R throughout the year.  The programme looks at developing children’s self-esteem and a positive classroom climate.  It introduces the children to four animals, Twiggle the turtle, Daphne the duck, Duke the dog and Henrietta the hedgehog.  Through the use of the four puppets and photographs it explores feelings and emotions starting with ‘happy’ and ‘sad’ and then as the year progresses looking at more complex feelings such as ‘jealous’ and ‘disappointed’   Through the use of storytelling and discussions about the puppets problems they have encountered it gives the children strategies for dealing with their own feelings and emotions.  The children all also get the opportunity to be child of the day where they receive compliments from their teachers and peers.

Impact

Twinkl Life’s PSHE scheme of work provides schools with an effective curriculum for wellbeing.  Children are enabled to develop the vocabulary and confidence needed to clearly articulate their feelings in a climate of openness, trust and respect, and know when and how thy seek support from others.  They will apply their understanding of society to their everyday interactions, from classroom to wider community of which they are a part.  Twinkl Life’s PSHE scheme of work supports the active development of a school culture that prioritises physical and mental health and wellbeing, providing children with skills to evaluate and understand their own wellbeing needs, practise self-care and contribute positively to the well being around them.

Successful PSHE education can have a positive impact on the whole child, including their academic development and progress, by mitigating any social and emotional barriers to learning and building confidence and self-esteem.  Evidence suggests that successful PSHR education also helps disadvantaged and vulnerable children to achieve to a greater extent by raising aspirations and empowering them with skills to overcome barriers they face.  The Twinkl Life PSHE and Citizenship scheme of work can be used as a whole-school approach to positively impact wellbeing, safeguarding and SMSC outcome.  This can ensure that all children are able to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to succeed at school and in the wider world.