Personal, social, health & eCONOMIC eduction (PSHE)
and rELATIONSHIPS & SEX EDUCATION
At Waterloo Primary Academy, we believe PSHE is fundamental in preparing children for life both now and in the future. Through a broad, balanced and progressive curriculum, pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to keep themselves healthy and safe, build positive relationships, contribute to their communities and become responsible citizens in modern Britain.
PSHE is delivered through a culture of safeguarding, inclusion, respect and high expectations, supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development.
Our PSHE curriculum aims to develop pupils who are:
- healthy, confident and resilient individuals
- respectful, responsible and active citizens
- emotionally literate and able to recognise and manage feelings
- equipped to build positive relationships
- able to make informed choices and keep themselves safe
- prepared for life in modern Britain and the wider world
We want all children to understand how to look after their physical and mental wellbeing, recognise risks, seek help when needed and value diversity and difference.
The curriculum promotes safeguarding, equality, inclusion and respect for all. Pupils are encouraged to develop independence, self-worth and confidence, whilst understanding their responsibilities towards others.
Our Curriculum
At Waterloo Primary Academy, we use the Dimensions 3D PSHE and Citizenship curriculum, which provides a carefully planned and progressive programme of study. Learning is organised around three interconnected strands:
Health and Wellbeing
Children learn about:
- physical health and healthy lifestyles
- mental health and emotional wellbeing
- healthy eating and exercise
- hygiene and self-care
- growing and changing
- puberty
- personal safety
- first aid
- medicines, alcohol, smoking and vaping awareness
- risk management and keeping safe
Relationships Education
Children learn about:
- families and people who care for them
- friendships
- respectful relationships
- bullying and discrimination
- boundaries and privacy
- consent (age appropriate)
- online relationships
- seeking support and reporting concerns
- keeping safe
Citizenship
Children learn about:
- rules and responsibilities
- democracy and communities
- rights and responsibilities
- aspirations and careers
- financial education and money management
- media literacy
- environmental awareness
- participation in society
These strands work together to help pupils become informed, responsible and compassionate members of society.
Curriculum Progression and Programmes of Study
Our PSHE curriculum follows a spiral curriculum model, meaning pupils revisit important themes throughout their time in school. Knowledge, vocabulary and skills are revisited, reinforced and developed progressively each year, enabling children to deepen understanding and apply learning confidently in real-life situations.
The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure progression from EYFS through to Year 6 and is mapped against statutory requirements for:
- Relationships Education
- Health Education
- Safeguarding
- Equality Act 2010 requirements
- British Values
- Online safety
- Citizenship education
Progression documents and programmes of study demonstrate how learning develops across year groups.
Early Years PSHE and Citizenship
How We Teach PSHE
PSHE is taught through:
- timetabled PSHE lessons
- collective worship and assemblies
- the Waterloo Way and wider school ethos
- circle time and discussion
- cross-curricular links
- educational visits and residential experiences
- external visitors and specialist agencies where appropriate
- daily interactions and wider school life
Our rich programme of collective worship and assemblies provides extensive opportunities for pupils’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development, helping children reflect upon values, diversity, ethics, current issues, empathy and community.
Learning is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND, ensuring the curriculum remains accessible, inclusive and appropriately challenging.
Safeguarding and Protective Education
PSHE forms an important part of our preventative safeguarding curriculum.
Children are taught how to:
- recognise unsafe situations
- understand healthy and unhealthy relationships
- seek help and report concerns
- identify trusted adults
- stay safe online and offline
- recognise bullying, exploitation and harmful behaviour
- understand personal boundaries and privacy
Pupils learn that concerns should always be shared and that support is available.
Teaching is delivered sensitively and appropriately whilst creating a culture of openness, respect and safety.
Online Safety
Online safety is taught progressively across all year groups through our planned curriculum.
Children develop understanding of:
- online relationships
- digital footprints
- privacy and security
- cyberbullying
- online reputation
- misinformation
- safe communication
- managing information online
- harmful content and reporting concerns
This ensures pupils are prepared to navigate an increasingly digital world safely and responsibly.
British Values
The promotion of British Values is an explicit part of our PSHE curriculum and wider school life.
Children learn about:
Democracy
Having a voice, making choices and participating in decision making.
Rule of Law
Understanding rules, fairness and responsibility.
Individual Liberty
Making informed choices, understanding rights and staying safe.
Mutual Respect
Valuing differences and treating others with kindness and respect.
Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Understanding diversity and appreciating different viewpoints, cultures and beliefs.
British Values are taught directly through PSHE and woven throughout collective worship, assemblies and wider curriculum experiences.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Our curriculum reflects the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and promotes respect for all.
Children are taught to:
- celebrate diversity
- challenge stereotypes and discrimination
- respect differences
- understand protected characteristics
- value equality and inclusion
Teaching supports pupils in developing empathy, understanding and acceptance of others.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
Relationships Education is statutory in primary schools and at Waterloo, we teach it through our PSHE curriculum.
Relationships and Sex Education is delivered sensitively, age appropriately and progressively, supporting children to understand healthy relationships, growing up, body changes and personal safety.
Some aspects of sex education are taught beyond National Curriculum Science requirements, to meet the needs of our pupils and prepare them appropriately for adolescence. Specific sex education lessons for our Y6 pupils are delivered using age-appropriate resources and with the assistance of our school nurse and pastoral team.
Our boys and girls are taught together during these sessions, but the opportunity for single-sex breakout groups exists as and when appropriate. The content of these sessions prepares the children for the changes that adolescence brings and builds on their understanding of the human life cycle (how a baby is conceived and born) in our science programme of study.
Content is carefully planned with regard to pupils’ age, developmental stage, SEND needs and emotional maturity.
Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers
We value strong partnerships with parents and carers and recognise families as children’s first educators.
Parents and carers will receive information in advance of sensitive curriculum content so they are aware of topics being covered and can support discussions at home where appropriate.
We aim to work openly and collaboratively with families regarding PSHE and RSE provision.
Right to Withdraw from Sex Education
Parents and carers have the right to request withdrawal of their child from non-statutory sex education content taught beyond the National Curriculum for Science.
This right does not apply to:
- statutory Relationships Education
- statutory Health Education
- National Curriculum Science content
Requests for withdrawal should be made in writing to the Head of School. The school will discuss requests with parents or carers, to ensure the curriculum content is fully understood, before any decision is implemented.
Alternative purposeful education will be provided for pupils who are withdrawn.
Assessment and Impact
Teachers assess pupils’ understanding through discussion, pupil voice, retrieval activities and ongoing formative assessment.
Through our PSHE curriculum, we aim for pupils to leave Waterloo Primary Academy able to:
- make informed choices
- maintain positive relationships
- understand how to keep themselves healthy and safe
- respect diversity and challenge discrimination
- demonstrate resilience and independence
- seek help when needed
- contribute positively to society
- be prepared for secondary education and life in modern Britain
Our curriculum supports pupils to become confident, respectful and responsible citizens who are ready for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.