Learning for Life

INTENT

At SSPP, our whole vision threads through everything we do to ensure that every child has the opportunity to ‘let their light shine’. We want all our children to be given the tools to become successful and well-rounded citizens, now and in their future.

Our ‘Learning for Life’ curriculum is an umbrella term that incorporates PSHE, RSE, British Values and SMSC. Our curriculum ensures that children and young people leaving Primary school are equipped with the knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence to cope with the many pressures and challenges of modern society. Learning about friendships and family are the building blocks to help children to understand themselves and others. As part of our RSE strand, children are prepared for the physical and emotional changes they undergo at puberty, as well as teaching them about safety and being safe. Education for the connected world will ensure children understand they have the right to enjoy childhood online, to access safe online spaces, and to benefit from all the opportunities that a connected world can bring to them, appropriate to their age and stage. RSE should equip children and young people with the information, skills and positive values to have safe, fulfilling relationships. We want our children to have high aspirations, a belief in themselves and realise that anything is possible if they put their mind to it. In an ever–changing world, it is important that they are aware, to an appropriate level, of different factors which will affect their world and that they learn how to deal with these so that they have high self-esteem and good mental health and well-being.

At our school, we promote British values by appreciating the diversity of backgrounds of all pupils, families and wider school community. The fundamental aspects of British values; Democracy, Rules of Law; mutual respect and tolerance for other faiths and individual liberty have been embedded into our ‘Learning for life’ curriculum. SMSC is a dimension of the whole school experience which makes the curriculum relevant, stimulating, creative and fun. It enriches each subject and the Catholic ethos of SSPP and is an essential ingredient of school success. The SMSC policy ensures elimination of unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct; an advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

National Curriculum

Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) aims to equip young people with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthily, safely, productively and responsibly. The annual report of the Chief Medical Officer in 20121 concludes that: ‘It is vitally important that all children and young people have access to good quality PSHE in school that supports their developmental goals and enables them to successfully negotiate health risk behaviours and develop positive personal attributes.

Ten Ten’s new programme for Catholic primary schools, Living Life to the Full, will teach Relationships Education and Health Education within the context of a Christian understanding of human sexuality rooted in the wisdom and teaching of the Catholic Church.

Implementation:

Our pupils are taught about relationship and health education using the Ten: Ten resources ‘Living Life to the full.’ This robust programme allows us to deliver a fully integrated and holistic programme in Relationship and health education. Through our Catholic and spiritual beliefs, this truly enables children to ‘live life to the full’ (John 10:10). Relationship and Health Education became statutory for all primary schools from September 2020. We have based the structure of Life to the Full on ‘A Model Catholic RSE Curriculum’ by the Catholic Education Service, which was highlighted as a work of good practice by the Department of Education.

Alongside the statutory elements, as a school we have incorporated British Values into our ‘ Learning for Life’ curriculum as our intention is that when children leave our school they will do so with the knowledge, understanding and emotions to be able to play an active, positive and successful role in today’s diverse society. Children are taught about being safe and internet safety through Education for the Connected World. In the Foundation Stage, PSHE and citizenship is taught as an integral part through ‘understanding of the world’ and other core areas of the Early years curriculum. the Personal, Social and Emotional Development statements from ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ and the PSED Early Learning Goals. Personal, social and emotional development helps children to develop a positive sense of themselves and to have confidence in their own abilities. This will allow children to form positive relationships, develop their social skills and learn how to manage their own feelings. We cover this continually through our play-based learning.

Staff have receive CPD to support them in responding to the needs of the individual child and support children with any questions or concerns they may have. If staff feel uncomfortable or unsure when delivering the RSE curriculum or dealing with individual pupil needs, they know where to seek advice and support.

At SSPP we have high expectations of behaviour, interpersonal relationships, respect and tolerance of others reflect the British Values upheld in both our community and the wider world. Through our rigorous and progressive curriculum, children develop key skills and are prepared for the wider world beyond primary school, a world in which they can keep themselves safe and healthy and thrive with the support of the positive relationships they forge with those around them.

Pupil Voice:

100% of children feel safe coming into school.

Pupil voice this year has shown that children are confident speaking to a trusted adult in school about any issues they may be having. The children can explain who the children's safeguarding team (shield) are and how they are there to help. children can articulate their learning by talking about mental health and wellbeing, looking after themselves and the growing and changing that is happening to their bodies. Children can also successfully re-call learning from class assemblies like Chinese New Year, Anti-bullying and Diwali.

Learning for life Floor books:

Evidence of all PSHE/ RSE learning can be found in our floor books