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PSHE & RSE

🌱 PSHE & RSE at High Halden C of E Primary School

“Education is about more than tests. It is about helping young people discover themselves.” – Anon

Our Intent

At High Halden Primary School, the intent of our PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) and RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) curriculum is simple but powerful: to keep children safe – both now and in the future.

Our curriculum is designed to give children the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to make positive, informed choices in potentially challenging or dangerous situations. We aim for every child to:

  • Understand risks, consequences, and the law

  • Build resilience, empathy, and a sense of responsibility for themselves and others

  • Become active thinkers and supportive bystanders in school and in the wider community

We believe that all children may face risks at some point in their lives, so all children deserve to know how to:

  1. Keep themselves safe – both online and offline

  2. Support and look out for one another

  3. Seek help confidently when needed

📚 Our Curriculum

We use the Pol-Ed scheme of work to deliver a well-structured and engaging PSHE curriculum, fully aligned with the PSHE Association’s programme of study and the DfE statutory guidance for Health and Relationships Education.

Through carefully sequenced, age-appropriate teaching, children develop the ability to reflect, discuss, and apply what they learn to real-life situations.

Our PSHE & RSE curriculum centres around six core themes:

  1. Relationships – Building healthy, respectful relationships and recognising unhealthy behaviours

  2. Keeping Safe – Understanding personal safety, peer pressure, and online risks

  3. Understanding the Law – Knowing the role of law in protecting people and the impact of choices

  4. Wellbeing – Supporting mental and physical health, resilience, and emotional literacy

  5. RSE – Understanding body changes, consent, respect, and safe relationships in an inclusive way

  6. Transition – Preparing for changes, including moving to secondary school, with confidence and care

💬 Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

In EYFS, PSHE is taught daily through Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED). Children explore:

  • Relationships and feelings

  • Rules and routines

  • Self-confidence and self-awareness

  • Empathy and restorative conflict resolution

  • Understanding appropriate behaviour

❤️ Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)

For the RSE element, we follow the Christopher Winter Project (CWP) – an evidence-based scheme that is inclusive, age-appropriate, and safe.

CWP covers:

  • Building and maintaining healthy relationships

  • Understanding emotions, boundaries, and consent

  • Using correct terminology for body parts

  • Preparing for physical and emotional changes of puberty

  • Respect for self and others

  • Understanding different types of families and relationships

Parents are fully informed before RSE lessons. While Relationships Education is statutory, parents can request withdrawal from certain aspects of Sex Education, and we welcome open conversations about this.

British Values & Christian Values

Our PSHE curriculum is underpinned by the Fundamental British Values:

  • Democracy – Encouraging pupil voice and choice

  • Rule of Law – Understanding why rules exist and how they protect us

  • Individual Liberty – Supporting informed personal choices within safe boundaries

  • Mutual Respect – Valuing diversity and kindness

  • Tolerance – Respecting and including those with different faiths and beliefs

These are woven together with our Christian values of generosity, respect, love, trust, wisdom, and hope — fostering a culture of compassion, curiosity, and character.

🌟 Why PSHE & RSE Matter

PSHE & RSE are not just classroom subjects — they prepare our children to:

  • Be emotionally literate and socially responsible

  • Make safe, informed decisions

  • Respect others, regardless of differences

  • Thrive in an ever-changing world

Our provision is supported by the Life Skills Progression and Values in Action documents, which map out the skills and attributes we want every child to carry forward into life beyond High Halden.