PSHE and RSE

At Town Close House, our PSHE curriculum supports children in their journey to becoming global citizens. PSHE stands for Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education and lessons are taught in conjunction with the values of the Town Close Way to give pupils the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives now and in the future.

PSHE also includes RSE (relationships and sex education) which includes learning about the social, emotional and physical aspects of growing up, relationships and sex in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. In the modern World, children have access to a plethora of information through the internet and we aim to give children accurate information which informs their opinions and choices throughout their life. In turn, the lessons help pupils to develop and maintain healthy and respectful relationships. Furthermore, RSE supports to safeguard our children and young people by giving them the knowledge and skills to recognise unsafe situations and seek support and advice when needed.

Organisation

Head of Department = Mrs Webb

In the Pre Prep department, PSHE is taught each week for 30-40 minutes. The pupils are introduced to the Town Close Way in assemblies and Bird Family Meetings and these are followed up and developed in class lessons.

In the Prep department, timetabled lessons of 90 minutes per fortnight are in place for KS2 and 1 hour per fortnight for KS3 pupils. This is supplemented by school and year group assemblies, house meetings, tutor groups for Years 5, 6, 7 and 8, the Code of Conduct, the values of the Town Close Way and the whole school ethos.

Content

Our PSHE and RSE lessons have been developed following the Government statutory guidance. Where necessary, certain topics or lessons may be adapted or taught at different times depending on the personal circumstances and individual needs of pupils.

Examples of topics covered include:

• Economic wellbeing
• Keeping safe online
• Growing and changing
• Anti-bullying
• Living in the wider world
• UK politics
• Respecting the diversity of friends and families.

A variety of teaching methods and resources are employed in PSHE and RSE, which include discussion, debate, group work, written work, research, videos, photographs, posters, games, drama, role-play and stories.

Trips and Events

Within the school year, opportunities arise outside the classroom for pupils to experience PSHE. These include: assemblies, the School fete, various charity fund-raising days, discussions with visiting speakers (the school doctor, the police force, local clergy and representatives from charitable or voluntary organisations), school outings, residential trips, drama and musical productions, sporting events, the Adventure and Skills Academy, school clubs, out of school activities or elections for School Council.