Sparken Hill Academy
PSHE - Personal Social Health Education
PSHE: Whole School Journey
Happy, healthy, safe and kind.
Every class has a PSHE unit each half-term, and important themes are revisited in more depth as children grow. Follow the road from Reception to Year 6 to see how their learning builds. E = even year, O = odd year.
Our three core themes
- 🤝Relationships
- 💚Health and wellbeing
- 🌍Living in the wider world
Y5/6O
- Aut 1Growing independenceHealthy relationships and changing attitudes🤝
- Aut 2Safe in the communityLaws, consequences and challenging prejudice🌍
- Spr 1Positive choicesY6 consent and rights; Y5 Mini Police🌍🤝
- Spr 2Mental healthY6 sleep, goals and resilience; Y5 Mini Police💚
- Sum 1Keeping healthyY6 healthy habits; Y5 DART💚
- Sum 2Puberty and moneyY6 growing up and money risks; Y5 DART💚🌍
Y5/6E
- Aut 1Relationships onlineBullying, getting help and staying safe🤝
- Aut 2EmergenciesFirst aid and the risks of alcohol💚
- Spr 1GREAT ProjectY6 healthy relationships; Y5 Mini Police🤝🌍
- Spr 2IdentityY6 media and self-image; Y5 Mini Police🌍
- Sum 1Careers and moneyY6 routes and budgeting; Y5 DART🌍💚
- Sum 2PubertyY6 changes, taught with Science; Y5 DART💚
Y3/4O
- Aut 1RespectTrust, difference and different families🤝
- Aut 2Body and mindHealthy lifestyles, teeth and relaxing💚
- Spr 1First aidBites, stings, asthma and road safety💚
- Spr 2Managing riskDares, online challenges and habits💚
- Sum 1Making a differenceRecycling, democracy and charities🌍
- Sum 2Growing and changingPrivacy, consent and hygiene💚
Y3/4E
- Aut 1Friendship and bullyingBoundaries, bystanders and stereotypes🤝
- Aut 2MoneyBudgets, ethical spending and jobs🌍
- Spr 1Acceptance and mental healthEmotions and where to get help💚
- Spr 2CommunityWhy we have laws and accepting difference🌍
- Sum 1Staying safe onlineKindness, sharing and age limits🤝💚
- Sum 2Healthy body and mindGrowing up, privacy and consent💚
Y1/2O
- Aut 1A good friendKindness, manners and fairness🤝
- Aut 2Growing healthyFood, exercise and teeth💚
- Spr 1Jobs people doOur school and community🌍
- Spr 2Staying safeDangers at home and being lost💚
- Sum 1Making decisionsVoting and choices🌍
- Sum 2Earning moneySaving, banks and jobs🌍
Y1/2E
- Aut 1Being meClass rules and the PANTS rule🤝💚
- Aut 2Who is special to us?Families and feelings🤝
- Spr 1Healthy meGerms, rest and sun safety💚
- Spr 2Money mattersWants, needs and saving🌍
- Sum 1Keeping safeEmergencies and road safety💚
- Sum 2CaringAnimals, babies and our environment🌍
YearR
Reception: the journey starts with learning that we are valued, making friends, sharing and taking turns, managing our own routines, and meeting the people who help us.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)
PSHE helps children understand themselves, look after their health and wellbeing, build positive relationships and take their place as responsible citizens in the world around them.
Why we teach PSHE
At Sparken Hill, we want every child to grow up happy, healthy, safe and confident. PSHE gives children the knowledge, language and skills to understand their feelings, make good choices, keep themselves safe and treat others with kindness and respect.
Our curriculum meets the statutory requirements for Relationships Education and Health Education, and goes further to prepare children for the opportunities and challenges of life beyond primary school, including managing money, understanding the law and thinking about their future careers.
Three core themes
Relationships
Families, friendships, respect, kindness, consent, and recognising and responding to bullying, both in person and online.
Health and wellbeing
Physical and mental health, feelings, first aid, keeping safe, managing risk, and growing and changing.
Living in the wider world
Community, jobs and careers, money, rules and laws, democracy, and caring for the environment.
Safe and healthy
Children know how to look after their bodies and minds, and where to get help when they need it.
Kind and respectful
Children understand and value difference, and build positive relationships with others.
Ready for the future
Children develop the confidence, knowledge and independence they need for secondary school and beyond.
How we teach PSHE
PSHE is taught through a weekly lesson in every class, following a carefully sequenced programme. Each half-term unit has a small number of clear "to know" statements and is often framed as a question for children to explore together, such as "What makes a good friend?" or "How can our choices make a difference?". Lessons use discussion, stories, role play and real-life scenarios, in a safe and supportive classroom where every child's voice is valued.
British Values at the heart of PSHE
The fundamental British Values run through our PSHE curriculum and are signposted in our planning.
- DemocracyHaving a say, voting and understanding how decisions are made, from class votes to Parliament.
- The rule of lawWhy rules and laws are made, and what happens when they are broken.
- Individual libertyMaking safe, informed choices, and knowing that our bodies belong to us.
- Respect and toleranceValuing different families, beliefs and cultures, and challenging stereotypes and prejudice.
How key learning builds
Important themes are revisited every year, in more depth as children grow older and are ready for it.
| Thread | Key Stage 1 | Lower Key Stage 2 | Upper Key Stage 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friendships and relationships | What makes a good friend; different families; who is special to us | Friendship ups and downs; bullying and bystanders; stereotypes | Healthy and unhealthy relationships; gender respect; challenging prejudice |
| Keeping safe | Private and public; the NSPCC PANTS rule; road safety; calling for help | Staying safe online; first aid; assessing risk and dares | Emergency first aid; safety in the community; drugs, alcohol and risk |
| Health and wellbeing | Relaxing, exercise, rest and germs; healthy food; sun safety | Emotions and mental health; healthy lifestyles; body positivity | Sleep, goals and resilience; mental health; how technology affects wellbeing |
| Growing and changing | How we have grown; feelings about change | Changes as we grow up; privacy, consent and personal hygiene | Puberty and the changes it brings (taught with Science) |
| Money and careers | What money is; saving; wants and needs; jobs people do | Budgeting; ethical spending; jobs I might like | Career routes; budgeting; money risks, including gambling |
| Community and citizenship | People who help us; caring for animals and the environment; voting | What makes a community; why we have laws; charities | The justice system; rights and responsibilities; how Parliament makes laws |
Our PSHE units
Our classes follow a two-year cycle, so each phase has an even-year and an odd-year set of units. Every child completes both.
- Relationships
- Health and wellbeing
- Living in the wider world
| Phase | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Stage 1Even year | Being me and keeping safe | Who is special to us? | Healthy me | Money matters | Keeping safe | Caring for people and our world |
| Key Stage 1Odd year | What makes a good friend? | What helps us grow and stay healthy? | What jobs do people do? | What helps us to stay safe? | How do we make decisions? | How do we earn money? |
| Lower Key Stage 2Even year | Friendship and bullying | Money | Acceptance and mental health | Community | Staying safe online | Healthy body and mind; growing and changing |
| Lower Key Stage 2Odd year | How do we treat each other with respect? | How can we look after our body and mind? | How can we use first aid? | How can we manage risk in different places? | How can our choices make a difference? | How will we grow and change? |
| Upper Key Stage 2Even year | Relationships and online safety | Emergencies | Y6 GREAT Project; Y5 Mini Police | Y6 Identity; Y5 Mini Police | Y6 Careers and money; Y5 DART | Y6 Puberty; Y5 DART |
| Upper Key Stage 2Odd year | What changes as we become more independent? | How can I keep myself safe in the community? | Y6 Positive choices; Y5 Mini Police | Y6 Mental health; Y5 Mini Police | Y6 Keeping healthy as we grow; Y5 DART | Y6 Puberty and money; Y5 DART |
Colours show each unit's main theme. Most units also draw on the other two.
Working with partners
Specialist programmes and visitors bring real expertise into our PSHE lessons.
- Key Stage 1 and LKS2NSPCC PANTSSimple rules to help children keep their bodies safe
- Year 4FAB RoadshowExploring feelings and emotional wellbeing
- Year 5Mini PoliceCommunity safety, justice and the role of the police
- Year 5DARTSafe choices about drugs, alcohol and risk
- Year 6GREAT ProjectHealthy relationships and respect
Foundation Stage
In Nursery and Reception, personal, social and emotional development runs through every part of the day. Children learn that they are valued individuals, make friends, share and take turns, manage their own routines, learn about people who help us and care for living things, building the foundations for PSHE in Key Stage 1.
Our Relationships and Sex Education policy explains how we teach these topics sensitively and in line with statutory guidance, including parents' right to request that their child is withdrawn from sex education beyond the science curriculum. We always share what will be taught before puberty and relationships lessons begin.
What children achieve
Teachers assess each unit against its "to know" statements, so we can check that children understand and remember the most important learning. The impact of PSHE can also be seen every day, in how children talk about their feelings, treat one another and look after themselves and their school community.
Safe and informed
Children know how to keep themselves safe, in person and online, and who to talk to if they are worried.
Respectful citizens
They show respect for others, value difference, and understand their rights and responsibilities.
Confident and resilient
They can manage their feelings, make healthy choices and move on to secondary school ready for the next stage.