At Swaffham Primary Academy, we recognise that Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education plays a crucial role in shaping well-rounded, emotionally intelligent, and resilient young people. We have recently reviewed and refreshed our PSHE/RSHE curriculum to ensure it is meaningful, relevant, and reflective of our school’s ethos The SPA Way, which underpins all that we do.

Led by Syreeta Rice, our dedicated PSHE/RSHE Lead and school Mental Health Champion, our curriculum supports children in developing their emotional literacy, social understanding, and personal resilience. 

We want every child at Swaffham Primary Academy to leave us as a confident, happy and resilient learner, ready to take on the next step in life. We believe that with knowledge, anything is possible.

Our PSHE and RSHE curriculum plays a vital role in achieving this vision. It provides pupils with the time, space, and support to think, talk and reflect about themselves, their relationships, and the wider world. Through this, they learn how to stay safe, healthy and happy, how to form and maintain positive relationships, and how to recognise their place and impact within a diverse global society.

We want our pupils to become emotionally literate, equipped to identify. understand and wide range of emotions. Our PSHE and RSHE curriculum is designed to empower pupils to build and maintain healthy friendships and family relationships. They learn what makes a good relationship, how to show empathy and respect, how to recognise unsafe or unhealthy relationships, including negative peer pressure and, most importantly, how and where to seek help when needed.

We want all our pupils to thrive in the wider world. Our curriculum helps them to understand the value of their own voice and actions.

These are carefully planned and incorporated into wider planning to ensure our children can make links and apply the skills they are learning. There are also discrete teaching opportunities to ensure the content is given the importance it needs, especially when of a sensitive nature.  We may vary our curriculum in response to emerging issues and to reflect the rapidly changing world in which our pupils are living and learning.

Teaching RSHE and PSHE

When teaching any lesson that deals with potentially sensitive subjects, teachers will begin by creating a safe and secure learning environment.  This will help children to feel confident to share their ideas, values and attitudes without fear of negative feedback from their peers.  A safe learning environment with clear boundaries also helps teachers to manage discussion on sensitive issues with greater confidence. Classes have a question box so that any questions can be answered anonymously. 

Consulting with Staff, Parents/ Carers and Pupils

A full consultation took place where our Trust DNEAT consulted with families and stakeholders on using Pol-Ed as our RSHE curriculum. 

Our school follows the Pol‑Ed RSHE curriculum, which organises all learning into the four clear themes above. Every lesson your child receives sits under one of these umbrella areas:

• Relationships Understanding friendships, families, positive interactions and how we treat others.
• Keeping Safe Learning how to stay safe in different situations, including online safety, trusted adults and personal boundaries.
• Understanding the Law Introducing children to rules, responsibilities and the basic principles of law in an age‑appropriate way.
• Wellbeing Exploring feelings, mental health, physical health and how to look after ourselves.

Where Puberty and Body Education Fit In

Teaching about our bodies, growing up and puberty sits across both the Relationships and Well-being themes. This ensures children learn about physical changes alongside emotional changes, healthy relationships and personal safety.

Additional Lessons at Swaffham Primary Academy

Alongside Pol‑Ed, we also include a small number of additional RSHE lessons. These are part of our full RSHE overview above and ensure your child receives a complete, carefully planned curriculum that supports their growth, development and safety throughout their time at Swaffham Primary Academy. These include learning the scientific names for both female and male genitalia. It is important to empower children to be confident to name these body parts. This way, if they do have a worry about their genitalia, they have the right words to tell someone. Equally, it is important they know the names of all their body parts. After all, their body belongs to them.

Our RSHE and PSHE curriculum is designed to help every child grow into a confident, respectful and safe young person who can contribute positively to their community.

What We Teach

• Healthy relationships: Children learn what it means to be a good friend, how to build positive relationships, and how their words and actions affect others. We teach kindness, empathy and respect, as well as helping children recognise when behaviour is unkind and how to respond appropriately.
• Citizenship and community: Pupils explore what it means to be a good citizen, including understanding rules, responsibilities and the SPA way. They learn that actions have consequences and that making thoughtful choices is part of growing up.
• Emotional development: Through Zones of Regulation and other tools, children learn to recognise, name and manage their feelings, and to understand how emotions influence behaviour.
• Online safety: We teach children how to stay safe online, how to use technology responsibly, and how to identify trusted adults they can speak to if something worries them.
• Speaking out and seeking help: Children learn how to share concerns about friendships, relationships, their bodies or anything that makes them feel worried. They practise naming trusted adults both at home and at school.
• Life skills and safety: Our curriculum includes learning about emergency services, community support, and the wider world so children understand how to stay safe and live full, healthy lives.

Curriculum Overview 

Using the Term “Bullying” Appropriately

We teach children clearly and carefully about what bullying means. Bullying is not a single, or even a few, unkind incidents or a one‑off disagreement. It is repeated, intentional behaviour where one child has more power over another.

It is important that our whole school community uses the term correctly. A child being called a name, or experiencing a single act of unkindness, is not bullying. These incidents are still taken seriously, and we deal with them quickly and effectively, but they should not be labelled as bullying.

Growing up involves learning how to manage conflict, repair relationships and understand consequences. We support children through these moments with care and consistency.

If parents ever have a concern, the best first step is to talk directly with their child’s class teacher.

Our Commitment

Alongside the statutory RSHE curriculum, we are committed to teaching children everything they need to grow into safe, respectful and confident individuals who can:

• recognise healthy and unhealthy behaviour
• speak out if something worries them
• understand their emotions
• Using technology safely
• contribute positively to their community
• identify trusted adults at home and at school

If you would like to find out more about how to support your child through their journey and learning in RSHE and PSHE please speak to your child’s class teacher.

Zones of Regulation explained

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ9X-d3oZvQ&themeRefresh=1

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