At Thames View, PSHCE helps pupils develop the knowledge, confidence and vocabulary they need to understand themselves, build positive relationships, stay safe and make responsible choices. Pupils learn about feelings, friendships, difference, safety, health, wellbeing, rights, responsibilities and growing up.

Our PSHCE curriculum is taught through the Coram SCARF scheme of learning and is shaped around the needs, context and experiences of pupils at Thames View.

How PSHCE develops Global Citizens

PSHCE helps pupils become respectful, responsible and resilient Global Citizens. Through PSHCE, pupils learn how to value themselves and others, respect difference, build healthy relationships, look after their wellbeing and contribute positively to their school, community and wider world.

Pupils are encouraged to think carefully about their choices, understand the impact they can have on others, and develop the confidence to ask for help when they need it.

Our PSHCE Narrative Threads

Our PSHCE curriculum is organised around four narrative threads. These help pupils revisit important personal, social, health and relationship themes over time, moving from early understanding of self and friendship to more complex learning about responsibility, safety, wellbeing, puberty and healthy relationships.

Thread 1: Identity, Relationships and Belonging

Pupils learn to understand themselves, recognise feelings, build positive friendships and develop a sense of belonging. They explore kindness, cooperation, self-respect, family, friendship, difference and how to seek help when relationships feel difficult or unsafe.

Thread 2: Respect, Difference and Community Responsibility

Pupils learn to value difference, challenge unfairness and understand their rights and responsibilities. They explore diversity, stereotypes, prejudice, bullying, democracy, money, the environment and how their choices can help make their school and community fairer and kinder.

Thread 3: Safety, Choices and Wellbeing

Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe, healthy and well. They explore risk, decision-making, online safety, medicines, legal drugs, sleep, hygiene, exercise, healthy eating, mental wellbeing, media influence and how to ask trusted adults for help.

Thread 4: Relationships and Health Education

Pupils learn about families, friendships, privacy, safe and unsafe touch, personal boundaries, body changes, puberty, menstrual wellbeing and how to get help. This thread supports pupils to understand themselves and others, use correct vocabulary, recognise when something feels unsafe and develop the confidence to speak to a trusted adult.

How we teach PSHCE

In PSHCE, pupils revisit prior learning before being introduced to new knowledge, vocabulary and ideas. They learn through discussion, stories, scenarios, role play, reflection, questioning, carefully chosen resources and age-appropriate activities.

Pupils are taught to think carefully and respectfully by listening to others, sharing ideas, asking questions, considering different viewpoints and reflecting on choices. Teachers create safe and supportive opportunities for pupils to talk about important issues, while making clear where pupils can go for help.

From Year 1 to Year 6, PSHCE is taught through the half-termly SCARF units: Me and My Relationships, Valuing Difference, Keeping Safe, Rights and Respect, Being my Best, and Growing and Changing.

Relationships and Health Education

Relationships and Health Education is taught as part of our PSHCE curriculum. Pupils learn about families, friendships, respectful relationships, online relationships, being safe, mental wellbeing, physical health, healthy choices, puberty and growing up.

Learning is carefully sequenced and age-appropriate. Pupils are taught the correct vocabulary they need to understand their bodies, keep themselves safe and speak to a trusted adult if they are worried or unsure.

Vocabulary and subject talk

Vocabulary is taught explicitly in every unit. Pupils learn and revisit important vocabulary such as feelings, friendship, respect, difference, bullying, responsibility, rights, safety, risk, privacy, consent, wellbeing, healthy, puberty, trusted adult and community.

This helps pupils explain their thinking clearly, talk about emotions and relationships, understand how to stay safe and ask for help when needed. Teachers model respectful discussion and provide sentence stems where needed so that all pupils can take part with confidence.

Inclusion and Removing Barriers

Pupils may have different levels of confidence, vocabulary, emotional understanding, life experience or readiness to talk about personal and social issues. Some pupils may find discussion, self-reflection, change, relationships or managing feelings more challenging.

We use clear explanations, stories, visual support, repeated vocabulary, structured discussion, social stories, trusted adults and carefully chosen scenarios to make PSHCE meaningful and accessible. Teachers create a safe and respectful environment so that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, can access the same ambitious PSHCE curriculum.

Progression in PSHCE

Our PSHCE progression map shows how pupils build knowledge, vocabulary, confidence, relationship skills and understanding of health, wellbeing and safety from Nursery to Year 6. This will be added to the page once finalised.

Useful Websites

NSPCC
Childline
ThinkUKnow
Internet Matters
BBC Bitesize PSHE
NHS Healthier Families
Young Minds