Curriculum Intent

At St. Mary’s, the intent of our Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PHSE) education is to equip our pupils with the essential life skills, knowledge, and understanding to thrive both as individuals and as part of a community. Rooted in our Catholic values, we aim to nurture the whole child, fostering a sense of belonging and respect for others, promoting emotional wellbeing, and cultivating positive relationships.

Our PHSE curriculum is designed to:

• Promote personal development: Encourage self-awareness, resilience, and emotional intelligence, enabling children to manage their feelings and understand the impact of their actions on others.
• Instil moral values: Cultivate an understanding of Catholic teachings, including compassion, respect, and service to others, empowering children to make ethical choices.
• Enhance social understanding: Foster inclusivity and diversity, encouraging children to embrace differences and demonstrate empathy while building healthy relationships.
• Prepare for the future: Equip pupils with the skills to navigate challenges, understand their rights and responsibilities, and make informed decisions regarding their health and wellbeing.

Our PHSE curriculum enables pupils to meet the updated edition of the PSHE Association Programme of Study. Our curriculum for PSHE education covers economic wellbeing, careers and enterprise education, as well as education for personal safety, including assessing and managing risk.

Curriculum Aims

Whole School Aims	In PHSE…
To have Christ at the centre of everything we do.  To provide opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident, resilient, successful & motivated learners with high aspirations who know how to make a positive and transformational contribution to their local community and wider global society.	PHSE offers children the chance to use the gifts of encouraging self-awareness, resilience and emotional intelligence.  Through a variety of creative, thought-provoking, age-relevant and practical activities, pupils are equipped with the skills to navigate challenges, and understand their rights and responsibilities.
To be firmly rooted in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.  Inspired by Pope Francis, St. Mary’s Curriculum encourages our pupils to grow in self-awareness and become advocates of social justice.	High-quality PHSE education makes an essential contribution to the next generation’s person development, moral values, wealth and well-being of the nation. Through our teaching of inclusivity and diversity, our pupils are encouraged to use their understanding of Catholic teachings to be compassionate, respectful, and be a moral citizen who serves others.
To challenge all pupils, regardless of disadvantages or special needs, to be the greatest example of themselves.  Through experiences both inside and outside of the classroom, pupils are provided with a purpose and relevance for learning, which allows them to develop their own personal strengths and interests.	In lessons, children are able to be reflective regarding their own behaviours and the behaviours of others. PHSE offers experiences inside and outside the classroom show their skills in a practical and hands-on approach.  Through the study of PHSE, pupils will meet a variety of topics across the three core themes which will support their personal strengths and interests. The purpose of PHSE is to develop well-rounded and emotionally secure pupils ready for their next stage.
St Mary’s Curriculum develops the key skills necessary for all our pupil and promotes high expectations of standards and enjoyment in Reading, Writing and Maths across all subject areas.	Through the study of PHSE, pupils will use and developed a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as reading, writing, maths and science.  An example of this is that pupils learn how to understand how the scientific study of the brain can show how our bodies react to situations and how this affects us physically and emotionally.
To develop pupils with a broad and lasting knowledge of subject specific vocabulary.	The vocabulary used within PHSE lessons provides pupils with the language which equips them for the next stage of their education and that of the wider world. As a member of the community, it is crucial that we are using language that they can use to explain their feelings, thoughts, challenges and aspirations. The teachings of appropriate and correct specific vocabulary is crucial to ensure our pupils can communicate respectfully and knowledgably to any member of the public.
To empower pupils to respect each other and themselves, show respect and understanding for people of all faiths, race and gender, and for all living things, promoting stewardship and to ensure all pupils are well prepared for life in a rapidly changing world.	As part of our PHSE curriculum, we focus on British Values and their importance to our lives. Our bespoke curriculum has been created to ensure that our pupils are well-prepared for life as respectful, resilient, compassionate citizens of Britain.

Curriculum Implementation

St. Mary’s share the Department for Education view that PHSE is an ‘important and necessary’ part of children’s education and as such PHSE is taught throughout school via a dedicated discrete session each week. The implementation of our PHSE curriculum is strategically structured to ensure that learning is engaging, relevant, and accessible for all pupils. The curriculum is delivered through a combination of structured lessons, thematic weeks, and cross-curricular links that embed PHSE principles across various subjects.

Key strategies include:

• Curriculum design: Our PHSE curriculum follows a spiralling framework, revisiting key concepts at increasing levels of complexity as pupils progress through the school. This ensures a deepening understanding of themes such as emotional health, family relationships, and societal responsibilities.
• Catholic values integration: Lessons are underpinned by our Catholic ethos, drawing connections between PHSE topics and Gospel teachings. We utilise stories from the Bible and saints’ lives to illustrate moral principles and help children relate faith to everyday situations.
•  myHappymind programme: We integrate the myHappymind programme into our PHSE curriculum to further support the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils. This programme provides children with tools and strategies to develop a positive mindset, self-confidence, and resilience, focusing on the importance of mental wellbeing as part of their overall development.
• Active learning approaches: We employ a range of teaching strategies, including discussions, role-playing, and group work, to actively engage pupils and promote collaborative learning. This also includes the use of circle time for open discussions that encourage respectful sharing of thoughts and feelings.
• Parental and community involvement: We actively engage with parents and the wider community, incorporating their perspectives and experiences into the curriculum. Workshops and resources for families support the continuation of learning at home and reinforce our school values.
• Continual professional development: Staff receive ongoing training to remain updated on best practices in PHSE delivery and to embed a robust understanding of safeguarding and wellbeing frameworks.

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, debate, discussions and inventive tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Every lesson provided the opportunity for scaffolding  to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.

To support accurate and age-appropriate teaching points and resources, quality resources have been gathered. All of the teaching that is delivered in key stage 1 and key stage 2 have been gathered from reputable sources. All classes follow the myHappymind scheme which focuses on emotional wellbeing. Other resources used have been selected from sources approved by the PHSE Association.

Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust PHSE Curriculum and every effort has been made to ensure that they feel supported to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression. This include the PHSE Association membership and teaching notes being given to staff so staff are secure with how to tackle more challenging topics.

Curriculum Impact

The impact of our PHSE curriculum will become evident through the confident, well-rounded individuals that our pupils become. We will regularly assess the effectiveness of our programme through both qualitative and quantitative measures.

• Pupil outcomes: Regular assessments through pupil voice surveys and reflective activities demonstrate an increase in children’s self-esteem, ability to express emotions, and recognition of diversity within their peer group. They articulate a clear understanding of their responsibilities within the community.
• Behaviour and attitudes: A nurturing school environment is reflected in consistently positive behaviour, lower incidents of bullying, and improved peer relationships. Our pupils demonstrate kindness and respect, contributing to a supportive school culture.
• Parental feedback: Engagement with families suggests a good introduction rate regarding our PHSE curriculum, with parents noting significant positive changes in their children’s social skills and emotional resilience. This has been particularly the case with the myHappymind programme which has had positive feedback from parents which we were able to use to gain a bronze accreditation.
• Community links: We have established strong partnerships with local organisations, enhancing community involvement and providing pupils with opportunities to engage in service-based initiatives, which further instil a sense of social responsibility. This includes the school nurses involvement, CARITAS, St. Mary’s foodbank.
• Continuous improvement: We will conduct regular curriculum reviews and seek feedback from staff, pupils, and parents to identify areas for improvement, adapting our approaches to ensure that we remain responsive to the evolving needs of our school community.

In summary, our PHSE curriculum reflects our commitment to ensure excellence, helping our pupils to flourish in both their personal development and as responsible members of society. As this curriculum becomes embedded, the impact will become evident.