SCARF

There's now a proven link between pupils' health and wellbeing, and their academic progress. Crucial skills and positive attitudes developed through comprehensive Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) are critical to ensuring children are effective learners. These skills and attitudes are important in unlocking pupils' potential, helping to raise achievement and closing the gap in educational attainment.

SCARF provides a whole-school approach to building these essential foundations – crucial for our children to achieve their best, academically and socially. 

Our Curriculum

Teaching relationships education is teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other children and with adults.

This starts with pupils being taught about what a relationship is, what friendship is, what family means and who the people are who can support them. From the beginning of primary school, building on early education, pupils should be taught how to take turns, how to treat each other with kindness, consideration and respect, the importance of honesty and truthfulness, permission seeking and giving, and the concept of personal privacy.

Respect for others is taught in an age-appropriate way, in terms of understanding one’s own and others’ boundaries in play, in negotiations about space, toys, books, resources and so on.

From the beginning, teachers talk explicitly about the features of healthy friendships, family relationships and other relationships which young children are likely to encounter. This will also help them to recognise any less positive relationships when they encounter them.

The principles of positive relationships also apply online especially as, by the end of primary school, many children will already be using the internet. When teaching relationships content, teachers address online safety and appropriate behaviour in a way that is relevant to our pupils’ lives. 

Through PSHE we aim to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and become informed active citizens.  The PSHE curriculum promotes spiritual, moral, cultural and physical development of children as part of our school and as young people within our wider community. The emphasis is on whole class and group activities which are oral, interactive and lively and which encourage thoughtful discussion and debate.  We encourage our children to understand and respect diversity and difference and to have the confidence to make positive decisions when faced with dilemmas.

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education

From September 2020, schools in England are required to teach Relationships Education and Health Education. Sex education is defined as education for personal growth and development within the framework of the family and personal responsibility.  Much of the curriculum coverage is embedded in our PSHE and Science curriculum.  Topics are designed to develop personal, social and relationship skills and attitudes, whilst fostering high self esteem in the children.

Children learn about relationships from early years and then in Year 5 and 6 children learn more specifically about their changing bodies as this is when the onset of puberty often occurs.  This work is delivered with the support of the school nurse and boys and girls are educated separately giving plenty of opportunity for discussion within a sympathetic and sensitive environment.  Prior to the pupils starting this programme parents/guardians are invited to the school to view materials which will be used and ask any questions they might have. Children may be withdrawn from these sessions at parent’s/guardian’s discretion.  The subject will be taught sensitively and truthfully so that children become aware that it is a part of life. Our programme of sex education is intended to combat myth, misunderstanding and ignorance as well as sexism, prejudice and discrimination.

Helping your children understand changes at puberty (coramlifeeducation.org.uk)

Drug Education

Through our science and PSHE&C curriculums children receive drug education.  In our school this involves teaching children about the safe use of medicines and the impact that smoking and drinking alcohol have on the human body.  Children learn that household chemicals must be used safely as they could be harmful to the body.

Useful Links

BBC education's PSHE. List of PSHE websites for 4-11 year old students, including games and activities and resources for teachers and parents.

Kidsmart, learn about the internet and being a SMART surfer; plus lots of good sites for children.

CBBC's stay safe on line.Test your internet safety knowledge with Hacker, listen to some Stay Safe songs with Helen Skelton, News Kids On the Block and Bobby Lockwood and get some tips from the Horrible Histories gang.

Safety Net Kids, all things to do with keeping safe.

E-Safety, Tablets and Apps, tips and links to child friendly apps.

Anti-bullying network, links to many sites to support anti-bullying.

Stop bullying,  Child-friendly, US site with tools to learn about bullying and how to prevent it.