PSHE & RSHE
Please click to view the latest PSHE Policy
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Please click to view the DFE Policy
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PSHE Overview
PSHE Curriculum Intent
At Iver Village Junior School, our PSHE curriculum puts the development of each child at the centre of everything we do. We aim to provide a curriculum which is not only broad and balanced, but equips children for the next phase of their education and for life in modern Britain. We want all our pupils to be effective citizens, to care about the community in which they live and to understand their place in our world.
Our ambitious PSHE curriculum is designed to meet the requirements of the Primary National Curriculum and statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance, whilst being carefully adapted to meet the needs of our school community. We aim to ensure that pupils are immersed in a coherently sequenced curriculum that explicitly teaches the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to keep themselves safe, build positive relationships and make informed choices throughout their lives.
The key principles behind the design of our PSHE curriculum are for our pupils to:
Our PSHE curriculum strives to provide pupils with opportunities to develop essential life skills, emotional literacy and an understanding of themselves and others. We believe it is imperative that we support pupils in developing their core skills of communication, reflection and decision-making so that they can navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience.
We ensure that pupils are active participants in lessons and are provided with appropriate support and challenge to develop their understanding and feel successful in their learning. PSHE is taught in a safe and supportive environment where pupils are encouraged to share ideas, ask questions and develop respect for differing viewpoints.
We also recognise that PSHE plays a vital role in safeguarding and personal development. Pupils are taught how to recognise risks, understand appropriate boundaries, and know how and where to seek help. This includes a strong and explicit focus on keeping safe in an increasingly digital world.
Through this curriculum, we aim to empower pupils to use their knowledge and skills to make a positive difference to themselves, their school and the wider community.
RSE:
Relationships and Sex Education (RSHE)
All primary schools are required by the government to teach Relationships Education and Health Education as part of the statutory curriculum. Some aspects of Sex Education are also taught in an age-appropriate way within upper key stage 2.
Relationships Education is designed to help children develop the knowledge and understanding they need to build positive, respectful and safe relationships with family, friends and others, both online and offline.
Health Education supports children to make informed decisions about their physical and mental wellbeing and to understand how to keep themselves healthy and safe. It also helps pupils to know how and when to seek support for themselves or others.
At Iver Village Junior School, RSHE is taught through our PSHE curriculum using the Jigsaw PSHE programme, which provides a structured, progressive approach to learning. We have recently reviewed and updated our curriculum in line with the latest government guidance (due to become statutory from September 2026) to ensure it remains relevant, current and appropriate for our pupils.
Through our RSHE curriculum, pupils learn about topics including relationships, physical and emotional health, online safety, personal safety, and how to recognise and respond to risk. As pupils progress through the school, they also receive carefully planned and age-appropriate sex education.
Parents and carers retain the right to withdraw their child from specific elements of sex education. We are committed to working closely with families and ensuring they are fully informed about what is being taught and when.
If you would like further information about statutory Relationships and Health Education, you can read the government guidance, named “Understanding Relationships and Health Education in your child’s primary school: a guide for parents.”
We also have an RSHE policy available on our school website, which explains in more detail how the curriculum is delivered and reviewed.
At Iver Village Junior School, our PSHE curriculum puts the development of each child at the centre of everything we do. We aim to provide a curriculum which is not only broad and balanced, but equips children for the next phase of their education and for life in modern Britain. We want all our pupils to be effective citizens, to care about the community in which they live and to understand their place in our world.
Our ambitious PSHE curriculum is designed to meet the requirements of the Primary National Curriculum and statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance, whilst being carefully adapted to meet the needs of our school community. We aim to ensure that pupils are immersed in a coherently sequenced curriculum that explicitly teaches the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to keep themselves safe, build positive relationships and make informed choices throughout their lives.
The key principles behind the design of our PSHE curriculum are for our pupils to:
- be confident, resilient and committed to learning and personal wellbeing
- be kind; showing empathy and compassion whilst valuing diversity and difference
- achieve well across all aspects of personal development, knowing how to make safe and healthy choices
- be safe in both the real and online world, including understanding risks such as online influence, manipulation and emerging technologies
- recognise what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like, and know how to seek help when needed
- understand how to keep themselves safe in a range of contexts, including online safety and wider personal safety such as road, rail and water safety
- be culturally knowledgeable, respectful and able to challenge stereotypes and discrimination
- develop a secure understanding of their bodies using accurate and age-appropriate anatomical language
- have aspirations for the future and understand how positive choices support their long-term wellbeing and success
- be equipped with the language and vocabulary needed to express their thoughts, feelings and understanding confidently and appropriately
- be well prepared for the emotional, social and academic demands of secondary school and beyond
Our PSHE curriculum strives to provide pupils with opportunities to develop essential life skills, emotional literacy and an understanding of themselves and others. We believe it is imperative that we support pupils in developing their core skills of communication, reflection and decision-making so that they can navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience.
We ensure that pupils are active participants in lessons and are provided with appropriate support and challenge to develop their understanding and feel successful in their learning. PSHE is taught in a safe and supportive environment where pupils are encouraged to share ideas, ask questions and develop respect for differing viewpoints.
We also recognise that PSHE plays a vital role in safeguarding and personal development. Pupils are taught how to recognise risks, understand appropriate boundaries, and know how and where to seek help. This includes a strong and explicit focus on keeping safe in an increasingly digital world.
Through this curriculum, we aim to empower pupils to use their knowledge and skills to make a positive difference to themselves, their school and the wider community.
RSE:
Relationships and Sex Education (RSHE)
All primary schools are required by the government to teach Relationships Education and Health Education as part of the statutory curriculum. Some aspects of Sex Education are also taught in an age-appropriate way within upper key stage 2.
Relationships Education is designed to help children develop the knowledge and understanding they need to build positive, respectful and safe relationships with family, friends and others, both online and offline.
Health Education supports children to make informed decisions about their physical and mental wellbeing and to understand how to keep themselves healthy and safe. It also helps pupils to know how and when to seek support for themselves or others.
At Iver Village Junior School, RSHE is taught through our PSHE curriculum using the Jigsaw PSHE programme, which provides a structured, progressive approach to learning. We have recently reviewed and updated our curriculum in line with the latest government guidance (due to become statutory from September 2026) to ensure it remains relevant, current and appropriate for our pupils.
Through our RSHE curriculum, pupils learn about topics including relationships, physical and emotional health, online safety, personal safety, and how to recognise and respond to risk. As pupils progress through the school, they also receive carefully planned and age-appropriate sex education.
Parents and carers retain the right to withdraw their child from specific elements of sex education. We are committed to working closely with families and ensuring they are fully informed about what is being taught and when.
If you would like further information about statutory Relationships and Health Education, you can read the government guidance, named “Understanding Relationships and Health Education in your child’s primary school: a guide for parents.”
We also have an RSHE policy available on our school website, which explains in more detail how the curriculum is delivered and reviewed.
