PHSE

PSHE AND CITIZENSHIP POLICY

Staff responsible: A. Watkins January 2008

Aims and Objectives

· Personal, Social and Health Education and Citizenship is central to the development of all children at West Twyford Primary School and is intrinsic to the nature of education.

· PSHE is studied explicitly in the classroom as part of the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum, and implicit learning is made through everyday school life outside and within the classroom. It is also addressed in assemblies and through many cross curricular opportunities.

· Staff are committed to PSHE and Citizenship as an entitlement for all the pupils and believe that adults in the school community have a responsibility to develop the pupil as an individual, as a member of a society and a future adult member of the community with a range of personal and social opportunities and responsibilities.

· There are six themes that comprise the PSHE and citizenship framework which fit within the Every Child Matters National Outcomes:

1. Enjoy and Achieve

2. Being Healthy

3. Staying Safe

4. Relationships

5. Emotional Health

6. Positive Contribution

· Key elements of the curriculum identified in PSHE and Citizenship teaching include fairness, justice, equality, rights, self awareness, managing feelings, motivation, empathy, social skills, responsibilities, co-operation, respect, democracy and negotiation.

· Specific objectives include:

To develop self-esteem
To develop self-awareness
To foster positive attributes
To develop an understanding of relationships and social skills
To encourage involvement with school life
To enhance school ethos
To prepare pupils for adult life
To provide the means for pupils to have access to the whole curriculum, i.e. their entitlement
To develop a safe and secure atmosphere for learning
To create opportunities for learning
To create opportunities for achievement
To provide positive experiences in all areas of school life

Curriculum

· Opportunities exist throughout the curriculum for promoting pupils’ personal, social and emotional development. Staff have identified entitlement for pupils throughout their school career and opportunities for enrichment within the curriculum. All members of staff are committed to delivering the curriculum. PSHE is addressed through everyday school life outside and within the classroom. It is delivered through:

Discrete PSHE and Citizenship curriculum time

o Timetabled lessons teaching PSHE and Citizenship through and in other subjects/ curriculum areas i.e. addressing specific issues according to the Scheme of Work while improving oracy and literacy

o Through PSHE and Citizenship activities and school events such as the School Council, whole school assemblies, class assemblies and achievement assemblies, school trips and journeys, involvement in the house system, sex and relationships education, working towards Healthy Schools Scheme

Through sharing and development of the school values, aims and ethos, i.e. through the learning environment

· West Twyford follows the QCA Guidance for PSHE and Citizenship, which is incorporated into our PSHE Scheme of Work for Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. To support the PSHE curriculum we use the Primary Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme (SEAL).

· There will be ongoing evaluation and monitoring of the programme for PSHE and Citizenship. Assessment of Citizenship and PSHE is a planned part of teaching and learning by the class teacher and pupils. An ongoing process of monitoring is made through discussion, observation and self assessment.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

· To facilitate pupils learning in PSHE and citizenship:

The purpose of each lesson is made clear
Appropriate learning experiences are planned and meet the needs of all the pupils in the class
Learning experiences draw on pupils' own experiences or existing knowledge and provide a range of opportunities for pupils to learn, practise and demonstrate skills, attitudes and knowledge and understanding
Time is given for pupils to reflect, consolidate and apply their learning
Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and to record their own progress
Attention is given to developing a safe and secure classroom climate
Staff training needs are met

Staff

· The adult school community comprises: teaching staff, administrative staff, classroom support staff, kitchen staff, SMSAs, site manager, parents, specialist teachers and coaches.

· The PSHE co-ordinator has responsibility for developing the PSHE and Citizenship provision through a whole school approach that enables pupils to participate in the life and decision-making of the school.

Outside Visitors

· The school leads the programme but outside visitors have a role. There is a school protocol for involving outside visitors. These people may include parents, religious and health professionals, the police, fire officers and those from local and national voluntary organisations. All visitors must report to the school office on arrival and must wear appropriate identification throughout their visit.

Working with Parents

· The school is committed to working in partnership with parents. The 1933 Education Act advises parents that pupils can be withdrawn from the non-statutory elements of PSHE. This excludes statutory elements of sex education (concerning reproduction and drugs education that are contained within the Science National Curriculum).

· Parents wanting to exercise their rights are invited to see the Headteacher and PSHE co-ordinator to explore the concerns of parents and discuss the impact that withdrawal from a curriculum area may have on the child.

· Parents will receive adequate information as to the content and context of PSHE, sex and drugs education curricula through evening parent/ teacher forums and literature sent home with children. They may contact the school for further clarification.

Answering ‘difficult’ questions

· Rational discussion of particular controversial issues is a necessary part of a comprehensive education programme. Although some teachers may not find handling of such issues easy, their inclusion in the educational programme is justifiable when it enables children to gain skills in critical analysis, to test their values and to support their opinions with facts.

· Teachers will use their professional judgement when deciding how best to answer ‘difficult’ questions. Some may be best answered in a private time later on and others will be suitably responded to in class.

Confidentiality

· The safety, well being and protection of our pupils are the paramount consideration in all decisions staff at this school make about confidentiality. The appropriate sharing of information between school staff is an essential element in ensuring our pupils well being and safety.

· Everyone in the school community needs to know that no one can offer absolute confidentiality.

· It is important that teachers, pupils and parents or carers are aware of the school’s confidentiality policy and how it works in practice. At West Twyford Primary School we;

· reassure pupils that their best interests will be maintained;

· encouraging pupils to talk to their parents or carers and giving them support to do so;

· ensure that pupils know that teachers cannot offer unconditional confidentiality;

· reassure pupils that, if confidentiality has to be broken, they will be informed first and then supported as appropriate;

· if there is any possibility of abuse, we follow the school’s child protection procedure;

· make sure that pupils are informed of sources of confidential help, for example, the school nurse, counsellor, GP or local young person’s advice service (where appropriate)

· use ground rules in lessons.

· Professional judgement is required by a teacher in considering whether he or she should indicate to a child that the child could make a disclosure in confidence and whether such a confidence could then be maintained having heard the information. In exercising their professional judgement the teacher must consider the best interests of the child including the need to both ensure trust to provide safeguards for our children and possible child protection issues.

· All teachers at this school receive basic training in child protection as part of their induction to this school and are expected to follow the schools' child protection policy and procedures.

· We expect all non teaching staff, including voluntary staff to report any disclosures by pupils or parents/carers, of a concerning personal nature to the designated child protection co-ordinator (Head teacher) as soon as possible after the disclosure and in an appropriate setting, so others cannot overhear. This is to ensure the safety, protection and well being of all our pupils and staff. The designated child protection co-ordinator will decide what, if any, further action needs to be taken, both to ensure the pupil gets the help and support they need and that the member of staff also gets the support and supervision they need.

· These guidelines for staff on confidentiality aim to help with handling sensitive and controversial issues. Teaching staff cannot guarantee confidentiality where child protection issues exist. If a pupil discloses any information teaching staff must refer the disclosure to the Child Protection Officer (Head teacher).

· Disclosures are interpreted as a request from the child for help with their problem. The school will help the child to receive professional guidance/treatment.

Confidentiality relating to External Visitors

· Health professionals such as school nurses can give confidential medical advice to pupils provided they are competent to do so and follow the Fraser Guidelines (guidelines for doctors and other health professionals on giving medical advice to under 16s).

· School nurses are skilled in discussing issues and possible actions with young people and always have in mind the need to encourage pupils to discuss issues with their parents or carers. However, the needs of the pupil areparamount and the school nurse will not insist thata pupil's parents or carers are informed about any advice or treatment they give.

· Professional judgement is required by a counsellor or health professional in considering whether he or she should indicate to a child that the child could make a disclosure in confidence and whether such a confidence could then be maintained having heard the information. In exercising their professional judgement the visitor, counsellor or health professional must consider the best interests of the child including the need to both ensure trust to provide safeguards for our children and possible child protection issues.

· We expect all other visitors (supply teacher, students or volunteers) to report any disclosures by pupils or parents/carers, of a concerning personal nature to the designated child protection co-ordinator (Head teacher) as soon as possible after the disclosure and in an appropriate setting, so others cannot overhear. This is to ensure the safety, protection and well being of all our pupils and staff. The designated child protection co-ordinator will decide what, if any, further action needs to be taken.

Resources

· We follow the QCA Guidance for PSHE and Citizenship, which is incorporated into our PSHE Scheme of Work for Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. To support the PSHE curriculum we use the Primary Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme (SEAL).

· Our primary PSHE resources include Ealing Scheme of Work, SEAL resources, Talking Together, Answers and Folens’ scheme for PSHE and Citizenship which all provide explicit lessons on PSHE and citizenship. Furthermore, implicit learning is made through everyday school life outside and within the classroom.

· Every child is represented on the School House Council system and participates in working towards the Healthy School Scheme and these are key resources contributing to our PSHE and citizenship education.

Monitoring and Evaluation

· As with any learning process assessment of pupils’ personal, social and emotional development is important. It provides information which indicates pupils progress and achievement and informs the development of the programme.

· Pupils do not pass or fail within the area but have the opportunity to reflect on their own learning and personal experiences and to set personal goals and agree strategies to reach them. The process of assessment has a positive impact on pupils' self awareness and self esteem.

· We do not assess pupils in all areas of the PSHE and Citizenship programme however opportunities for pupils to reflect on their progress is identified. It is inappropriate to assess pupils’ values. Evidence of pupil achievement may take the form of:

Observation of taking part and contributing to discussion and debate
Written work
Self assessment sheets
Observations from role-play or simulation
A recording of a talk or presentation
A display or website
Resources produced for younger pupils
Article for school newspaper
There are opportunities to record learning and progress in different ways. Staff will keep records for every pupil, including information on academic achievements, other skills and abilities and progress made in school. There is no statutory requirement for end of key stage assessment in PSHE.

· There are opportunities to record learning and progress in different ways. Staff will keep records for every pupil, including information on academic achievements, other skills and abilities and progress made in school. PSHE achievements will be reported in the end of year reports to parents. There is no statutory requirement for end of key stage assessment in PSHE.

· Celebration of achievement contributes to building pupils’ self esteem, developing a sense of community and belonging, helps create a positive atmosphere in the school and develops pupils’ sense of pride. At West Twyford School this includes:

Weekly achievement assembly
Involvement in the house system
Weekly newsletter
Display of work around the school

Equal Opportunities

· Equal access to the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum is provided irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity or socio-economic background. The diversity of the school community makes a positive contribution to citizenship provision.

S.E.N

· All staff are aware of special individual needs and where appropriate plan differentiated access in order to provide equal access to the PSHE and citizenship curriculum.

Early Years

· The EYFS sets out six areas of learning for the Early Years. ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development’ as an area of learning incorporates Dispositions and Attitudes, Social Development and Emotional Development which all contribute to the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum.

· Throughout the foundation stage, as part of the teaching and learning process, practitioners need to assess each child’s development in relation to the early learning goals. These assessments are made on the basis of the practitioners accumulating observations and knowledge of the whole child.

Links to Other Policies

· Other whole school policies contribute to the personal, social and emotional development of pupils. The following policies should be consulted in regard to PSHE and Citizenship:

1. Healthy Schools

2. Sex Education

3. Drugs education

4. School Council

5. Anti-bullying

6. Confidentiality

7. Equal opportunities

8. Behaviour

9. Child Protection

Dissemination and Review

· The policy will be disseminated widely to staff, governors, parents and pupils.

· The policy will be reviewed in January 2011.