Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), including Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

At Verwood C of E First School, PSHE is at the heart of school life. We believe that helping children to feel happy, confident and valued provides the foundations for successful learning and positive relationships.

Our PSHE curriculum supports children to understand themselves, manage their feelings, make positive choices and develop the skills they need to grow into kind, respectful and responsible individuals.

A key part of our PSHE curriculum is Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). Within primary education, Relationships Education and Health Education are statutory, forming an important part of our wider PSHE provision. Through these areas, children learn about healthy and respectful relationships, emotional wellbeing, staying safe and looking after their physical and mental health.

Through our PSHE and RSHE curriculum, our Christian ethos and the experiences we provide throughout school life, we nurture the whole child and help every child to flourish.

To support us in delivering effective, high-quality lessons, we draw upon resources from Coram Life Education’s SCARF scheme (Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience, Friendship) to support and enrich our teaching. Using SCARF as a flexible foundation allows our teachers to tailor sessions to the specific needs of our children while ensuring all statutory learning is covered in an age-appropriate way.

Our RSHE learning brings our core school values to life:

• Readiness: Children learn how to look after their physical and mental wellbeing, recognise and manage their emotions, and build the self-awareness needed to feel ready to learn and face new challenges.

• Engagement: Interactive discussion and reflective activities encourage pupils to actively participate, share their ideas, and explore real-world choices in a safe, supportive environment.

• Respectful Relationships: Lessons focus explicitly on understanding boundaries, celebrating differences, communicating kindly, and building positive, respectful friendships both in person and online.

Through this balanced approach, our RSHE curriculum ensures our children develop the essential knowledge, empathy, and social skills they need to thrive both in school and in the wider world.