PHSE at Maple Court Academy

Subject Leaders: Mrs C Steele
Action Leader: Mrs L Bourne

Intent

The skills taught in PSHE enable pupils to develop the skills they need to flourish in the wider curriculum and in life as a whole. PSHE helps pupils to understand their own personal value, and how as individuals, they fit into and contribute to the world. PSHE helps to develop emotional literacy, build resilience and supports mental and physical wellbeing, in turn supporting emotional awareness, concentration and focus.

The Subject Leader

As PSHE lead at Maple Court, I am dedicated to ensuring that we fit our children for life after their school days.  To this end making sure they understand all of the important elements that our PSHE curriculum covers – from positive relationship, to self-confidence, to resilience to deal with change – is vital.  I take my role seriously, and ensure that PSHE lessons are given the recognition they deserve by both children and staff to ensure we are doing our best to prepare our pupils to take their place in the wider world around them. 

The curriculum

We use the JIGSAW scheme to teach PSHE, as “Jigsaw holds children at its heart, and its cohesive vision helps children understand and value how they fit into and contribute to the world. With strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health, Jigsaw 3-11 properly equips schools to deliver engaging and relevant PSHE within a whole-school approach. Jigsaw lessons also include mindfulness allowing children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration and focus.” 

EYFS

Our Nursery and Reception classes follow the JIGSAW learning Journey in the same way the rest of the school does, and their learning can be seen in their class floor book. 

Assessment for learning

Our PSHE lessons are taught with an emphasis on discussion, questioning and sharing ideas and thoughts.  As such, assessment takes place continually during lessons with teachers noting children’s responses or ideas and using questioning and scenarios to draw out of the children their ideas, next steps and any misconceptions.  

Pupil voice

‘PSHE is Personal, social, Health and Economic Education, it helps us be ready to be out in the world’ – Cody-Jay

‘I like PSHE, it gives us time to think about things and chat about them with others’ – Layla

‘We use Jigsaw Jack – he is my friend’ – Finley

JLT and School Council

There are 2 elected JLT links, with the role of supporting Mrs Steele in leading Personal Development & Welfare, including PSHE, throughout the school.  These JLT members join in with lesson observations, book monitoring and gathering pupil voice.