Personal Social Health & Citizenship Education (PSHCE)

PSHCE is embedded within our Personal Development Learning programme that includes Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development. Our Jigsaw PSHCE programme of work in Key Stages 2 and 3 supports Dorset County Council’s guidelines and is enriched through additional resources, including advice from the PSHE Association, Unicef and Oxfam. We deliver it through discrete weekly lessons taught by teachers and across the curriculum, using a variety of teaching styles that are mindful of children’s preferred learning styles and the need for effective differentiation. These include:

• Jigsaw Circle Time
• Big Questions
• ‘Connect Us’ games
• ‘Calm Me’ reflective opportunities
• group/class discussions
• drama and art
• problem solving
• scenarios/stories
• CV development

In addition, PSHCE is complimented by visitors, visits and residential trips, together with assemblies, including weekly VIP assemblies and half-termly Jigsaw assemblies. It encompasses pupil voice, drug and alcohol education, cyber and homophobic bullying, internet safety, body image, self-esteem, financial capability, health education and relationship and sex education.

In essence, at West Moors Middle School our PSHCE programme aims to enable children to:

• be healthy and understand what constitutes a healthy lifestyle (e.g. the benefits of physical activity, rest, healthy eating and dental health).
• be aware of safety issues to enable them to stay safe (including road safety, the correct use of medicines and on-line safety.
• enjoy and achieve
• understand what makes for good relationships
• have respect for others
• be an independent and responsible member of the school community
• develop self-confidence and self-esteem enabling them to make informed choices
• make a positive contribution, being active members of the wider community
• have economic well being
• we are proud to be working towards Bronze level of Unicef’s Rights Respecting School Award

Curriculum Map

In 2019/20, we worked with the curriculum leads in pyramid schools to develop our ‘Big Ideas’ curriculum, ensuring that the key skills and essential knowledge we have identified permeate our curriculum from year 5 to year 8, allowing our pupils to make links in their learning as well as develop the ability to think more deeply about what they are learning. In this respect, pupils’ learning is meaningful and purposeful, and designed in a range of contexts, which offer breadth and variety to their learning.

Big Ideas Curriculum