PSHE and SMSC
Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Responsibilities (SMSC)
At Talavera Junior School, we are dedicated to promoting the wellbeing of each and every child, in order to equip them with the knowledge, skills and values needed to thrive within a rapidly changing world. We are well aware that children who feel safe, happy and confident are much more likely to succeed and therefore view PSHE and SMSC as paramount to our pupils’ education. All staff at Talavera are devoted to providing a holistic education that enables children to establish a deep sense of self, as well as an appreciation for others. Through the promotion of PSHE and SMSC (including British Values), we aim to establish well-rounded pupils who are able to: identify and value their own place within society; distinguish between right and wrong; display respect and tolerance for others; and appreciate their own and other people’s cultures whilst celebrating the unity of being British.
Our carefully-planned, bespoke PSHE curriculum has been specifically designed in collaboration with our own pupils. It incorporates both SMSC and British values to ensure that strands are being explicitly taught throughout each stage of the children’s development.
The children’s health and wellbeing is fundamentally nurtured as a committed, whole-school approach and we therefore enrich our curriculum through the promotion of PSHE and SMSC as follows:
- Providing opportunities to link PSHE and SMSC into all curriculum topics where possible
- Establishing a strong pupil voice within the school, particularly through School Council and regular pupil conferencing
- Creating class charters and codes of conduct in collaboration with the pupils
- Using reward systems linked to the core values: Respect, Friendship, Courage and Determination
- Allowing each child to participate extra-curricular activities and team/ house events
- Providing trips for children to experience learning outside of the school environment
- Themed weeks and events such as: Anti-Bullying Week, Healthy Relationships Week and British Day
- Christmas and Leavers Performances
- Encouraging children to adopt a wide range of roles and responsibilities both within the class and school as a whole (Play Leaders, Class Buddies, Librarians, Senior Librarians, School Council, Prefects, House Captains and Energy Monitors)
All adults will serve as excellent role models to the children, demonstrating the core British values that we aim to embed within the school and society. Staff will treat all pupils with respect and dignity, ensuring that they listen to their voice and guide them to make appropriate and responsible choices. They will encourage children to identify their own unique worth and identify, whilst simultaneously developing a sense of respect and tolerance for others.
At Talavera Junior School, we aim for our PSHE and SMSC education to develop well-rounded, confident and motivated pupils who have a strong moral compass.