PSHE

PSHE Overview

At Simonside Primary School, we believe that PSHE plays a vital role in helping our children grow into healthy, responsible, confident, and resilient individuals. We are committed to providing a purposeful and empowering curriculum that prepares our learners for the next steps in their education and for life in the wider world.

We want our children to aspire to achieve and to believe in their own potential. At Simonside, we recognise the importance of helping pupils understand the world they live in, broadening their horizons, and giving them the confidence to make a positive difference. Our PSHE curriculum equips children with the knowledge, skills, and understanding they need to make informed choices, manage challenges effectively, and contribute positively to their communities.

To support the delivery of PSHE, we use SCARF, an online programme provided by Coram Life Education. SCARF stands for Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience, and Friendship, and is designed to promote positive behaviour, mental health, wellbeing, and resilience. The programme provides a comprehensive and progressive framework for children’s personal development through engaging lessons, stories, and interactive activities. SCARF ensures that our curriculum is consistent, inclusive, and closely aligned with the PSHE Association learning outcomes and statutory requirements for Relationships Education, Health Education, and Citizenship.

Developing children’s self-esteem and emotional wellbeing is at the heart of our approach. We are committed to helping every child build a strong sense of self-worth, recognise their own achievements and strengths, and develop the resilience needed to face life’s challenges with confidence. We aim to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment where all individuals feel valued and empowered as learners.

Our PSHE journey begins as soon as children start Nursery, where we also use the SCARF programme to introduce key concepts of relationships, safety, wellbeing, and self-confidence in a child-friendly, interactive way. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, PSHE is a Prime Area of Learning that underpins many of the planned activities and experiences for children.

As pupils move through school, our curriculum builds on these foundations through six half-termly units:

  • Me and My Relationships
  • Valuing Difference
  • Keeping Safe
  • Rights and Respect
  • Being My Best
  • Growing and Changing

These six units are aligned with the PSHE Association’s three core themes: Relationships, Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing, and Living in the Wider World (including economic wellbeing and citizenship).

Through our PSHE curriculum, we aim to ensure that every child at Simonside leaves school equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to stay safe, be healthy, and make a positive contribution to society—ready to thrive in an ever-changing world.