Curriculum Intent

At Greswold, we believe that PSD is crucial to enable every child to have an age-appropriate toolkit of knowledge and skills that will help them navigate their world and keep themselves safe. We want them to be able to develop positive relationships with themselves and others, whilst building their resilience and nurturing their mental and physical health. Our aim is to provide pupils with empowering opportunities to boost their self-esteem and confidence by promoting mindfulness. SMSC is at the heart of our PSD curriculum which gives children specific opportunities to explore and respect the range of attitudes and values in society and school values (BRICKS). By the end of their time at Greswold, children will have a range of skills which prepare them to be successful, independent citizens who can belong to their communities. 

Early Years 

The main elements of this area of learning focus on belonging, independence, emotional and social wellbeing and children being able to identify and regulate their feelings. Children become settled in their environment through home visits, transition days and getting to know the individual child. Once settled we encourage self-confidence by demonstrating respect towards others through listening to them and valuing each individual. Children are introduced to the school values and Jigsaw and these allow clear expectations and boundaries to be set. They develop the ability to make their own choices at every opportunity, from choosing their lunch, when they wish to take their snack, if they want to learn indoors or outdoors and the activities they wish to carry out. Through working in a variety of ways children are exposed to collaborative situations and learn to develop their peer relationships. They are given responsibilities such as tidying areas of the classroom, corridor monitors and sharing out equipment. We celebrate positive behaviours and use children as role models for one another. 

Year 1

The children will use their Jigsaw mascot, Jigsaw Jack, to discuss appropriate behaviour in the classroom. They will create their own classroom charter, to foster a sense of belonging and respect. They follow the themes of ‘Being Me in My World’ and ‘Celebrating Difference’ where they will discuss feeling safe and special in their class, similarities and differences, how to celebrate them, how to address bullying and making friends. ‘Dreams and Goals’ and ‘Healthy Me’, encourage the children to discuss how they learn best and how to approach challenges with a growth mind-set, and explore making healthy lifestyle choices and learn how to recognise their feelings. Through ‘Relationships’ and ‘Changing Me’ children reflect on how to be a good friend and knowing when they need to seek help and advice. They also think about growing up and how they have changed since they were a baby. Finally, they explore that learning new things is fun and that they can cope with change.

Year 2

The children start the year by reflecting on rights and responsibilities including the right to learn, linking these to the rewards and consequences we have at Greswold. As a class, the children develop a learning charter which is displayed in the classroom. The children consider the differences people may have and celebrate their individuality. They also learn about bullying, linking to our school values of respect and kindness. The children discuss setting realistic goals and consider the steps needed to achieve them. They reflect on their own strengths and consider how persevering when things get difficult or working with others can help their learning to improve. The children also reflect on what makes a healthy friendship and how to be a good friend. They learn about personal space and learn strategies to resolve conflicts with their friends. The children consider the role of trust and when secrets may need to be shared. In the last half term the children reflect on the progress they have made in Year 2 and also that they are now more grown up. They learn some basic information about how humans change through their life cycle and celebrate the independence they have developed over the academic year. The children are taught strategies to be assertive and look forward to moving into Year 3 in a positive way as part of our transition work.

Year 3

The children reflect on the themes ‘Being Me in My World’ and ‘Celebrating Difference’, both of which link to understanding what makes us different and embracing the unique characteristics of those around us, including our families, through our value of belonging. Lessons include the importance of a growth mind-set, resolving differences and creating a bespoke class charter to identify what the children feel is important for their learning environment. The children reflect on the themes ‘Dreams and Goals’ and ‘Healthy Me’, both of which link to understanding themselves and overcoming obstacles to succeed in life. They explore these themes through a variety of cross-curricular activities such as designing and making a healthy sandwich and setting personal targets to take ownership of their own health. Pupils also learn about the themes ‘Relationships’ and ‘Changing Me’, considering ways in which they can effectively work with others preparing themselves for transition to the next stage in their lives. They enhance their understanding of the key skills that create a well-rounded, confident and most importantly happy child who has the tools to tackle challenges that they may face. 

Year 4

Children reflect on their lives both at home and in school which links to our value of ‘Belonging’. They discuss what it feels like to be part of a smaller team compared to the wider school community and look at democracy through School Council, including developing a Learning Charter. In Celebrating Difference, pupils understand how assumptions can be made based on appearance and the need to judge people for who they really are not how they appear to be. They look at bullying and ways in which it can be challenged and reflect on their own personalities and what makes them special. Children reflect on their hopes and dreams and how to cope with setbacks and feelings of disappointment developing the skills needed to be resilient. Pupils look at healthy relationships and group dynamics, being encouraged to think about themselves positively and reflect on their inner strength. They also consider the impact of smoking and alcohol on somebody's health. In ‘Relationships’ children develop their skills to maintain positive relationships with those around them and explore relationship webs focusing on family, pets and more distant relatives. They consider love and loss and the importance of memories too. During ‘The Great Growing Up Adventure’ children look at life cycles and how they have changed since they were babies. They focus on accepting change, including the changes which happen during puberty, and having a positive attitude towards this.

Year 5

Children explore rights and responsibilities, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and how the attitudes to rights of children vary throughout the world. They discuss strategies to resolve conflicts with others and to deal with setbacks; including understanding what makes a 'healthy' friendship, different types of relationships and what constitutes bullying behaviour. Pupils discuss people they admire and how they achieved their ambitions while developing their own ability to set goals and plan how to reach them. Additionally, they are made aware of the effects of legal and illegal drugs and strategies to resist peer pressure. Our RSE consists of learning about the physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty. In conjunction with this, how to deal with changes more broadly and manage these in a positive way.   

Year 6

Children continue to develop social skills, emotional literacy and empathy. Through the series of topics, children will be equipped with the tools and strategies needed to understand and cope with issues like mental health, being different, body image, cyber and homophobic bullying and internet safety. Linking with RE, children examine the concept of rights and responsibilities and how the attitudes to rights of children vary throughout the world, culminating in them producing their own set of class rights and responsibilities to tie in with our Greswold values. While reflecting on their own dreams, goals and ambitions, children will take part in lessons linked to Skills Builder, enabling them to develop the qualities needed to become Life Ready. Linking with the science unit of ‘Heart and Lungs’, pupils will learn about how alcohol, drugs and diet impact their minds and bodies and about the direct effect these substances may have on the circulatory and respiratory systems in particular. Our RSE builds on learning from year 5, pupils will learn about conception and pregnancy, through to birth in conjunction with contraception.