People Skills

At St Johns, we recognise that our pupils need to learn the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively navigate the complexities of life in the 21st Century. We aim to teach children to make informed choices now and in the future around their health, safety, wellbeing, relationships, and financial matters that will support them in becoming confident individuals and active members of society,  who are able to live their lives in all its fullness.  Our curriculum promotes British values,  which reflect life in modern Britain: democracy; rule of law; respect and tolerance and individual liberty. We entitle our Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) into the encompassing term of People Skills.

Curriculum

Our People Skills Curriculum is based upon a comprehensive scheme called Kapow, which has been adapted and enhanced to suit the needs of our children. The areas of learning include:

Foundation: Building Relatonships, Managing Self, Self-regulation

KS1 and KS2: Families and Relationships, Health and Wellbeing, Citizenship, Economic Wellbeing, Safety and the Changing Body, Transition,  Identity (Year 6)

(See People Skills Overview attached below)

Each area is revisited to allow children to build on prior learning and the lessons provide a progressive programme. The lessons are based upon the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health education, but where lessons go beyond these requirements (primarily in the Citizenship and Economic Wellbeing areas) they refer to the PSHE Association Programme of Study which is recommended by the DfE.

The scheme supports the requirements of the Equality Act through direct teaching, for example learning about different families, the negative effect of stereotypes and celebrating differences, in addition to the inclusion of diverse teaching resources throughout the lessons.

Relationship and Sex Education

Relationship and Sex Education is included in line with the statutory DfE recommendations and is covered throughout all year groups through the areas of Family and Relationships, Health and Wellbeing and Safety and the Changing Body.  We teach the body awareness, changing body, puberty and reproduction parts of the Relationship and Sex Education curriculum in the Summer Term (Safety and the Changing Body). Alongside this learning, we hold a whole-school annual NSPCC PANTS day to teach children how to stay safe from sexual abuse.  

See the website for more information: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/pants-underwear-rule/

Non-statutory Relationship and Sex Education is taught in Year 6 in line with DfE recommendations and includes learning about the biology of conception and how a baby develops in the womb and is born. Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from these two non-statutory Year 6 lessons in consultation with staff.   

Guidance for Parents

Please find attached below a comprehensive guide for parents explaining each Year Group's content in more detail, vocabulary, resource examples and top tips for how to help at home. 

If you have any other questions or queries about what your child is learning in People Skills, please ask your class teacher or Miss Bewick (subject lead).