At Burnt Oak Junior School, we believe that Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) enables children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of the community.

We feel that active learning is vital to the subject.  We do this through child discussions, investigation and problem solving, for real life situations.

At Burnt Oak and Chatsworth,  PSHCE is a planned, developmental programme of learning. We follow the Cambridgeshire scheme for PSHCE which includes comprehensive teaching materials and linked resources, covering the strands Myself and My Relationships, Healthy and Safer Lifestyles, Citizenship and Economic Wellbeing. There are also enrichment units on topics such as Body Image in Year 5 and E-Safety in Year 6. Relationships and Sex education (RSE) is also an important part of PSHCE education.

From Foundation through to Year 6, the PSHCE education that we cover develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. PSHCE education equips pupils to live healthy, safe, productive, capable, responsible and balanced lives. It encourages them to be enterprising and supports them in making effective transitions, positive learning and career choices and in achieving economic wellbeing.

At our school, we build on and promote PSHCE through often having themed weeks and specific focus areas, such as anti-bullying week. We encourage and organise for outside agencies, such as the NSPCC  to visit our school and deliver workshops.

Our PSHCE lessons contribute to personal development by helping pupils to build their confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and to identify and manage risk, make informed choices and understand what influences their decisions. It enables them to recognise, accept and shape their identities, to understand and accommodate difference and change, to manage emotions and to communicate constructively in a variety of settings. Developing an understanding of themselves, empathy and the ability to work with others will help pupils to form and maintain good relationships, develop the essential skills for future employability and better enjoy and manage their lives.