At Widcombe Infant School we believe that Personal, Social, Health Education is essential to promote independent, healthy, well behaved, confident and responsible members of our school community and society in general.  Our ethos is that all children are unique and special, so differences are celebrated and respected.  From the start of school life the children’s wellbeing and self-esteem are paramount.
Our curriculum
- provides opportunities to share and explore life experiences, emotions and difficulties
- teaches the difference between right and wrong
- equips pupils with the skills and attitudes to engage successfully in the task of learning
- promotes a positive sense of self
- develops skills to form good relationships with others
- encourages good attitudes towards others and an understanding of differences between people and their viewpoints
- equips pupils with knowledge about the world in which we live
- provides opportunities to contribute to our community
- encourages reflection on choices, values, opinions and beliefs
- promotes a healthy, active, safe and sustainable lifestyle
- develops a growth mindset
- develops global awareness
Personal, Social, Health Education is central to all aspects of a child’s development and opportunities to teach it are taken throughout the school day as certain situations arise.  It is also taught specifically through:
- Whole school and class assemblies which enhance pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural developments, promoting and celebrating the schools’ values and achievements
- Dedicated teaching of the curriculum in units of work, for example healthy eating, exercise, smoking, medicines or caring for the environment
- Cross curricular work, for example in Year 1 ‘Our Bodies’ is part of the Science Curriculum and in Year 2 emotional health is addressed through English teaching.
- Circle times in which children can discuss and participate in activities covering a range of topics, for example relationships, making choices, loss, bullying, feelings, rules and moral dilemmas
- Active citizenship including fundraising for charities and planning special events at school
- Visiting speakers, such as health workers, the police and representatives from the local church who talk about their role in creating a positive and supportive local community
- Walk to School Week and a Walk to School Breakfast
- Wellbeing Week including activities to promote good mental wellbeing.
Widcombe Infant School has gained the Healthy Schools Certificate and Healthy Outcomes Certificate so has received the Director of Public Health Award for our developments in this area of the curriculum.

Global Awareness
As part of the PSHE curriculum, Global Citizenship is taught. This helps the children to: 
•    build their own understanding of world events
•    think about their values and what is important to them
•    take learning into the real world
•    challenge ignorance and intolerance 
•    get involved with their local and national communities 
•    see that they have the power to act and influence the world around them
•    develop their own voice.  
The children look at different environmental issues and think about sustainability, as well as raising ideas of how to make our school a more environmentally friendly place.

School Council
The school has an active School Council with two representatives who are elected from each class to support and contribute to the running of the school.  They ensure that the views and ideas of all the children in their class are heard and discussed, so encouraging children to have a ‘voice within our school’.  Meetings are held regularly to explore and make decisions on various aspects of school life including the school environment, behaviour, energy monitoring and charity events.

Websites
The following websites may be of use to support your child in aspects of this curriculum, however it is essential for parents and carers to explore them first to ensure they are appropriate for individual children and situations.

Berevementwww.childbereavement.org.uk/

www.clicsargent.org.uk

Healthy Eatinghttp://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/4_11/uptoyou/

http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk

Feelings and Health 

EYFS / KS1: Feeling BetterFeelings and Emotions BBC BitesizeUnderstanding Moneyhttp://www.educational-freeware.com/online/moneyville.aspx