Personal Development
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Our curriculum, ethos and approach at Harehills Primary School fully supports the personal development of each and every pupil. Children are nurtured and encouraged to develop attributes such as confidence, resilience and independence as well as an understanding of British values in order that they are fully prepared for life in 21st Century Britain, and indeed, the world. Equality and diversity are promoted and celebrated throughout school and we are very proud of a curriculum which equips our children with the knowledge, skills and understanding to lead happy, safe and healthy lives whilst enabling them to develop their talents and strive for their goals. Our ethos of Learn, laugh and love is built upon these principles. |
SMSC
At Harehills Primary School, spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) elements are developed across all subjects and aspects of school life. Children develop the ability to be reflective about their own and others’ lives and positive relationships are evident across school. Children readily apply an understanding of right and wrong to their everyday lives and are passionate about the many creative and cultural opportunities they are given including those that are artistic, musical and sporting.
How do we promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils?
SMSC is developed in all subjects and lots of aspects of school life.
| Definition (Citizenship Foundation) |
Examples of what we do at Harehills Primary School |
| Spiritual: Explore beliefs and experience; respect values; discover oneself and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect. British Values |
RE (Harehills Curriculum) PSHE/RSHE (Harehills Curriculum) Assemblies |
| Moral: Recognise right and wrong; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views. British Values |
PSHE/RSHE (Harehills Curriculum) Assemblies Harehills Curriculum themes Fairtrade activities School Council and Cluster Council Leeds Debating Competition |
| Social: Use social skills in different contexts; work well with others; resolve conflicts; understand how communities work. British Values |
PSHE/RSHE (Harehills Curriculum) Relationships Policy Restorative Practice Relationships & Health Education (RSHE) Annual Manners Contract and Manners week Family Service Lunchtimes Year 6 Staff/Children buddies |
| Cultural: Appreciate cultural influences; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity. British Values |
Assemblies RE (Harehills Curriculum) GRT Month Black History Month PSHE/RSHE (Harehills Curriculum) Trips, visits and visitors |
| Keeping Safe | PSHE/RSHE (Harehills Curriculum) Safe as Houses Project (Domestic violence) School song Road Safety training Anti-Bullying week, MindMate Ambassadors |
| Being Healthy | PSHE/RSHE (Harehills Curriculum) PE AND SPORT (Harehills Curriculum) Food in the Curriculum (Harehills Curriculum) Let’s Get cooking Rise and Shine club (before school) After school clubs Family Service |
Healthy Schools
Harehills Primary School is extremely proud to be a healthy school. As a healthy school, we meet the criteria in four core areas. These criteria relate not only to the taught curriculum but also to the wider aspects and ethos of the life of our school. The four core areas of Healthy Schools are;
- Personal Social Health Education (PSHE)
- Healthy Eating
- Physical Activity
- Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH)
We believe all four areas within Healthy Schools are interrelated and also independent. Our work in this area is a vital aspect of our ethos and approach and is vital in helping our children and wider school community on our quest to ‘Learn, laugh and love’.
For more information on the four areas of Healthy Schools please see the links below
Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) & the statutory Relationships and Health Education Guidance
Changes to the curriculum
Relationships and Health Education (the guidance for which relates to many parts of our established PSHE curriculum) became compulsory in all primary schools from September 2020. We are proud of a curriculum here at Harehills Primary School which celebrates diversity, encourages respect towards everyone and fully prepares our pupils for life in modern Britain. We are therefore registered as a Department for Education (DfE) ‘Early Adopter’ school meaning that we were prepared for the compulsory elements of the Relationships and Health Education curriculum to take effect from September 2019.
The DfE have produced a useful guide for parents/carers outlining the changes. You can view this guide here.
PSHE at Harehills
Our curriculum for PSHE aims to fully support our children’s personal development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life as future citizens. PSHE is vital for pupils to learn how to keep safe and healthy in an everchanging world. Our progressive curriculum is age appropriate and designed with the needs of our whole school community in mind, whilst still ensuring that pupils are fully equipped for life in the 21st century, as well as their relevant next stage of education.
Our PSHE curriculum is made up of the following themes:
- Identity, society and equality
- Keeping safe and managing risk
- MindMate (Mental health and emotional wellbeing)
- Physical health and wellbeing
- Growing and Changing
- Drug, alcohol and tobacco education (DATE)
- Careers, financial capability & economic wellbeing
PSHE Whole School Curriculum Overview
PSHE year group overviews
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
Whole School Curriculum Overview (a focus on mental health and emotional wellbeing)
Growing & Changing (RSE)
We recognise that misleading messages in the media over recent years have led to concern from some families about aspects of primary PSHE, in particular the Growing & Changing units of work. The teaching of this topic is well established in our school and all objectives, lesson activities and resources are age and developmentally appropriate. We really value the partnership between school and home in relation to supporting this important topic.
It is hard as the key adults in our children’s lives to watch them grow up, particularly in a world where there are many challenges to face including those brought about by the online, as well as the offline, world. Growing and changing is often a tricky subject for parents to discuss with their children for various reasons. Many parents have felt supported by the fact that children learn about growing and changing in school to start a conversation with them about these completely normal changes at home.
If children don’t get the correct information from home and school about puberty and their changing body, they will find it elsewhere and the danger with this is that the information could largely be incorrect.
Please see below for an overview of what children in different year groups will be covering in their Growing and Changing lessons.
Please see below our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Growing and Changing topic. We understand that sensational headlines in the media may have led to concerns about what is being taught to primary-aged children. Therefore, the FAQs listed below will help to put your mind at ease about what your child will be learning.
Working with parents/ carers and the local community
We value the relationships we have with parents/ carers and the wider community and are fully committed to working in partnership with parents and carers in order to best educate our children in relation to PSHE and Relationships and Health Education. We thank you for your on-going support.
Please see our short information film about the Growing & Changing units of work which you can watch here.
There is also an Urdu version available.
Curriculum working party
We really appreciate the support from parents who joined us to be part of the working party reviewing the Growing & Changing curriculum recently. It was wonderful to work together to ensure that this aspect of the curriculum is right for our children and families and to find ways in which to communicate the correct information about what we are teaching, how we are teaching it and why to families who may be worried or confused by misleading messages in the media.
Please watch this space for information about future consultations workshops and how you can get involved.
Healthy Eating
You can find more information on Healthy Eating on our Healthy Schools pages.
Physical Activity
For more information on Physical Activity please see our Physical Activity and Sport pages.
Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH)
We place a very high priority on support for the mental health and emotional wellbeing of our children, staff and families. Our PSHE curriculum as well as our whole school ethos contribute to an established whole school approach to promoting and supporting mental health.
Curriculum
Children across school take part in regular lessons relating to mental health and emotional wellbeing - see the MindMate theme within our PSHE curriculum.
Web of Wellbeing
We all need a little help and support at times. Please visit our web of wellbeing page for a helping hand.
Future in Mind Strategy
We are fully committed to the Future in Mind: Leeds strategy and are very proud to have been awarded MindMate Champion status. (Click here to see our MindMate Champions submission).
Partnership work
We have been actively involved in many partnership opportunities working with colleagues across the city, and further afield, to support the MindMate agenda. These opportunities have included demonstrating a ‘live lesson’ at the launch of the MindMate lesson resources, presenting at a regional learning event about MindMate in our school and writing a series of blogs for the MindMate website.
MindMate Ambassadors
Children in school are proud to take on the role of MindMate Ambassador. This role has been established in our school since 2018 and we are delighted to have worked in partnership with colleagues at Leeds City Council to develop a resource pack which will enable other schools to develop the role of MindMate Ambassador.
Watch the video we made with our friends at Space 2 below:
Mindfulness and yoga
Children across school take part in regular mindfulness and yoga sessions in order to support their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Staff also have access to regular mindfulness sessions.
