PSHE & RHE

What is PSHE?

PSHE is a school curriculum subject that helps children and young people develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need to manage their lives now and in the future.

Focus Areas:

Personal development (self-awareness, emotional intelligence)
Social skills (relationships, teamwork, communication)
Health education (physical and mental health, wellbeing)
Economic understanding (money management, career choices)

Goal: To equip students with life skills to make informed decisions, build positive relationships and understand their responsibilities.

What is RHE?

RHE is a part of the broader PSHE curriculum in England (mandatory in schools) that focuses specifically on teaching children about healthy relationships and physical and mental health.

Focus Areas:

Relationships (friendships, family, romantic relationships, consent, respect)
Health and wellbeing (body changes, puberty, emotional health, lifestyle choices)
Safety (online safety, personal boundaries, avoiding abuse)

Goal: To help children understand how to maintain healthy relationships and take care of their physical and mental wellbeing.

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At Blackheath Primary, we deliver a comprehensive Relationships and Health Education curriculum that aligns with the Department for Education's statutory guidance. Our approach is designed to promote pupils' wellbeing, safety and personal development.

We follow the Jigsaw PSHE programme, which offers a structured, age-appropriate curriculum that fosters self-awareness, empathy and resilience. This programme supports pupils in understanding themselves and others, building positive relationships, and making informed choices.

To enrich our curriculum, we invite a range of external partners to engage with our pupils, including Decca, WMP (West Midlands Police, NSPCC, School Nursing Team and WMFS (West Midlands Fire Service) among many others.

Additionally, we host bi-weekly assemblies that focus on key personal safety and Health Protection and Prevention themes. These assemblies often feature guest speakers, such as Chartwells, who discuss topics like healthy eating and nutrition.

Why RSHE matters

Helps children feel confident and positive about themselves
Encourages kindness, respect and celebrating differences
Gives children a safe and supportive space to ask questions
Helps them understand how their bodies grow and change
Teaches the correct terminology to talk about their bodies safely
Supports children to make safe and healthy choices
Promotes the idea of respect for themselves and others

Wellbeing Team

Our commitment to pupil wellbeing extends beyond the classroom. We have established a Pupil Wellbeing Committee, empowering students to take an active role in promoting mental health and positive school culture. Throughout the year, we celebrate wellbeing events, such as Hello Yellow, to raise awareness and foster a supportive environment for all.

Through these initiatives, we ensure that our RHE curriculum is engaging, inclusive and responsive to the needs of our pupils, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Sex Education

In Year 6, we teach age-appropriate sex education using the Jigsaw programme. Parents are consulted, and consent is obtained before delivery. Parents have the right to request withdrawal from some or all of our sex education offer beyond the national curriculum for science. However, this right does not extend to other parts of the RHE curriculum, including sensitive topics and learning, such as knowing the correct names for body parts.

New RSHE Guidance 2025

The Department for Education has published updated statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE), which must be fully implemented by September 2026. At Blackheath Primary, we are reviewing our curriculum to ensure it continues to meet these requirements.

We are confident that the Jigsaw PSHE programme we follow will remain fully compliant with the new guidance. The RHE Policy linked below is currently a draft for consultation and will be finalised in line with the DfE 2025 guidance.

Jigsaw