St Paul's Catholic Primary School

Our intention is that when children leave St Paul’s, they will do so with the knowledge, understanding and emotions to be able to play an active, positive and successful role in today’s diverse society.

We want our children to have high aspirations, a belief in themselves and realise that anything is possible if they put their mind to it. In an ever–changing world, it is important that they are aware, to an appropriate level, of different factors which will affect their world and that they learn how to deal with these so that they have good mental health and well-being.

Our PSHE curriculum develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and skills which will enable children to access the wider curriculum and prepare them to be a global citizen now and in their future roles within a global community.

It promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for later life.

EYFS - In the Foundation Stage, PSHE and citizenship is taught as an integral part of topic work and is embedded throughout the curriculum. The objectives taught are the Personal, Social and Emotional Development statements from ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ and the PSED Early Learning Goals.

Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 - At Key Stage 1 and 2, PSHE is taught through a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. We ensure we cover the Health and Well-Being, Relationships and Living in the Wider World Learning Opportunities set out in the PSHE Association’s Programme of Study, which comprehensively cover the statutory Health Education and Relationships Education guidance. 

Pupils are taught PSHE using ‘Jigsaw’ which is a spiral, progressive scheme of work, covering all of the above and 'aims to prepare children for life, helping them to know and value who they are and understand how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world’. There is a strong emphasis on emotional Literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. It includes mindfulness to allow children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration and focus.

PSHE is taught through Jigsaw’s six half termly themes with each year group studying the same unit at the same time (at their own level):

Autumn 1: Being Me in My World

Autumn 2: Differences (including anti-bullying)

Spring 1: Dreams and Goals

Spring 2: Healthy Me

Summer 1: RSE taught with the Ten Ten Scheme

Summer 2: RSE taught with the Ten Ten Scheme

It also identifies links to British Values, and SMSC (spiritual, moral, social and cultural) and is taught in such a way as to reflect the overall aims, values, and ethos of the school.

Wider Curriculum  

• PSHE, is an integral part of the whole school curriculum, and is therefore often taught within another subject areas.
• Visitors such as emergency services and the school nurse complement our PSHE curriculum to offer additional learning.          
• We encourage our pupils to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community. We challenge all of our pupils to look for opportunities to show the school values of faith, hope and love. We often hold fund raising events for many charities as a school and classes raise money for their charities too.
• Assemblies are linked to PSHE and British Values and cover any additional sessions that would benefit the whole school.                                                        
• PSHE displays up for pupils to reinforce the PSHE curriculum enabling children to make links.
• Feelings displays and worry boxes are in every classroom to encourage the children to talk about their feelings and mental health. 
• Circle time is done weekly and recorded in our circle time books.  Circle time is specifically catered for any issues within a class to be dealt with quickly and collaboratively.

By the time our children leave our school they will:

• be able to approach a range of real life situations and apply their skills and attributes to help navigate themselves through modern life
• be on their way to becoming healthy, open minded, respectful, socially and morally responsible, active members of society
• appreciate difference and diversity
• recognise and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual respect, Rule of law and Liberty
• be  able to understand and manage their emotions
• be able to look after their mental health and well-being
• be able to develop positive, healthy relationships with their peers both now and in the future
• have respect for themselves and others.
• have positive self esteem

Snapshot (Overview) Maps : The Snapshot Overview shows a brief overview of Jigsaw’s content by Puzzle (unit of work) through all the year groups.  The Expanded Snapshot Overview adds Assessment Statements – the ‘working at‘ descriptor for each Puzzle.

* We do not cover the units 'Relationships' and 'Changing me' through the Jigsaw scheme we use Ten Ten to teach SRE to our pupils. 

The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) was revised, with the new document coming into force for September 2021 (and has been supported by a revised version of Development Matters).

In line with this, Jigsaw PSHE has revised all assessment tables for its EYFS plans to support practitioners in making judgements against the Early Learning Goals. How each session supports children towards the revised Development Matters statements is also reflected in our revised planning. This document specifically looks at the PSED Early Learning Goals and how Jigsaw supports children to fulfil them.

Here at St Pauls we create knowledge organisers for each topic every half term.  These are shared with the chidren and their families.  Here are a few examples of knowledge organisers across the school for PSHE. 

To be able to learn effectively in PSHE we have come up with a list of skills.  These skills are written on stars on our displays and referred to throughout PSHE lessons so the children are familiar with the terminology.  The skills are:

• Discuss
• Empathise
• Listen to others
• Sensitive
• Brave
• Accepting
• Understanding
• Share thoughts and ideas
• Respect
• Honesty

Art and PSHE joined forces to bring 'Mindful Me' into the classrooms of St Pauls. The idea was to talk about feelings and represent those feeling through art. Each class decided how this was going to look and decided whether it was an individual piece or group task; whether music can change those feelings; how they would present it and which art materials they would use. It was a successful day with all the children talking about good feelings and bad feelings and who to go to for help if needed. Below are a few examples of the fabulous work done that day - well done to all the children for taking part!

BBC education's PSHE. List of PSHE websites for 4-11 year old students, including games and activities and resources for teachers and parents.

Kidsmart, learn about the internet and being a SMART surfer; plus lots of good sites for children.

CBBC's stay safe on line.Test your internet safety knowledge with Hacker, listen to some Stay Safe songs with Helen Skelton, News Kids On the Block and Bobby Lockwood and get some tips from the Horrible Histories gang.

Safety Net Kids, all things to do with keeping safe.

E-Safety, Tablets and Apps, tips and links to child friendly apps.

Anti-bullying network, links to many sites to support anti-bullying.

Stop bullying,  Child-friendly, US site with tools to learn about bullying and how to prevent it.

In a world where so many people only look after themselves, help your child be a beacon of light with these lovely acts of compassion.

In today’s world, it often seems as if only the fittest survive. Almost every day, we hear new stories of horrendous bullying both online and in real life – in some cases driving children to suicide. Racism, homophobia, bigotry and intolerance are rife, and examples of people being kind to each other are in short supply.

It’s no surprise, then, that many kids find it all too easy to be mean to each other.

But the picture isn’t as bleak as it might seem. Lots of children are genuinely warm and caring, and find it easy to empathise with others – perhaps teaching us adults a lesson.

If your child wants to make a difference, why not suggest they try some of these random acts of kindness? There’s no guarantee of getting anything in return, but acts of altruism are known to improve mental health and you and your child will both get a buzz from doing something nice for someone else.

1. Hold the door open for your teacher or headteacher.

2. Let someone else go in front in the queue to go out to play.

3. Help a friend who’s stuck on their classwork.

4. Clear up a mess you didn’t make.

5. Offer to hand out the fruit and milk at snack time.

6. Hang up someone’s coat if it’s fallen off its peg.

7. Sharpen all the pencils in the class at breaktime.

8. Sort out the reading books if they’re all jumbled up.

9. Use your pocket money to buy a nice new pen for your friend.

10. Clear out your old books and donate them to the school library.

11. Offer to tidy up the equipment at the end of PE.

12. Write your teacher a note or a poem about why you like them.

13. Tell someone a joke to cheer them up if they’re feeling sad.

14. Bring in sweets or cakes to give out on your birthday (check that this is okay first: in case any of your schoolmates have allergies).

15. Bring in a pot plant for your classroom windowsill, or a bunch of daffodils for your teacher.

16. Sort out your old school uniform that doesn’t fit any more and donate it to the school.

17. Ask your teacher if you can hold a bake sale, craft sale or second-hand book sale to raise money for charity.

18. Offer to play with someone who’s all on their own.

19. Run to fetch a teacher if a friend falls and hurts themselves.

20. Organise a game for children from one of the younger classes.

21. Pick up litter from the school playing field and put it in the bin.

22. Share the games equipment you’re playing with, even if you had it first.

23. Ask your teacher if you can make bird feeders or an insect home for the playground.

24. Lend someone your hat or gloves if you’re warm and they’re feeling cold.

25. Stand by the door after playtime and remind your friends to wipe their muddy feet.

26. Make your brother or sister’s bed for them.

27. Clear the table after dinner without being asked.

28. Bake cakes or cookies to take on a playdate.

29. Send a letter to your grandma or granddad, or a relative you don’t see very often. Write it by hand, not on the computer!

30. Read your little brother or sister a bedtime story.

31. Feed your pet or clean out their cage without having to be told.

32. If you’ve done something naughty, write a note to your mum or dad to say sorry.

33. Make sure you help tidy the toys away when you’ve been playing at a friend’s house.

34. Use beads, loom bands or other craft materials to make a bracelet for a friend.

35. Put out food for the birds in your garden, especially in winter when the ground is frozen.

36. Empty the rubbish out of your lunchbox after school and rinse / wash it.

37. Pour the rest of your family a drink at mealtimes.

38. Listen to your brother or sister read their school reading books.

39. Draw your mum or dad a picture, just because you love them.

40. Give a packet of sunflower seeds to a friend, so they can watch them grow.

41. Put your shoes and coat in the right place after school instead of dumping them on the floor.

42. Offer to wash your mum or dad’s car and put all the rubbish in the bin.

43. Write proper handwritten thank-you cards for all your birthday or Christmas presents.

44. Try to pay five people a compliment every day – for example, you could tell them they make you laugh, or they’re a good friend, or that they’re brilliant at drawing.

45. Make a poster for your local park to remind people to pick up their dog poo.

46. Sign up to Post Pals and write a letter to a child who’s ill in hospital.

47. Offer to walk your neighbour’s dog for them (only if your mum and dad say it’s okay and will go with you).

48. Paint rocks with pretty pictures or positive sayings and hide them in your neighbourhood for other children to find.

49. Leave your pound coin in the locker at the swimming pool for the next person who uses it.

50. Try to walk to school more often so you’re not polluting the environment with car fumes.

51. If you’ve got long hair, think about having it cut and donating it to a charity that makes wigs for sick children, like the Little Princess Trust.

52. Sort out your old toys and donate them to a charity shop or a local playgroup.

53. Pick up at least three pieces of litter every time you go to the park.

54. Collect copper coins and leave a jar of  ‘wishing pennies’ next to a fountain or wishing well.

55. Make sandwiches or cakes to take to your local soup kitchen or homeless night shelter.

56. Sign up for a sponsored run, skip or silence and raise money for your favourite charity.

57. Donate your old comics, magazines and colouring books to your GP’s surgery for children who are waiting to see the doctor.

58. At Christmas time, put decorations on a tree in your local park to make people smile (remember to take them down again once Christmas is over).

59. When you go shopping with your mum or dad, choose an extra item of food to donate to a food bank.

60. Visit your local old people’s home to talk to the residents. You could even read them a book, sing them a song or play your instrument for them.

61. Smile and say hello to people you pass on the way to and from school.

Every week one class will be in the spot light for ‘Caught Being Kind’. During this week teachers will be looking for kind acts by their children. They will take 1 photo each of those 3 children and if they are lucky hopefully catch them doing the kindness act and print these photos. The Friday of their classes week, during assembly teachers will be asked who these children were and share their act of kindness. The photos will then be added to the ‘Caught Being Kind’ display in the dining hall outside Katie WG’s office.

Make kindness cool – make it part of everyday conversations with your children, because that is how they learn, through their role models. That’s us, as their teachers and you as their parents.

Children will be sent a kindness homework three times a year. 

In Nursery last year we :

Please see the World Kindness Day Pack below and try some of the activities. I would love to see your hard work so please email me a photo or send your work to the Nursery Classroom. 

Kind regards, 

Mrs Thrasyvoulou

Email: xthrasyvoulou@stpauls373.herts.sch.uk

March 2024: Natalie Shay walked through the doors of St Pauls and into our hearts. She performed a number of song she had written; all with important messages for our KS2 children. Body confidence, beliving in yourself and the power of resilience was what the children had humming in their ears. Thank you for your visit Natalie and for making an impression on our children. 

As a school we joined in the hall for a 'Concert of Togetherness and Positivity'. From Nursery to Year 6 we practiced our own songs which radiated 'Positivity' and we had the words on the screen so everyone could join in 'Together'. Some of the songs included - Walking on sunshine; You've got a friend in me and Don't worry be happy. Here are a few photos from our afternoon...