PSHE at Ryecroft Academy
Our Vision for PSHE at Ryecroft Academy
Our PSHE curriculum equips children with the knowledge, understanding and vocabulary they need to navigate the ever-changing world in which they live. Through high-quality PSHE lessons, pupils develop the skills required to make sensible, responsible and well-informed choices. These skills enable them to play an active role in their communities, manage different aspects of their lives effectively, and build positive, healthy relationships.
By taking an active role within both their immediate and wider communities, pupils understand that their time at Ryecroft Academy can have a positive impact on their own lives and on the lives of others around them.
At Ryecroft Academy, we follow the You, Me, PSHE scheme of work for pupils in Years 1 to 6. In the Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception), Personal, Social and Emotional Development is taught as one of the prime areas of learning through carefully planned play-based opportunities and adult-led experiences.
Our PSHE curriculum encompasses all aspects of safeguarding and is enhanced through additional lessons that respond to the needs of our pupils and community. These lessons are informed by our understanding of local issues, the outcomes of school surveys, and national awareness days and focus weeks. This ensures that our curriculum remains relevant, responsive and meaningful for all learners.
For further information, please see the documents below.
Statutory Relationships Education and Health Education – information for parents
We want all children to grow up healthy, happy, safe and equipped to manage the opportunities and challenges of modern Britain. To support this, Relationships and Health Education is a statutory part of the primary curriculum.
Ryecroft Academy was an early adopter of the Relationships and Health Education curriculum and has been delivering this content through our PSHE programme, as outlined above. Prior to implementation, we consulted with parents, carers and governors regarding our Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) Policy. This policy provides full details of the statutory Relationships and Health Education curriculum, alongside the non-statutory elements of Sex Education that we have chosen to include for Year 6 pupils.
This curriculum is now firmly embedded within our provision, and further information can be found in our Relationships, Sex and Health Education Policy (link above).
Parents and carers will be informed via ClassDojo when their child is due to receive any non-statutory Sex Education content. At this point, they will be provided with information about the content being taught and their right to withdraw their child from these specific lessons. Further details of the right to withdraw can be found in our RSHE Policy.
For further information about Relationships, Sex and Health Education, please follow the links below or contact the school and ask to speak to the PSHE Curriculum Leader.
RE at Ryecroft Academy
Our Vision for RE at Ryecroft Academy
Our RE curriculum intends to foster children’s awareness and understanding of faiths which may lie outside their own belief system. We encourage pupils to appreciate and celebrate diversity, both within the local community and on a national level. By the time our children leave Ryecroft Academy, our hope is that they will have become tolerant citizens who cherish the qualities and values that unite rather than separate us and have a strong understanding of the beliefs and practices of religions and other world views.
We follow The Leeds Syllabus is used to ensure age-appropriate progression.
Right to withdraw
Within the UK, parents have the right to withdraw their children from Religious Education on the grounds that they wish to make their own provision. This alternative will be the parents’ responsibility. Parents also have the right to withdraw their child from part of RE and can do so without giving any explanation.
As an academy, we ask that parents notify the Principal in the first instance. This would allow for a brief discussion to ensure than any request to withdraw from RE can be considered carefully and if ratified, met promptly.
British Values
The Department for Education has introduced a statutory duty for schools to promote British Values more actively from September 2014, and to ensure they are taught in schools.
These Fundamental British Values are:
At Ryecroft Academy, Fundamental British values are promoted in so much of what we do, not least during our school assemblies, Religious Education, Circle Time and Personal, Social Health Education (PSHE) sessions.
As well as actively promoting British values, the opposite also applies: we would actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to Fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views of any form.
Ryecroft Academy is committed to serving its community. We recognise the ever-changing nature of our community and the United Kingdom. We also understand the vital role we have in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.
We follow equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. Ryecroft Academy is dedicated to preparing pupils for their adult life beyond the formal, examined curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British Values to all its pupils.
Difference Charter
At Ryecroft Academy we are united in our view that compassion and kindness are of the greatest importance. In addition to this, we know that everyone is unique, and we cherish and value diversity, understanding that it enriches and strengthens society.
