‘As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same’

Nelson Mandela

Intent

At Baydon St Nicholas we believe that PSHE and citizenship should enable children to become healthier, more independent and more responsible members of society. We encourage our children to play a positive role in contributing to the life of the school and the wider community. In so doing, we help develop their sense of self-worth. We teach them how society is organised and governed. We ensure that the children experience the process of democracy through participation as School Council members, House captains and Worship Committee members. We teach children both about their rights and about their responsibilities. They learn to appreciate what it means to be a positive member of a diverse and multicultural society.

Our personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme runs alongside our Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Policy. It promotes pupil’s personal, social and economic development, as well as their health and wellbeing. It helps to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens. Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and experiences across and beyond the curriculum, contributing fully to the life of our school and community.

  As a Church of England school, our PSHE and RSE school policies also adhere to the Church of England ‘Valuing All God’s Children’ document (September 2019). This states that:

  One of the four strands of the Church of England Vision for Education is dignity and respect. Part of this vision is to create a culture where children can grow to be content, living well in their own skin, and happy for others for the skin they’re in. This happens best in a culture of love that accepts, forgives and keeps faith with children and young people as they explore questions of identity and selfhood.

Baydon St Nicholas CE Primary School PSHE & RSE Curriculum Coverage 2026-2027

KAPOW Scheme of Work

Our school uses the Kapow Primary Scheme for PSHE & RSE.

What is PSHE & RSE?

PSHE stands for Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education. RSE stands for Relationships and Sex Education. Schools may use different names for these subjects: RSE may be referred to as RSHE when health education is included; similarly, PSHE may be referred to as PSHCE when citizenship is included.

The Kapow Primary RSE & PSHE scheme covers the full breadth of learning pupils need to stay healthy, safe and prepared for life. This includes:

Personal.

• Social.
• Health.
• Economic.
• Relationships.
• Citizenship.
• Sex education

Why is RSE & PSHE important?

RSE & PSHE education helps pupils maintain their mental and physical health and understand the various factors that influence their wellbeing. They learn how to build strong and supportive relationships, how to keep themselves safe in various situations and how to make thoughtful decisions about money, health and the online world.

Pupils may receive mixed messages about these topics from friends, siblings, social media and the wider world. High-quality RSE & PSHE ensures every child receives clear, accurate and age-appropriate teaching so they can make safe and informed choices as they grow.

Relationships and health education statutory guidance

The new RSE & PSHE scheme for Years 1-6 has been rewritten to meet the 2025 Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education statutory guidance, which schools must follow from September 2026.

This is not just an update to the previous scheme but a thorough redevelopment to ensure every element meets the expectations set out in the new guidance. The Reception units will be refreshed but will remain broadly the same, continuing to fulfil the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

To see where the statutory guidance is met across the scheme, refer to our Statutory guidance coverage document. For individual units, use the curriculum portal and click on the relevant unit to see which statutory statements it targets.

Additional guidance

RSE & PSHE is the subject that most directly supports pupils’ personal development. As a result, a wide range of statutory and non-statutory guidance informs best practices. Subject and school leaders may want to consider how their RSE & PSHE curriculum supports them in meeting the following:

Statutory guidance

• Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education statutory guidance.
• The Equality Act 2010, including duties relating to protected characteristics.
• Keeping children safe in education.
• Non-statutory guidance and frameworks
• Teaching online safety in schools.
• Promoting fundamental British values through SMSC.
• Citizenship programmes of study: Key stages 1 and 2 (non-statutory).

Together, these documents outline the expectations for helping pupils stay safe, understand themselves and others, develop healthy relationships and become responsible members of their school and wider community.

In addition to this guidance, Ofsted considers how well schools support pupils’ personal development. Inspectors assess how the curriculum promotes wellbeing, healthy relationships, online safety, citizenship and pupils’ wider personal development.

While Ofsted does not issue subject-specific guidance for RSE & PSHE in the same way it does for many other subjects, such as through published research reviews, the personal development and wellbeing sections of the school inspection toolkits set out the standards schools are expected to meet.

Kapow Primary’s scheme ensures that statutory RSE & PSHE content is taught in full, supporting the wider work schools do across the curriculum to develop pupils’ personal development. It also takes into account the statutory and non-statutory guidance outlined above, with mapping documents provided to show how this guidance is covered across the scheme.

Citizenship

Citizenship education is currently non-statutory in primary schools, although there is a recommended Programme of study that schools can choose to implement.

However, the recent Curriculum and assessment review final report recommends that citizenship should be added to the National curriculum in the next iteration due in 2028. The Government have accepted the recommendation.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum already includes citizenship lessons (including financial literacy) and will be updated to meet the new guidance released in 2027.

A Broad and balanced Curriculum 

Strands and key areas

The scheme is organised into strands and key areas to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum.

Key areas group learning into meaningful themes and ensure that all statutory content is covered. The strands weave throughout all units, demonstrating how pupils develop lifelong skills in managing themselves, regulating their emotions, building positive relationships and thinking critically.

Together, the strands and key areas help pupils revisit important ideas over time, building their confidence and understanding in a structured way.

Key areas

Some key areas are revisited each year, while others are revisited less frequently to reflect the volume of content in the statutory guidance and ensure learning is age-appropriate.

In Year 6, teachers can choose between the First aid unit or the Sex education unit, both of which are non-statutory and build on previous learning.

The key areas are:

• My healthy Self
• Connecting with others
• The inline world
• Citizenship
• Health Protection
• Staying Safe
• Growing Up
• (First aid/ sex education (Non statutory Year 6)

Strands

The strands show how pupils’ personal and social skills develop over time. They are drawn from the EYFS statutory framework, with the addition of critical thinking. They run through every key area, helping pupils learn to regulate their emotions, manage themselves, build positive relationships and think critically. This allows them to make thoughtful, informed choices as they grow.

The Strands are: 

• Managing Self
• Self-regulation
• Building relationships
• Critical Thinking

Curriculum content 2 year rolling programme

Baydon St Nicholas CE VA Primary School Curriculum content 2 year rolling programme (Kapow)

Progression 

The RSE & PSHE: Progression of skills and knowledge table below shows how learning develops across each phase, both within the key areas and across the strands. It demonstrates how pupils build the knowledge, understanding and skills required to meet the statutory outcomes by the end of EYFS and the end of primary school.

Learning builds progressively across the key areas of My healthy self, Connecting with others, The online world, Staying safe, Health protection, Citizenship and Growing up, with optional units on Sex education and First aid in Year 6. Within these key areas, pupils revisit important knowledge and concepts with increasing depth and maturity.

Alongside this, the strands of self-regulation, managing self, building relationships and critical thinking show how pupils’ personal and social skills develop from Reception to Year 6, supporting them to make thoughtful, informed choices and to thrive in school and beyond.

Baydon St Nicholas PSHE & RSE Skill and Knowledge Progression

Spiral curriculum

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum has been designed as a spiral curriculum with the following key principles in mind:

Cyclical – pupils revisit RSE & PSHE knowledge and skills across the key areas throughout their time in primary school.

Increasing depth – each time a theme within a key area is revisited, it is explored with greater maturity and complexity.

Prior knowledge – pupils build on what they have already learned, making connections rather than starting again.

Wider Knowledge and Skills

Digital literacy

Digital literacy is embedded throughout the scheme. Pupils learn how to use technology safely and responsibly, make informed choices online and understand how their digital behaviour affects themselves and others.

When used alongside Kapow Primary’s Computing curriculum, the scheme supports coverage of the expectations in Education for a connected world and aligns with the Teaching online safety in schools guidance.

While technical skills are taught elsewhere, RSE & PSHE supports pupils to develop the judgement, awareness and respectful behaviour they need to navigate online spaces with confidence.

Oracy

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum gives pupils regular opportunities to develop their oracy skills.

Pupils discuss scenarios, share ideas and explain their thinking using key vocabulary. They role-play situations such as asking for help or being assertive and are encouraged to consider how tone of voice, volume and body language support their message.

Pupils ask and answer questions, express their opinions in a respectful and thoughtful way and collaborate in pairs or groups. They also practise summarising key information, helping them communicate clearly and confidently in a range of personal and social contexts.

Sustainability

Through the Citizenship key area, pupils explore environmental awareness as part of their rights and responsibilities within the wider community. Lessons highlight how caring for the planet is connected to caring for others, encouraging empathy, activism and a shared sense of global citizenship.

Across Kapow Primary, sustainability is also supported through the Sustainability: Progression of knowledge and skills document. This framework ensures that learning on sustainability and climate change is progressive, purposeful and integrated across subjects. As a result, pupils develop a clear understanding of their role in protecting the world around them.

Critical thinking and media literacy

Critical thinking is a key strand of the RSE & PSHE curriculum. Through discussion, questioning and exploring scenarios, pupils consider different viewpoints, recognise fairness, spot pressure and judge whether something feels right or safe. This enhances their understanding that health, safety and wellbeing guidance is based on evidence, expertise and law.

Pupils develop media and information literacy by questioning packaging claims in My healthy self units, thinking carefully about people’s intentions when they offer gifts or attention and learning to understand medical information.

Personal development in RSE and PSHE

SMSC

RSE & PSHE gives pupils regular opportunities to explore different perspectives, reflect on ethical and emotional issues and think about what is right and fair. Pupils collaborate with others, build positive relationships and learn to value and respect people from different backgrounds, families and cultures.

It is important to note that SMSC development does not occur solely through RSE & PSHE but is woven throughout the entire curriculum and the wider life of the school. Kapow Primary supports this whole-school approach by mapping where SMSC opportunities appear across all covered subjects. See our British values, SMSC, Personal development and Protected characteristics mapping document.

British values

The scheme promotes and explicitly teaches the British values of: Individual liberty, Mutual respect, Democracy, The rule of law and Tolerance of those with different faiths or beliefs.

Pupils learn to listen to and respect differing opinions, understand why rules and laws keep people safe, recognise their rights and responsibilities and value the beliefs and lifestyles of others. Lessons encourage debate, fairness and an understanding of how communities function, helping pupils develop into thoughtful, respectful and active citizens.

It is important to note that British values should not be taught solely through RSE & PSHE. They should be embedded throughout the entire curriculum and reflected in the school’s ethos and culture. Kapow Primary supports this wider approach by showing where British values are promoted in the cross-curricular section of each lesson plan and across all covered subjects.

Cultural capital

Schools build cultural capital by giving pupils experiences and knowledge they may not otherwise encounter, helping to prepare them for life beyond school. RSE & PSHE contributes to pupils’ cultural capital by giving them the essential knowledge and skills they need to participate confidently in society.

Pupils learn about different families and communities, how democratic and social structures function and how to communicate and interact respectfully with others. They develop the vocabulary and social understanding needed to navigate relationships, make informed choices and engage with the wider world.

EYFS

Continuity of learning

The scheme supports a smooth transition from EYFS into KS1 by building on how young children learn in Reception. EYFS lessons use open prompts, stories and guided conversation to help pupils name feelings, talk about their experiences and begin to understand how others might feel.

Teachers observe pupils’ responses to assess understanding, noticing whether pupils can recognise emotions, explain their thinking or relate situations to their own lives. This approach reflects the EYFS characteristics of effective learning, which emphasise active engagement, exploration and early critical thinking.

As pupils move into KS1, the scheme introduces more structured discussion, reflection and simple decision-making, helping pupils draw on these early habits of learning while gradually adapting to more formal approaches.

Building on early experiences

The scheme ensures that early social and emotional learning forms the foundation for later RSE & PSHE.

During EYFS (Reception), pupils begin to develop the core dispositions within the three strands of personal, social and emotional development: self-regulation, managing self and building relationships. These strands continue through KS1 and KS2, helping pupils revisit ideas with increasing maturity and independence.

This structured progression supports pupils as they move towards more complex decision-making, stronger relationship skills and greater personal responsibility.

Inclusion and Diversity

Building on early experiences

The scheme ensures that early social and emotional learning forms the foundation for later RSE & PSHE.

During EYFS (Reception), pupils begin to develop the core dispositions within the three strands of personal, social and emotional development: self-regulation, managing self and building relationships. These strands continue through KS1 and KS2, helping pupils revisit ideas with increasing maturity and independence.

This structured progression supports pupils as they move towards more complex decision-making, stronger relationship skills and greater personal responsibility.

Expert consultation

In developing the RSE & PSHE scheme, Kapow Primary’s RSE specialists worked with a range of consultants to ensure authentic and respectful representation. This included input from inclusion and diversity consultants, historians and school leaders, who advised on how different identities, backgrounds and experiences are portrayed. Their guidance especially helped shape the Kapow characters to reflect our society in thoughtful, age-appropriate ways, while avoiding stereotypes and supporting pupils to build understanding, empathy and respect for all.

SEND

The Kapow Primary RSE & PSHE scheme of work is designed to be fully adaptable for pupils with SEND. Every lesson includes an adaptive teaching section, providing clear guidance on how activities can be modified to meet the needs of all learners.

Children learn in a variety of ways. As such, Kapow Primary RSE & PSHE lessons include a range of strategies to support and challenge every pupil, including:

• Scaffolding – activities are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing for additional support or challenge where needed.
• Multi-sensory approaches – lessons incorporate different elements to engage all learners.
• Clear instructions and structured tasks – ensuring clarity and reducing cognitive load for pupils who benefit from additional support.
• Opportunities for collaborative and independent learning – allowing pupils to work at their own pace while building confidence and independence.
• Use of concrete examples and real-life scenarios –Abstract ideas such as consent, relationships or emotions can be difficult for many pupils to grasp. Using clear, concrete scenarios and examples helps pupils understand what concepts look like in real situations.
• Visual supports and symbol-based resources – Dual-coding on our resources helps to support understanding, especially for pupils with communication or processing differences.
• Repetition – Revisiting key messages, vocabulary and expectations in different lessons and contexts supports retention and helps pupils feel secure with sensitive content.
• Explicit teaching of social and emotional skills – Skills such as recognising emotions, setting boundaries, asking for help or resolving conflict often need to be taught directly rather than assumed.

By embedding adaptive teaching throughout, the scheme ensures that all pupils, regardless of their starting points, can access and succeed in their learning. The step-by-step curriculum design also supports all pupils, particularly those with SEND, by avoiding sudden jumps in complexity at transition points and allowing for steady, manageable progression.

Additionally, the Kapow characters used throughout the scheme represent a diverse range of experiences and needs. Some characters are depicted with different ways of thinking, feeling, coping or responding, without these differences being explicitly labelled. This helps pupils recognise that people experience the world in different ways, supporting inclusion and understanding.

Consulting Parents

Requirements

The RSHE statutory guidance requires schools to:

• Consult parents when developing and reviewing their RSE curriculum.
• Be open and transparent about what is taught, when it is taught and how it is taught.
• Clearly explain the distinction between relationships education and sex education.
• Inform parents of their right to request withdrawal from elements of sex education, where applicable.
• Make curriculum information and materials available to parents on request.
• Support clear communication that helps parents understand how RSE contributes to pupils’ wellbeing and safeguarding.

Impact 

Assessment

Formative

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE lessons include ongoing assessment opportunities, such as questioning, retrieval practice and interactive activities.

These tools allow teachers to assess understanding in real-time and adjust their teaching accordingly.

Summative

Each unit includes a Knowledge catcher that can be used at the start of the unit and revisited at the end to check pupils’ progress over time. This allows pupils to show what they already know before learning begins and to demonstrate how their knowledge and understanding have developed by the end of the unit.

RSE & PSHE is distinct from many other subjects in that pupils start with different levels of prior knowledge and life experience. Accordingly, assessment will be focusing on where each pupil is starting from and the progress they make over a period of learning, rather than comparison with others.

As the scheme continues to be rolled out, further assessment support will be added over the coming months to support teachers in checking pupils’ understanding and progression across the curriculum.