Personal Development at Thames

At Thames Primary Academy, we intend to provide a whole school PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) curriculum that will equip pupils with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes, values and skills they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. Our PSHE curriculum helps pupils to stay healthy – both physically and emotionally – safe and prepared for life – and work – in modern Britain. The PSHE curriculum will also help our pupils to reach their potential as individuals and within their community by making informed decisions about the endless possibilities they will come across in their lives. We want our pupils to be able to articulate and communicate their emotions and feelings and be able to reflect on and clarify their own values and attitudes so they can develop their own sense of identity and be able to be resilient when facing difficulties

At Thames Primary Academy, we deliver PSHE weekly by following the on-line scheme SCARF, which is a spiral, progressive, whole school approach that provides a comprehensive scheme of work from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6 covering all of the DfE’s statutory requirements for Relationships Education and Health Education and PSHE Association’s Programmes of Study content for Key Stages 1 and 2. Although there are always occasions where teachers may feel it necessary to teach PSHE as a result of an issue that arose in their own class. SCARF stands for Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship and is divided into six half termly units. The units are divided into the following themes:

Me and my relationships
Valuing difference
Keeping myself safe
Rights and responsibilities
Being my best
Growing and changing

Children explore these units year-on-year, building a toolkit of strategies and knowledge which they apply in scenario-based lessons, giving them the opportunity to ask questions and practise the skills in a safe and caring environment. Individual lessons are tailored to suit the needs of the children in our school in keeping with the objectives. Every teacher has access to SCARF online resources.

Thames Primary Academy pupils will:
Have a sense of purpose
Value self and others
Form relationships
Handle setbacks and disagreements
Make and act on informed decisions
Communicate effectively
Work with others
Respond to challenge
Be an active partner in their own learning
Be active citizens within the local community
Explore issues related to living in a democratic society
Become healthy and fulfilled individuals

Teachers use SCARF Pre and Post Unit assessments and summative assessments to review how the children are progressing within each unit of PSHE learning. Thames Primary Academy’s PSHE curriculum will give our pupils a solid foundation for whatever challenging opportunities lie ahead, so they can face a world full of uncertainty with hope.