Relationships and Health Education (RHE) Curriculum at Mount Stewart Federation

Approach and Planning:
Mount Stewart Schools' RHE curriculum, grounded in the JIGSAW program, fosters holistic child development. It aims to prepare students as informed members of society, enhancing social and emotional well-being.

Teaching Strategies:
The curriculum uses inclusive, mindful teaching methods across six key units:

1. Being Me in My World
2. Celebrating Difference
3. Dreams and Goals
4. Healthy Me
5. Relationships
6. Changing Me 

Curriculum Intent:
The RHE (Relationships and Health Education) curriculum at Mount Stewart is a dynamically evolving program meticulously crafted to meet the contemporary needs of our pupils while incorporating key elements such as mastering core skills, fostering social skills, and nurturing emotional wellbeing. Our objectives include:

• Developing the Whole Child: Through well-planned and resourced lessons, we aim to develop the whole child, enhancing knowledge, skills, and attributes essential for maintaining and enhancing wellbeing.
• Preparation for Life Challenges: We are committed to preparing our pupils for life's challenges, ensuring they emerge as resilient, resourceful, and responsible individuals aligned with the 7R’s learning behaviours.
• Health and Wellbeing Focus: Our curriculum emphasises health and wellbeing, relationships, and living in a broader societal context, fostering students as inquisitive investigators and aspiring entrepreneurs.
• Safe and Supportive Learning Environment: We provide a safe environment where children can develop their skills, grow into confident, caring, and respectful community members, and become creative collaborators.
• Cultivating Respect and Community Sense: The curriculum is designed to instil a deep respect for others and a strong sense of one's place in our world, offering rich experiences that build social and emotional competencies.

Through this approach, the RHE curriculum at Mount Stewart imparts essential life skills and fosters our pupils' holistic development, preparing them for a successful and balanced life.

Implementation:
We firmly believe that a comprehensive and balanced PSHE curriculum is crucial for equipping children with the necessary skills and knowledge for their present and future societal roles. Our curriculum extensively addresses the social and emotional facets of learning, fostering children's identity and self-esteem, and shaping them into confident, proactive members of society. It plays a vital role in imparting safeguarding education and heightening pupils' awareness of when and how to seek help and support.

Key aspects of our curriculum include:

• Revisiting and Building Upon Themes: Important themes are revisited across Key Stages, allowing children to recall and build upon their prior learning in a manner that is both age-appropriate and increasingly comprehensive.
• Consistent Use of Key Vocabulary: We ensure that key vocabulary is consistently used and revisited across year groups, empowering pupils with the language necessary to articulate their understanding and inquiries effectively.
• Inclusive and Adaptive Teaching: Our 'no ceiling' approach, coupled with adaptive teaching strategies, guarantees that all pupils, including those who are more able and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), receive the support and encouragement they need to advance their knowledge suitably.
• Safe and Supportive Learning Environment: The Jigsaw session rules, revisited at the beginning of every lesson, provide a foundation for a secure and nurturing learning environment, enabling pupils to engage and respond confidently and safely.

Overall, our PSHE curriculum is designed not only to educate but also to empower our pupils, preparing them thoroughly for their evolving roles in society.

Inclusivity and Support:
Our commitment to a no-ceiling approach fosters an inclusive learning environment where respectful communication and self-assessment are paramount. This approach is effectively supported by the Jigsaw session rules, which provide a structured framework that encourages every student to participate fully, express themselves respectfully, and reflect on their own learning progress. This method not only promotes inclusivity but also nurtures a culture of mutual respect and self-awareness among our students.

Impact:
At Mount Stewart, the evaluation of our PSHE curriculum's impact is meticulously aligned with our comprehensive educational ethos, emphasising the mastering of core skills, fostering emotional wellbeing, and encouraging creative collaboration. We employ assessment for learning methods in every lesson, ensuring a deep and lasting understanding of the curriculum. This approach is integral in enabling our pupils to learn more effectively and retain knowledge more efficiently.

Key elements of our assessment strategy include:

• Pupil Self-Assessment: This is a critical component of our curriculum, allowing students to reflect on their own learning journey and understand their progress.
• Jigsaw Assessment Activities: Utilized to gauge comprehension of unit objectives, these activities enable us to tailor teaching to the diverse needs of our children, embodying our commitment to inclusivity and adaptability.
• Demonstrating Deeper Understanding: Our pupils exhibit their comprehension of the topics in various ways, showcasing their growth as inquisitive investigators and aspiring entrepreneurs.
• Behaviour and Attitude Analysis: The ultimate measure of our curriculum's impact is reflected in our pupils' behaviour and attitudes towards themselves and others, embodying the 7R’s learning behaviours.
• Jiggies as Class Talking Objects: Each class utilises a "Jiggie" to facilitate discussions, embodying respect and active listening in conversations and embodying our no-ceiling approach to inclusive communication.
• Jigsaw Charter Reference: Throughout lessons, pupils are consistently reminded of the class Jigsaw Charter, reinforcing continuous respect and fostering a supportive and nurturing learning environment.

Through these methods, we take pride in nurturing caring, supportive pupils who leave Mount Stewart informed about the world and well-prepared for future challenges and opportunities, embodying the rich experiences of our curriculum.

When students leave Mount Stewart, they will:

1. Possess a Robust Understanding of RHE: Have a comprehensive grasp of Relationships and Health Education, equipped with essential life skills and a deep understanding of social and emotional well-being.
2. Demonstrate Strong Social Skills: Exhibit excellent social skills, including effective communication, empathy, and respect for others, developed through engaging and interactive RHE lessons.
3. Be Informed and Responsible Individuals: Be well-informed about health, relationships, and societal responsibilities, prepared to make thoughtful and responsible decisions in various aspects of their lives.
4. Reflect Mount Stewart's 7R’s Behaviour Values: Embody the values of Mount Stewart, including respect, inclusivity, and a commitment to personal and community well-being, ready to apply these in the broader world.

Giselene Fernandes is our dedicated RHE (Relationships and Health Education) Lead at Mount Stewart. With a deep commitment to student well-being and ensuring our RHE curriculum is both comprehensive and compassionate.