PSHE & RSE
At Little Digmoor, our PSHE curriculum is rooted in supporting the development of the whole child. Through an age-appropriate, inclusive and carefully sequenced curriculum, pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to understand themselves, build positive relationships, stay safe and make healthy and responsible choices.
Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on Relationships Education and Health Education, both of which are statutory in primary schools. Pupils learn about families and friendships, respectful relationships, personal boundaries, keeping safe and online safety and awareness. They also develop their understanding of physical and mental health and wellbeing, healthy lifestyles, developing bodies, personal safety, basic first aid, health protection and the risks associated with drugs, alcohol, tobacco and vaping.
PSHE and RSE plays an important role in safeguarding our pupils and preparing them for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught how to recognise risks, make informed decisions, establish healthy boundaries and identify when something may be unsafe. They are encouraged to know when and how to seek help and to feel confident speaking to a trusted adult.
Age-appropriate Sex Education is taught in Year 6 and is additional to the statutory Relationships Education, Health Education and Science curriculum. This supports pupils to develop accurate knowledge and understanding of human reproduction, conception, pregnancy and birth as they prepare for the next stage of their education.
Alongside this, our wider PSHE curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding of citizenship, economic wellbeing and their role within the wider community. Pupils develop important life skills including resilience, empathy, independence, responsibility and informed decision-making.
Overall, our PSHE and RSE curriculum aims to ensure that every child feels safe, valued and respected and is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to lead a healthy, safe and fulfilling life and make a positive contribution to their school, family and wider community.
Kapow Primary
At Little Digmoor, we use the Kapow Primary RSE and PSHE scheme of work to support the planning and delivery of our curriculum from Early Years to Year 6. The scheme provides a progressive and carefully sequenced programme of learning which supports coverage of the statutory requirements for Relationships Education and Health Education, alongside the wider PSHE curriculum.
The scheme is used alongside professional judgement and is adapted where appropriate to reflect the needs, experiences and context of our pupils and school community.
Across Years 1–6, learning is organised to develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of relationships, physical and mental health and wellbeing, online safety, personal safety, developing bodies and wider aspects of PSHE including citizenship and economic wellbeing. Statutory knowledge is revisited and developed as pupils progress through the school.
Kapow's optional Sex Education content is taught in Year 6 at Little Digmoor. This is clearly distinguished from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education and Science content.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, PSHE learning supports the requirements of the EYFS framework, particularly Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED). Children develop their ability to understand and manage feelings, build positive relationships, develop independence, follow expectations, look after their wellbeing and take on new challenges.
Through Kapow and our wider school provision, we ensure that PSHE and RSE is not taught as a series of isolated topics but as a progressive curriculum which builds knowledge, develops skills and supports pupils' personal development throughout their time at Little Digmoor.
Zones of Regulation
Alongside Kapow, we have also adopted the Zones of Regulation tool which helps children to self-regulate and further understand their emotions. This is integrated across school and is used on a daily basis.
The Zones of Regulation helps pupils:
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Improve competencies in co-regulation and self-regulation
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Self-Identify feelings, energy, and levels of alertness
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Build self-awareness of body signals as they relate to emotions
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Develop perspective-taking skills
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Integrate situational awareness with self-awareness to determine how to regulate
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Learn why regulation matters in relation to goals and well-being
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Identify, practice, and utilize effective regulation and wellness tools/strategies
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Understand when and how to use tools
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Build positive decision making and problem solving skills
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Reflect on situations or experiences
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Identify triggers and sparks that impact regulation
Zones of Regulation breaks down pupils emotions into four coloured zones. These can be found below.
Curriculum Review and Parental Consultation
In September 2026, Little Digmoor undertook a review of our PSHE and RSE curriculum to ensure that our provision continued to reflect current statutory guidance, the needs of our pupils and the context of our school community. As part of this review, we updated and published our PSHE and RSE Policy and invited parents and carers to take part in a formal consultation.
We were pleased to receive responses from parents and carers across our school community. All parents and carers who responded confirmed that they had read the updated policy. The consultation did not identify any suggested amendments to the policy. The feedback received provided reassurance that the policy was clear and accessible and that parents and carers had been given an appropriate opportunity to understand and contribute to our approach to PSHE and RSE.
Frequently Asked Questions:
As a result of our parent consultation, we have put together a number of responses to questions that were asked. Please see these below:
Can I withdraw my child from PSHE lessons?
We cannot withdraw children from anything non-statutory. The non-statutory elements taught in Year 6 can be withdrawn from when a request is made to the head teacher.
We will inform parents of this before we teach it and send out an optional withdrawal request should parents wish to do this.
Alternative work will be provided to children who have been withdrawn from this lesson. We would encourage parents to speak to school staff before making this decision and to view the materials. Although every effort will be made by school staff, we cannot guarantee that children will not have additional conversations outside of the classroom or overhear conversations which may lead to them being aware of some of the content that has been taught.
What is covered in relation to different family makeups?
Within the statutory guidance, the following objectives linked to families are taught over a child's time in primary school in an age-appropriate way and broken down to fit the curriculum:
- That families are important for children growing up safe and happy because they can provide love, security and stability.
- The characteristics of safe and happy family life, such as commitment to each other, including in times of difficulty, protection and care for children and other family members, the importance of spending time together and sharing each other’s lives.
- That the families of other children, either in school or in the wider world, sometimes look different from their family, but that they should respect those differences and know that other children’s families are also characterised by love and care.
- That stable, caring relationships are at the heart of safe and happy families and are important for children’s security as they grow up.
- That marriage and civil partnerships represent a formal and legally recognised commitment of two people to each other which is intended to be lifelong.
- How to recognise if family relationships are making them feel unhappy or unsafe, and how to seek help or advice from others if needed.
Within the Kapow Primary RSE & PSHE scheme, sexual orientation is not taught explicitly. However, same-sex relationships are represented naturally within lessons about family life and relationships.
When pupils learn about different types of families, statutory guidance recommends that schools include same-sex parents alongside other family set-ups and this is reflected in the Kapow Primary RSE & PSHE scheme. These examples sit alongside other family structures and are presented in a factual, age-appropriate way.
Kapow Primary RSE & PSHE addresses marriage and civil partnerships in line with statutory requirements, emphasising that these are formal, legally recognised and intended to be lifelong commitments. Furthermore, the scheme aims to develop pupils’ understanding of healthy, loving relationships and promote respect for all individuals.
We teach in this way so that all children (regardless of their differing family makeups) feel included, represented and not discriminated against.
Can we view the materials that you are teaching?
We are fully transparent about the materials we use to deliver PSHE and you are able to do this by making an appointment with the school office.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact school. There is also information available on the Kapow! Website for parents. This information can be located here: Parent Portal
We remain committed to open and transparent communication with families. Parents and carers are encouraged to contact school at any time if they would like further information about our PSHE and RSE curriculum, wish to view teaching materials or have any questions about the content taught.