Life Skills

At Orwell Park, Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), known as Life Skills, equips pupils from Reception to Year 8 with the knowledge, skills, and values they need to lead confident, healthy, and independent lives. Our spiral curriculum is taught through three core themes: Relationships (Autumn), Health & Wellbeing (Spring), and Living in the Wider World (Summer).

Relationships Education is taught in Years 1 - 6, with Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in Years 7 - 8, and age-appropriate Health Education embedded throughout. Topics include caring friendships, respectful relationships, online safety, personal safety, growing up, and puberty, in line with the DfE Statutory Guidance. Pupils also develop citizenship skills, financial literacy, and an understanding of diversity, British values, and their responsibilities as members of society.

We place mental health and wellbeing at the heart of school life, including in EYFS. Through our OrWellbeing approach and the new Foundations for Wellbeing curriculum developed by the PSHE Association (EYFS - Year 6), we promote emotional literacy, resilience, and early intervention, ensuring all pupils feel safe, valued, and supported. Pupils have opportunities to share their voice, celebrate achievements, and take responsibility for themselves and others, while staff are equipped to identify and respond to emerging mental health needs.

For further details, please see our Life Skills Handbook, and RSE and Mental Health and Wellbeing policies on the school website.