Although PSHE is non-statutory, the National curriculum states that all schools should provide personal, social, health and economic education.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum ensures that pupils gain the essential knowledge, skills and attributes to thrive as individuals, family members and citizens.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum also reflects the Department for Education’s non-statutory Citizenship and PSHE framework for Key stages 1 and 2.

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

• Cyclical – pupils revisit the five key areas of RSE & PSHE throughout their time in primary school.
• Increasing depth – each time 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.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE scheme builds on the principles of the spiral curriculum. It is designed to support pupils’ personal development beginning with simple, concrete experiences and extending to more complex social, emotional and ethical understanding.

Substantive knowledge refers to the core facts, concepts and statutory content that pupils are expected to know and understand.

In RSE & PSHE, this includes:

• How families and friendships work and what respectful relationships look like.
• The physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty.
• Strategies for maintaining good mental and physical health, including sleep, diet, exercise and managing emotions.
• Safety knowledge, including first aid, online safety and the risks of substances.
• The rights of children and the responsibilities of citizens.

Personal knowledge refers to pupils’ growing awareness of themselves, their feelings, values and identities.

It develops as pupils learn to recognise and name their emotions, understand personal boundaries and reflect on how their experiences shape who they are.

RSE & PSHE are not academic disciplines in the traditional sense, so ‘disciplinary knowledge’ does not refer to subject-specific enquiry methods.

Instead, it describes how pupils apply what they know in real contexts. It is the ability to use substantive knowledge to make decisions, form judgements and develop personal attributes. In practice, this includes:

• Resolving conflict.
• Making healthy lifestyle choices
• Evaluating online content.
• Questioning stereotypes.
• Contributing to group discussions.
• Considering financial decisions.

Lessons encourage discussion, explanation and collaborative problem-solving, allowing pupils to articulate their thinking, justify decisions and reflect on their digital creations.

Pupils use oracy to enhance their learning by thinking aloud, questioning processes and discussing solutions.

They develop essential skills such as using subject-specific vocabulary, explaining their reasoning clearly and listening to and building on the ideas of others.

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 connects to caring for others, encouraging empathy, activism and a shared sense of global citizenship.

Pupils consider different viewpoints, challenge stereotypes and evaluate the reliability of information they encounter in everyday life.

This helps them to question assumptions, make informed choices and form balanced, respectful opinions about relationships, health and the wider world.

Lessons promote British values (democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance) by incorporating activities that encourage debate, respect for differing opinions and an understanding of societal structures.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum enriches pupils’ cultural capital by connecting personal development with wider social and ethical understanding.

Through discussion of rights, responsibilities and global citizenship, pupils gain the awareness and skills to contribute thoughtfully to their communities and make responsible, informed choices throughout their lives.

Lessons build on curiosity, exploration and discussion, which are central to EYFS learning. As pupils move into Year 1, more structured activities are gradually introduced.

In KS1, oracy, questioning and storytelling help pupils transition from informal to more formal subject-based learning.

The scheme supports the progressive development of skills, such as observation, reasoning and problem-solving, which are introduced in EYFS and strengthened in KS1.

Adaptive teaching strategies ensure all learners are supported as they transition to formal learning approaches.

The scheme aligns with EYFS Early Learning Goals, making links with communication and language, understanding the world and expressive arts to create a smooth transition.

It encourages independence and confidence, supporting pupils as they adapt to the expectations of KS1 learning.

With Kapow Primary’s CPD videos, subject leaders can develop their expertise and in turn, support their colleagues in delivering high-quality lessons.

Whether helping with subject knowledge, modelling effective teaching techniques or offering practical tips for the classroom, Kapow Primary’s CPD videos ensure that every teacher has access to the support they need.

A short, engaging activity designed to hook pupils into the new learning in the lesson.

This could be a thought-provoking question, a quick investigation or an interactive discussion to spark curiosity and enthusiasm for the topic.

The core part of the lesson, where pupils engage in activities that develop their understanding of the learning objective.

This includes a mixture of teacher modelling, guided practice and independent or collaborative tasks tailored to support all learners.

A final reflective activity that consolidates learning.

This could involve reviewing the success criteria, discussing key learning or applying knowledge in a different context to assess understanding and encourage deeper thinking.

• Activates prior knowledge – helps pupils make connections between new and existing learning, reducing cognitive overload.
• Strengthens memory pathways – retrieval practice has been shown to improve retention more effectively than passive review.
• Identifies gaps in understanding – teachers can quickly assess what pupils remember and address misconceptions before introducing new content.
• Builds confidence – regular recall activities reassure pupils that they can remember key concepts, improving engagement and motivation.
• Promotes spaced learning – revisiting prior learning at regular intervals supports long-term retention, rather than cramming information in a single lesson.

Due to budget constraints and varied staffing structures, it is not always possible to have classroom support from additional staff.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE lessons are designed with this in mind, providing resources and explanations that allow teachers to deliver high-quality lessons independently without necessarily relying on additional adults.

If additional support is suggested in a lesson, it is clearly marked within the Have ready part of the lesson plan.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum is designed to be taught on a half-termly basis.

For schools with limited curriculum time, a condensed scheme is also available, maintaining full coverage while streamlining content to focus on the most essential knowledge and skills.

Lessons encourage discussion, reflection and verbal explanations. This allows teachers to capture pupils’ understanding through questioning, class discussions and recorded responses, supporting a broader view of progress beyond written work.

The RSE & PSHE: Assessment spreadsheet helps to track pupils’ RSE & PSHE attainment over time.

This tool allows teachers to record progress against learning objectives and assessment statements, making it easier to monitor development and identify areas for support.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE scheme supports school improvement using:

• Consistent, high-quality teaching – a structured scheme ensures a coherent approach across year groups, supporting curriculum progression.
• Assessment and evidence tracking – built-in assessment materials help teachers monitor progress and demonstrate impact.
• Alignment with Ofsted expectations – the scheme supports personal development, broadens pupils’ horizons and ensures a knowledge-rich curriculum, helping schools meet inspection criteria.

By reducing workload, building teacher expertise and ensuring high teaching standards, Kapow Primary contributes to a confident teaching staff and a well-structured, effective curriculum that supports whole-school improvement.

• Assessment materials (e.g. Unit quizzes, Knowledge catchers and the Assessment spreadsheet) can be used to provide information about pupil progress.
• Written outcomes and pupil voice show engagement, understanding and the ability to recall knowledge.

• Key documents and CPD videos help subject leaders confidently discuss the curriculum.
• Knowledge organisers and lesson plans provide details of what has been taught and learnt.
• The Adaptive teaching section in each lesson provides an opportunity to discuss inclusivity and demonstrate how all learners are supported.

• The scheme broadens pupils’ horizons, develops critical thinking and promotes British values, contributing to Ofsted’s personal development and well-being criteria.
• Lessons integrate real-world connections and cultural capital, showcasing a rich learning experience.

• Equips subject leaders to articulate intent, implementation and impact – CPD videos provide clear explanations and subject knowledge to help leaders confidently discuss the curriculum with inspectors.
• Builds teacher confidence and consistency – ongoing training ensures all staff understand the curriculum structure and feel prepared to deliver high-quality RSE & PSHE lessons across the school.