PSHE at Bardfield Academy
Our Vision
At Bardfield Academy, our vision is to equip every child with the character, resilience, and social intelligence required to lead a happy, safe, and successful life. We strive to develop well-rounded individuals who are not only academically capable but also emotionally literate and socially responsible. By placing PSHE and RSE at the heart of our school life, we empower our pupils to embrace diversity, value themselves, and contribute positively to their community and the wider world.
Our Approach
We follow a spiral curriculum supported by the PSHE Association scheme of work, ensuring that learning is age-appropriate, progressive, and revisited regularly. Central to our mission of inclusion is the “No Outsiders” curriculum. Through a carefully chosen selection of high-quality children’s fiction, we teach our pupils that everyone is welcome at Bardfield Academy. This approach allows us to explore the Equality Act 2010 and the Protected Characteristics in a way that fosters empathy, develops tolerance, and prepares children for life in a diverse society.
Our PSHE curriculum is built upon three core themes that grow in depth as children move through the school:
• Relationships: We explore what healthy relationships look like, from friendship and family to the wider community. We celebrate diversity and teach the importance of boundaries and respect, ensuring children understand that while we are all different, we all belong.
• Health and Wellbeing: We prioritize physical and mental health, covering everything from personal hygiene and basic first aid to mental health awareness. Cyber safety and staying safe online are core components revisited in every year group.
• Living in the Wider World: We prepare children for the future by exploring the world of work, the importance of money management, and the diverse career paths available to them.
Our Purpose
The purpose of our PSHE and RSE curriculum is to provide children with substantive knowledge and the practical skills to apply it. We aim to:
Empower: Give children the language and confidence to seek advice or help if they are worried, ensuring they know they are never alone.
Protect: Foster a deep understanding of safety—both in the physical world and the digital one—to reduce vulnerability.
Aspirate: Open doors to the “wider world” by teaching pupils about economic wellbeing and the breadth of opportunities in their future careers.
Respect: Develop an appreciation for the diversity of modern Britain, ensuring every child feels represented and respected within our school.
To explore our progressive PSHE curriculum, look at the Key Knowledge document below.
