At Kings’ Forest Primary School, we believe that Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) plays an important role in helping children to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes they need to thrive, both now and in the future.
We use the Kapow Primary PSHE and RSE scheme of work. We have chosen this programme because it provides a comprehensive, carefully sequenced curriculum that supports children’s personal, social, emotional and health development throughout their primary education.
The Kapow Primary programme has been fully revised to align with the new 2026 statutory guidance and has been developed by expert practitioners in the field. We believe it is particularly well suited to our school because:
- Content is carefully age appropriate and developmentally suitable for each year group;
- Learning is progressive and sequential, enabling children to build on their knowledge, skills and understanding as they move through the school;
- It provides opportunities for children to explore topics safely and thoughtfully, developing their confidence to ask questions, express their feelings and seek help when they need it;
- Has lots of interactive learning activities;
- Fits with our school values and ethos.
How PSHE and RSE is taught
PSHE is taught by class teachers on a weekly basis. We use an alternating approach, with children receiving a Kapow Primary lesson one week, followed by a Circle Time session the following week.
Circle Time provides a valuable time and space in which children can develop and practise important life skills, including effective communication, emotional literacy and social problem-solving. It gives pupils opportunities to get to know one another, share their experiences and feelings, listen to others and develop a sense of belonging and being valued within their class community.
Circle Time sessions are closely linked to the Kapow Primary programme. This means that the discussion, activities and skills developed during Circle Time will complement and reinforce the learning taking place through the PSHE and RSE curriculum.
Sex Education in Year 6
The DfE guidance states ‘The DfE continues to recommend that all primary schools should have a sex education programme tailored to the age and the physical and emotional maturity of the pupils. We plan to teach the non-statutory sex education content included within the Year 6 Kapow Primary programme and these lessons will be taught in Term 6. Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from the non-statutory sex education elements of the Year 6 programme. This right does not extend to the statutory Relationships and Health Education content, and parents cannot withdraw their child from any other part of our programme.
Please see below for an overview of our PSHE and RSE curriculum.
Reception
| Autumn 1 | Self-regulation: My feelings |
| Autumn 2 | Building relationships: Special relationships |
| Spring 1 | Managing self: Taking on challenges |
| Spring 2 | Self-regulation: Listening and following instructions |
| Summer 1 | Building relationships: My family and friends |
| Summer 2 | Managing self: My wellbeing |
Year 1
| Autumn 1 | My healthy self: How can we look after our emotions? |
| Autumn 2 | Connecting with others: How can I help myself and others feel happy and safe? |
| Spring 1 | The online world: How do we spend time online? |
| Spring 2 | Citizenship: How can I help others and the environment? |
| Summer 1 | Health protection: How can I protect myself and others in daily life? |
| Summer 2 | Staying safe: How can I stay safe? |
Year 2
| Autumn 1 | My healthy self: How can we look after our bodies? |
| Autumn 2 | Connecting with others: How can I build safe, kind and caring relationships with others? |
| Spring 1 | The online world: How can we stay safe online? |
| Spring 2 | Citizenship: How do people belong to a community and earn money? |
| Summer 1 | Growing up: How can we look after and respect our bodies as we grow? |
| Summer 2 | Staying safe: How can I make safe choices in different places? |
Year 3
| Autumn 1 | My healthy self: How can I take care of my mind and body? |
| Autumn 2 | Connecting with others: What helps us feel safe and included? |
| Spring 1 | The online world: How should we communicate online? |
| Spring 2 | Citizenship: What rights and responsibilities do we have? |
| Summer 1 | Health protection: How can we prevent illness and injury and respond if they happen? |
| Summer 2 | Citizenship: What careers do people choose and why? |
Year 4
| Autumn 1 | My healthy self: How can I make healthy choices? |
| Autumn 2 | Connecting with others: How can we respect each other? |
| Spring 1 | The online world: How can we decide what to trust online? |
| Spring 2 | Citizenship: How can I spend money responsibly? |
| Summer 1 | Growing up: How will my body and emotions change as I grow up? |
| Summer 2 | Staying safe: What signs help me recognise what is safe or unsafe? |
Year 5
| Autumn 1 | My healthy self: How can I support my mind and body as I grow? |
| Autumn 2 | Connecting with others: Why are healthy relationships important? |
| Spring 1 | The online world: How am I influenced by what I see online? |
| Spring 2 | Citizenship: How can we make a difference in our communities and beyond? |
| Summer 1 | Growing up: How can I manage the changes to my body and emotions as I grow up? |
| Summer 2 | Citizenship: How can we be in control of our money? |
Year 6
| Autumn 1 | My healthy self: How do my choices today shape my future health? |
| Autumn 2 | Connecting with others: What does it mean to stand up for myself and others? |
| Spring 1 | The online world: How do I feel about the things I see online? |
| Spring 2 | Citizenship: How can we protect everyone’s rights? |
| Summer 1 | Staying safe: How can I stay safe as I grow up? |
| Summer 2 | Sex education: How do people become parents and carers? |
Paper copies of all documents are available from the school office.