Our vision

At Henleaze Infant and Junior Schools, we aim to help pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to lead confident, healthy and fulfilling lives. The intention is for pupils to understand themselves and others, form positive relationships and make informed choices that support their wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around them. Our chosen curriculum encourages pupils to think with empathy, integrity and self-awareness, recognising how their actions and attitudes contribute to their communities. It supports them in developing respect for diversity, managing change and understanding their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Lessons promote emotional literacy, resilience and a sense of personal agency, helping pupils to approach life’s challenges with maturity and compassion.

We actively promote the Fundamental British Values, for example, engaging with democratic processes in electing  School Council representatives and then giving them their voice; we listen to what is important to them and charities that they would like to champion. As a school, we raise money for those less fortunate than ourselves and this plays a part in nurturing informed, responsible and kind citizens.

Our Curriculum

At Henleaze Infant and Junior Schools, we follow the Kapow (condensed) curriculum. It is cumulative, coherent and connected. Across the Kapow Primary PSHE sequence, what pupils will know and be able to do across the curriculum has been carefully mapped. This ensures that learning builds cumulatively and helps students to make connections between concepts that they have learnt. Prior learning has been identified and mapped to the curriculum so that teachers can build new knowledge. 

The curriculum is structured around five key areas: family and relationships, health and wellbeing, safety and the changing body, citizenship and economic wellbeing. These key areas are revisited, ensuring key progression, coherence and balance. In year 6, pupils also explore an additional area, identity, to support their transition to secondary school. 

Key concepts and knowledge are revisited with increasing depth and maturity, enabling pupils to consolidate prior learning and develop the confidence, understanding and personal attributes they need by the end of each phase.

Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE curriculum fulfils the statutory requirements set out in the Department of Education’s Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education guidance.

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

• Applied knowledge is the ability to use substantive knowledge to make decisions, form judgements.

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.

Kapow embeds digital awareness and online safety across relevant units. Pupils learn how to build positive online relationships, protect their privacy, recognise misinformation and manage their wellbeing when using technology. This prepares them to navigate the digital world confidently and safely.

Kapow supports SMSC development by encouraging pupils to: explore different perspectives; reflect on ethical issues; collaborate with others and appreciate cultural diversity through subject-specific content. Lessons promote British values by incorporating activities that encourage debate, respect for differing opinions and understanding of societal structures. Kapow enriches cultural capital by connecting personal development with wider social and ethical understanding. 

Impact

Formative assessment is embedded including: questioning, observation, discussion and peer interaction, lesson pauses, retrieval practice (quizzes), use of success criteria and short reflections (knowledge catchers) enabling pupils to consolidate learning and teachers to gauge understanding. 

Subject overview