Archbishop Courtenay Primary School
PSHE/RSE - My Happy Minds
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PSHE/RSE: Lead: Miss Copley
Archbishop Courtenay Primary School: PSHE Curriculum with My Happy Minds
At Archbishop Courtenay Primary School, we nurture our children with kindness and compassion, making PSHE education a deeply embedded part of our broad and balanced curriculum. It holds high priority among both pupils and staff.
Our PSHE curriculum, supported by My Happy Minds, aims to build resilience, enhance emotional intelligence, and develop active empathy. Fundamentally, it teaches our children to love and accept themselves as well as to love and respect others. It equips them with foundational principles, skills, habits, and a mindset that supports their mental health, relationships, and academic achievement.
Our curriculum prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of life in an ever-changing world. The wellbeing of every pupil is paramount at Archbishop Courtenay to ensure they learn, thrive, and flourish together. Pupils are taught the information they need to make decisions to live and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. They are encouraged to play an active role in contributing to school life and develop a clear understanding of British Values: Tolerance, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Democracy, and Respect.
Our PSHE curriculum builds a powerful toolkit that helps children develop a positive mindset and emotional wellbeing through the My Happy Minds programme. We believe that nurturing a healthy mind and emotional awareness affects all aspects of life. Pupils learn strategies to manage their thoughts and feelings, develop hope, and foster kindness and compassion towards themselves and others.
Through targeted activities, supportive teaching, and a caring community, Happy Minds encourages pupils to explore how their brains work, understand their feelings, and develop strategies for well-being. We are committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment where every child feels valued and empowered to flourish.
My Happy Mind is taught across the whole school in weekly sessions, and consists of 5 units:
Meet Your Brain – Learning about how our brains work.
Celebrate – Understanding our character strengths and celebrating ourselves.
Appreciate – Developing gratitude as a habit.
Relate – Building positive relationships.
Engage – Engaging with the world.
The programme is supplemented by specific units on growing up, relationships, and health education, particularly in Years 5 and 6, to support pupils through puberty and developing relationships.
EYFS
In EYFS, children are encouraged to talk about things they love and explore how facial expressions reflect feelings. They develop an understanding of being loved, special, and important. Children learn about different family structures and explore roles within the school and community. They begin to understand kindness, friendship, telling the truth, and perseverance.
KS1
In KS1, children start to explore the power of their emotions and behaviour, recognising special people and how love is shown. They celebrate their unique strengths and learn how to help others. Children consider the impact of their behaviour on others, the importance of forgiveness, honesty, and perseverance when facing challenges.
Lower KS2
In lower KS2, children recall memories linked to emotions and consider the consequences of their words and actions. They celebrate achievements, learn about unselfishness, and recognise community helpers. Pupils discuss trust, stress management, and resilience. They explore honesty, fear, and habits that support goal achievement.
Upper KS2
In upper KS2, children deepen their understanding of leadership and self-worth. They learn the impact of helping others and develop conflict resolution skills. Pupils explore vulnerability, trust, positive self-talk, and respectful friendships. They are encouraged to step out of comfort zones and adopt a growth mindset with “I can’t do it yet” thinking.
Financial Awareness
We also teach children about money management progressively: from understanding where money comes from and making spending choices in Early Years, to prioritising needs and wants and becoming critical consumers in KS2, to recognising resource allocation and enterprise skills in upper KS2.
Health Education
Alongside My Happy Minds, children learn about health and wellbeing:
- EYFS & KS1: Self-care, physical exercise, dental hygiene, and sun safety.
- Lower KS2: Basic first aid, puberty introduction, and physical changes.
- Upper KS2: Healthy choices, peer pressure, substance awareness, vaccinations, brain development in adolescence, menstrual health, and wellbeing strategies.
Online Safety
Our online safety curriculum helps children understand how to stay safe online, respect privacy, and use technology responsibly. Pupils learn about the benefits and risks of social media, how to critically evaluate online information, and how to seek help if needed.
This approach ensures that pupils at Archbishop Courtenay Primary School develop a strong foundation for mental health, emotional resilience, and social responsibility, aligned with our vision of nurturing compassionate, resilient, and aspirational learners.
My Happy Minds Curriculum Mapping