PSHE at Our School

SCARF – Key Values & What They Mean

SCARF stands for Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience, Friendship, values that underpin all of our PSHE teaching.

Through teaching, children learn to:

• Understand how to keep themselves and others safe (Safety)

• Show empathy, kindness, and respect to everyone (Caring)

• Strive to do their best, set goals and celebrate achievements (Achievement)

• Build resilience, manage challenges, adapt and bounce back (Resilience)

• Form positive friendships, build healthy relationships, and respect differences (Friendship)

These values align with the PSHE Association’s core aims, helping children develop socially and emotionally, form healthy relationships, and understand how to stay safe and healthy.

SCARF Half‑Termly Units

SCARF divides the school year into six suggested half‑term topics at an age‑appropriate level. These units are repeated at every stage, with content adapted to be appropriate for the age and development of the children — helping them build on prior learning and deepen their understanding year after year.

The six themes are:

1. Me and My Relationships - exploring feelings, emotions, friendships, conflict resolution and building healthy relationships.

2. Valuing Difference - respecting diversity, celebrating difference and understanding equality, inclusion and tolerance.

3. Keeping Safe - understanding safety, safe behaviour (online and offline), recognising risk, knowing trusted adults and personal boundaries.

4. Rights and Respect - learning about rights, responsibilities, respect for others, environment and community, understanding fairness and cooperation.

5. Being My Best - focusing on health and wellbeing, growth mindset, goal-setting, personal development, and building resilience and self-esteem.

6. Growing and Changing - addressing personal growth, body changes, emotional and social changes, maturity, relationships and, where age appropriate, aspects of Relationships & Sex Education (RSE).

PSHE learning is embedded across the curriculum and school life. Children are given opportunities to reflect on their feelings, discuss ideas, and practise positive behaviours daily. Through playground activities, class responsibilities, school events, and involvement in initiatives such as the School Council, children see how PSHE values guide their choices and interactions. We celebrate achievements in PSHE, resilience, and caring behaviour during assemblies and through certificates, encouraging children to take pride in their personal growth.