RSHE
St Mary’s Catholic Infant and Junior Academies work together to create a caring, friendly and faith-centred community, where we seek to realise the full potential of all our family through the living love of Christ. All our work with children and their families, staff, governors, parishioners and the wider community is influenced by our core values:
Compassion, Respect and Resilience.
Intent
The purpose of our Arches Curriculum is to ensure that our children are successful in life and learning. The ‘Nine Arches’ Sankey Viaduct in Newton-le-Willows has been the inspiration for our curriculum. The viaduct was built by George Stephenson between 1828 and 1830 and the bridge, built to let trains cross above the Sankey Canal, has international significance as the world’s earliest major railway viaduct still in use.
At the heart of St Mary’s is the belief that every child is created in the image and likeness of God, with inherent dignity, purpose, and worth. Our RSHE and PSHE curriculum supports pupils in understanding themselves as children of God, created with dignity and called to live in loving relationship with others. Rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church, our programme nurtures pupils’ spiritual, moral, emotional, social, and physical development.
Through RSHE and PSHE, pupils learn to build healthy, respectful relationships; to value family life; and to understand the gift of human sexuality within God’s plan. Teaching is age‑appropriate, sensitive, and fully aligned with statutory requirements. Pupils also develop essential life skills, including emotional wellbeing, resilience, personal safety, and responsible decision‑making.
Our curriculum is delivered in partnership with parents—the primary educators of their children—and is supported by our wider Catholic ethos, Religious Education, and pastoral care. Together, RSHE and PSHE help every child grow in confidence, virtue, and understanding so they can flourish and contribute to the common good.
From this, we teach to the Arches Principles –
Ambitious – Resilience – Christ at the Heart – Health and Wellbeing – Excellence – Success
Ambitious
We encourage every pupil to be ambitious, to recognise their God‑given potential, and to strive for excellence in all they do. We nurture a culture where pupils are inspired to dream boldly, act purposefully, and use their talents to make a positive difference in the world.
Resilience
We encourage every pupil to develop resilience by facing challenges with courage, perseverance, and a positive mindset. When difficulties arise, we support pupils in learning from setbacks, growing in confidence, and discovering their inner strength.
Christ at the Heart
In RSHE and PSHE, we place Christ at the Heart of all we teach, helping pupils understand their dignity, purpose, and value as children of God. Our curriculum encourages pupils to grow in wisdom, compassion, and responsibility, guiding them to make positive choices and contribute to the common good.
Health and Wellbeing
We teach pupils how to care for their physical, emotional, and mental health and wellbeing so they can flourish and live life to the full. Our curriculum helps pupils develop healthy habits, make informed choices, and build resilience. We encourage them to understand their feelings, seek support when needed, and value the wellbeing of others.
Excellence
Our curriculum helps pupils develop confidence, character, and a strong sense of responsibility, inspiring them to aim high in their learning and in the way they treat others. Through a culture of high expectations and positive choices, pupils learn that excellence is not about perfection, but about continual effort, resilience, and becoming the very best version of themselves.
Success
In RSHE and PSHE, we help pupils understand that success comes from effort, resilience, and making positive choices. Our curriculum encourages them to set goals, believe in their abilities, and take responsibility for their learning and actions. By celebrating progress and personal growth, we support pupils in developing the confidence and character they need to succeed in school and in life.
As well as within our RSHE lessons there are numerous other subjects taught and resources used within school that meet the needs of our pupils within the RSHE framework. These are:
- Come and See – RECD
- To Know You More Clearly - RED
- ‘Journey in Love’
- ‘No Outsiders’ - Andrew Moffatt
- Science National Curriculum – all year groups’ programme of study
- PE National Curriculum
- Theme day/weeks/months e.g. Anti-Bullying Week
RSHE contributes to the British Values agenda, through the direct teaching of information, the ethos and values of the school, the way staff and children behave together and through the experiential learning children enjoy in lessons. Our RSHE curriculum also helps to support the Prevent Strategy by encouraging a sense of belonging. Pupils are taught about radicalisation and given advice and support to prevent them from being drawn into terrorism. We also use Picture News weekly to help support the British Values agenda and promote the UN rights of a child.