How have the statements been developed?

QCA has produced these statements in consultation with teachers, advisers and teacher trainers for PSHE and citizenship across England. The statements link directly to the content of the non-statutory frameworks for PSHE and citizenship at key stages 1 and 2, and PSHE at key stages 3 and 4. They draw upon examples in the breadth of opportunities statements.

What are the statements designed to do?

The statements provide guidance on the knowledge, skills and understanding that most pupils should attain in PSHE by the end of each key stage. They are not designed to assess the worth, personality or values of individual pupils. They have been written to build upon the personal, social and emotional learning of the early learning goals in the foundation stage profile, and to support progression through the key stages.

How can the statements be used?

The statements may be adapted to reflect the priorities of the PSHE programmes of individual schools. They can be shared with pupils at the beginning and during the key stage to clarify expectations, and to enable teachers and pupils to communicate about progress and attainment. They can also be used to help teachers report pupils' progress and attainment in PSHE to parents.

Why is the strand relating to citizenship not included in the statements at key stages 1 and 2?

Although there is a non-statutory framework for PSHE and citizenship at key stages 1 and 2, there are existing progression statements for citizenship at the end of these key stages. These can be found in QCA’s handbook, Citizenship at key stages 1-4: guidance on assessment, recording and reporting (2002), and on the National curriculum in action website.

My school already has guidelines for assessing PSHE. Do we have to replace them with QCA's end-of-key-stage statements?

Perhaps your school or local authority has developed their own statements or summaries for planning and assessment in PSHE. The end of key stage statements are not intended to replace existing guidelines that schools are working to, nor is it intended that schools rewrite their schemes of work. However, the statements offer guidance on a national standard for PSHE.

I spend time on areas such as emotional literacy. If these aren't mentioned in the statements, does it mean I shouldn't be covering them?

The end of key stage statements are based on the non-statutory frameworks for PSHE and citizenship at key stages 1 and 2, and PSHE at key stages 3 and 4. Everything that is included relates to the non-statutory frameworks. This may mean that areas such as emotional literacy aren't included in the statements. This does not mean that the work you are doing in such areas is not valid or suitable for assessment. Schools may need to adapt the statements to make sure they are compatible with their PSHE provision.

What areas of work are the statements related to?

They relate to the social, emotional and behavioural outcomes of the primary national strategy guidance. They also support the five outcomes for children in the Green Paper, Every child matters, which was recently given statutory status by the Children Act 2004. The five outcomes are: be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being.

How do the end of key stage 1 statements progress from the early learning goals of the foundation stage profile?

Year 1 teachers must refer to information passed to them about children’s progress towards the early learning goals for personal, social and emotional development, and to the assessments made of each child against the relevant scales of the statutory foundation stage profile. QCA has produced a ‘best fit’ comparison table to help teachers clarify the relationship between the non-statutory end of key stage 1 statements and the early learning goals. This is not a direct comparison or equivalence, but aims to clarify progression for information only.

What are the next steps?

The statements are part of a package that provides:

• PSHE at key stages 1-4: guidance on assessment, recording and reporting
• examples of pupils' work for each key stage to illustrate what the expectations look like in practice (available on the National curriculum in action website)
• new units of work containing activities to help teachers deliver aspects of the PSHE framework at all key stages.

Download Non-statutory end-of key-statements [PDF, 19KB}