1. GROUND RULES: Our Class CONNECT Code

Ground rules that build connection and a group agreement for exploring complex RSHE and PSHE topics, allowing for diverse viewpoints and managing ambiguities and complexities.

How to use: Introduce with the British Sign Language video clip to practise the signs. Then start each RSHE and PSHE lesson reviewing with the signs and highlight the relevant actions to keep communication open and inclusive.  

2. MINDFULNESS: 15 Silent Sitting Tracks

Developed by child meditation expert Christiane Kerr, both children and adults build up their mindfulness practice over time.  

How to use: Set the scene for any PSHE or RSHE session using one of the tracks, selecting a particular theme if relevant. Also, use first thing in the morning or directly after lunchtime as a way to re-centre everyone so they feel calm and focussed ready for new thinking and learning.

3. LIFE SKILLS: 5 BIG Skills Cards

Five of the key social emotional skills, essential for life and for the workplace, broken down into explicit and manageable steps to apply during RSHE or in the wider curriculum so they become lifelong habits. 

How to use:   5 BIG skills cue cards can be used by both educators and pupils to model and practise small step human skills. Together, everyone will work to strengthen their capabilities: to manage themselves, build strong connections with one another and make mindful choices that enable everyone to thrive. The 5 BIG skills follow human development and start with the Self and grow outwardly: Self-regulation, Self-awareness, Building Relationships, Making Mindful Choices and Social Awareness. They can be displayed as posters for whole-class use, or printed small and held together on key rings for accessible use individually or in pairs during RSHE, shared reading, in any discussion or critical thinking work.

4. LANGUAGE: The BIG Feelings Compass

A resource to name and identify a range of feelings to help regulation and awareness and acknowledge both comfortable and uncomfortable feelings. For older primary pupils, the outer ring goes further and suggests mindful choices that can be made when experiencing these feelings.  

How to use: Print out large on A3 and use in pairs for plenaries in PSHE to explore how someone might feel in a real-life scenario (using a safer distancing method instead of directly asking how individuals feel). Use to empathise with the characters in the BIG Think stories or in Literacy sessions to build a rich emotions vocabulary of 32 words.

5. STORIES: BIG Stories for Empathy & Critical Thinking

62 bite-size short stories with discussion questions for assembly or classroom, featuring relatable characters and covering a vast range of topics from chatbot friendships to misogyny.

How to use: Share across a key stage assembly or during storytime or shared reading or to book end a PSHE session that fits the theme of the story.  Facilitate the accompanying discussion questions.  Use with the BIG Feelings compass to discuss the emotional life of the characters.  Print out the individual story as needed. A new print run of this book will be ready to order soon!