PSHE Progressions Map hero

PSHE Progression Map: A Practical Guide and Example for Primary Schools

Authored by the Muse Wellbeing Team

First Published on the 3rd of March, 2026.
Updated on the 9th of October, 2026.

Lead Writer

David is a qualified British teacher and the Muse Wellbeing director and lead curriculum developer. His main passions include education, surfing (badly) and travel.

Editorial Review

With over 15 years of experience teaching in primary schools in northern England, Charlotte has played a key role in shaping many lessons across the Muse Wellbeing curriculum.
A PSHE progression map is a year-by-year framework showing what pupils should know and how they apply learning with increasing independence. It makes the steps from Reception foundations to Year 6 visible, so important strands such as friendships, safety and online life do not become the same lesson repeated each year.

For PSHE leads, the challenge is to make each revisit purposeful, map statutory RSHE content accurately and give teachers a sequence they can plan from. This guide sets out a five-step process, the information to include in a working map and a Year 1 to Year 6 friendship example. It also shows how to review learning without grading pupils’ personal experiences.

Contents

  • What to gather before you start
  • Why PSHE progression matters more than coverage alone
  • Check statutory RSHE and the wider PSHE curriculum
  • A PSHE progression map in five steps 
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • Frequently asked questions
  • What to do next

What to gather before you start

Begin with the curriculum teachers are actually delivering. Review plans from Reception through Year 6, looking beyond unit titles to the knowledge and learning objectives being taught.

  • Long-term and medium-term plans for every year group, including Reception if your school maps EYFS foundations.
  • Your scheme or resource sequence, with unit objectives and learning intentions.
  • The current DfE statutory RSHE guidance and your school’s policy, so required content and local decisions are clear.
  • Staff observations, pupil voice or samples of learning that show what pupils recall and can apply.

Use a simple spreadsheet for the first audit. Record the year group, strand, intended learning, teaching unit and relevant statutory reference. Identify gaps and unnecessary duplication before redesigning the format.

Why PSHE progression matters more than coverage alone

A curriculum map shows which units or topics are taught and when. A progression map shows what pupils learn within those units and how knowledge and application build over time. Link the two so teachers can trace a progression outcome to the lesson or unit that teaches it, and see what later teaching should build on.
Friendship, safety, feelings and change are revisited because pupils need new learning as they grow. The map should make the change visible: in Year 2, pupils might describe how exclusion affects someone and suggest an inclusive response; by Year 4, they might compare fair ways to resolve a disagreement and explain when adult help is needed. The strand stays familiar; the knowledge and judgement become more demanding.

A progression map records intended learning; it does not prove pupils have secured it. In a subject review, compare the plan with what was taught, a small sample of what pupils remember and can apply, and the needs of your school community. If the plan and evidence differ, decide whether the map needs changing, the teaching needs support or a misconception needs revisiting.

Check statutory RSHE and the wider PSHE curriculum

Schools often use PSHE as the umbrella term for personal, social, health and economic learning. When auditing provision, separate the school’s wider curriculum from statutory duties: Relationships Education is compulsory for all primary pupils, and Health Education is compulsory in state-funded primary schools. 

Primary schools may choose to teach sex education beyond National Curriculum science; if they do, the school’s RSE policy should explain the content and parents’ right to request withdrawal from it. The revised DfE RSHE statutory guidance took effect on 1 September 2026, and schools must have regard to it.

Check the current DfE statutory guidance and primary requirements as part of the review. For each relevant requirement, record the year group and unit where it is taught, whether a later unit builds on it, and where staff can find the lesson.

Check that each requirement is taught at an age-appropriate point, builds on prior learning and is revisited where later teaching adds depth. Mark additional content clearly as a school or local curriculum choice.

The PSHE Association Programme of Study is a useful planning reference. Use it to check statutory RSHE alongside wider PSHE learning, including economic wellbeing and careers. It can inform a coherent local curriculum, but it is not a required school template.

A PSHE progression map in five steps 

Work on one strand at a time, such as friendships. Compare what is planned from Reception to Year 6. Your map should show what pupils learn each year, how that learning builds and where it is taught. A topic appearing every year does not, by itself, show progression. 

1. Audit what is already taught

Gather the long-term plan, unit plans and lesson objectives for one strand. Record the year group, unit and term, the learning pupils are expected to secure, and the resources already in use.

Write down what pupils are expected to learn, not just the topic title. If a plan says “friendships”, check the lesson objectives and resources to find out what pupils will know or be able to do.
pshe progression audit
For Reception, identify relevant foundations in Personal, Social and Emotional Development. Describe the learning through play, routines and relationships with adults. Do not present it as a formal PSHE lesson if that is not how it is taught.

2. Identify gaps, repetition and jumps

Read the plans in year-group order. Mark each item as new learning, a planned revisit, a gap or a possible duplicate.

Revisiting a topic can be useful. For each revisit, write down what pupils will learn this time that they have not learned before. This might be a more complex situation, a new skill or a greater expectation that pupils apply the learning independently. If you cannot identify what has been added, the sequence may be repeating rather than progressing.

3. Write clear outcomes for each year group

Start with what you want pupils to know and be able to do by the end of Year 6, then work backwards. Write one or two clear outcomes for each year group. Include the knowledge pupils need and how they will apply it.

“Understand friendships” is too broad to guide teaching. “Explain two fair ways to resolve a disagreement and when to ask an adult for help” gives the teacher something to teach and check.

A PSHE progression map example for friendships

This worked example uses six lessons from Muse Wellbeing’s Year 1 - 6 Understanding Relationships sequence. The outcomes show one possible increase in challenge; the vocabulary and checks are planning prompts you can adapt for your pupils. This single strand is an example, not a complete progression map. 

Check the change from row to row: pupils move from naming helpful qualities to describing exclusion, managing conflict, setting boundaries and using assertive language. If the difference is only a different verb, sharpen the knowledge or situation pupils are expected to handle.
Key Stage One
Lower Key Stage 2
Upper Key Stage 2
Year 1: A Great Friend
Learning outcome: Identify and describe helpful qualities in a friendship.

Key vocabulary: kind, fair, listen

Quick check: Name one way to include a classmate in a game.

Year 2: Exclude - Include
Learning outcome: Describe how exclusion can affect someone and suggest an inclusive response.

Key vocabulary: include, exclude, left out

Quick check: Choose a helpful action in a fictional playground scenario and explain why it would help.
Year 3: Positive Impressions
Learning outcome: Identify ways to build positive friendships and recognise when a friendship is not supportive.

Key vocabulary: trust, belonging, supportive

Quick check: Sort two fictional friendship examples and explain which one is supportive.

Year 4: Friendships: The Ups and Downs
Learning outcome: Explain two ways to manage a disagreement and when adult help may be needed.

Key vocabulary: disagreement, apologise, compromise

Quick check: Choose a fair response to a fictional disagreement and give a reason.
Year 5: Boundaries
Learning outcome: Recognise when a friendship feels uncomfortable and explain how to set a boundary or say no.

Key vocabulary: boundary, pressure, assertive

Quick check: Write a respectful response to a fictional situation where someone needs to set a boundary.

Year 6: Positive Assertive Behaviour
Learning outcome: Use assertive language in a challenging situation and identify when and how to report a safety concern.

Key vocabulary: assertive, report, trusted adult

Quick check: Name a safe reporting route in a fictional scenario.
Across the three stages, pupils move from recognising helpful friendship behaviours and exclusion, to identifying supportive relationships and managing disagreement, then to setting boundaries, using assertive language and seeking help. A topic can return in later years, but pupils should be learning something new about it or applying it in a more challenging situation.

When you map another strand, compare each year with the one before it. Note what pupils should already know, what new learning is introduced and how they will use it. If the expected learning has not changed, you may have repetition rather than progression.

4. Check that the sequence works for your school

Before agreeing the map, check that the learning is in a suitable order and that each year builds on what pupils have already been taught. Check statutory RSHE coverage against current DfE guidance. Consider when pupils need the learning, how much teaching time is available and whether your examples are appropriate for their age.

Ask class teachers, the designated safeguarding lead, the SENDCo and a senior leader to review the sequence. Ask them to identify missing prior learning, unsuitable examples or points where pupils may need more teaching or practice. Use fictional scenarios for discussion and assessment so pupils can apply learning without being asked to share personal experiences.

5. Use the map to guide planning and review 

Keep the whole-school map concise. For each year group, show the unit and term, the intended learning, any important prior learning and a simple way to check what pupils can do. Keep lesson-by-lesson detail in unit plans.

Use the map in planning meetings and year-group handovers to agree what needs teaching next. After a unit, check pupils’ recall and application through a discussion, short written response or fictional scenario. If pupils cannot apply the learning, decide whether to revisit it, teach it differently or adjust what comes next.

Review the map at least annually, and sooner if statutory guidance, school priorities or pupils’ needs change.

Reviewing the map against pupils’ learning 

Bring the map into planning meetings, year-group handovers and subject reviews. It should support decisions about what to teach next, not dictate every lesson. If your school uses the Muse Wellbeing PSHE and RSE scheme of work, use its objectives as a planning reference and compare them with your school’s progression. Do not assume the scheme sequence and school map are interchangeable. This helps staff spot where extra teaching, a different example or more practice is needed.
3 pshe progression
Review the map at least annually, and sooner when statutory guidance, resources or pupils’ needs change. You do not need a full rewrite each year: sample one or two strands, compare planned and taught learning, ask staff what is usable, and note the change, owner and review point. Use focused pupil voice to check what pupils recall and can apply, not only whether they enjoyed a lesson.

Assess progression without grading pupils

In PSHE, assess taught knowledge and pupils’ ability to apply it, not their personal experiences or feelings. Use fictional scenarios, discussion and short tasks to check understanding. Never ask pupils to disclose personal information to demonstrate progress, and do not grade their relationships or wellbeing.

Keep checks brief and aligned to the outcome. For example, use the same short fictional scenario at the start and end of a unit: ask pupils what they might do, why, and who could help. 

Compare the reasoning and vocabulary they use, not personal disclosure or a score.

  • A quick opening question to revisit prior learning.
  • A scenario asking pupils to explain a sensible response or where to seek help.
  • An exit task or discussion using the lesson’s key vocabulary.
  • Occasional pupil voice focused on what was learned, not only whether the lesson was enjoyable.

Look for patterns across a class or year group, taking account of pupils’ starting points. There is no need to assess every outcome after every lesson. A few focused checks can show what pupils remember, where misconceptions remain and what teachers need to revisit.

Common mistakes to avoid

Topic coverage is not progression. If friendships appears each year, state what new knowledge or skill pupils gain and apply.

Make outcomes teachable and checkable. Replace “understand friendships” with a clear expectation, such as explaining fair ways to resolve disagreement.

Map learning, not activities. “Role-play a disagreement” describes a task. State what pupils should learn and leave activity choices to lesson plans.

Assess safely. Use questions or fictional scenarios to check learning. Do not grade personal feelings or require pupils to disclose experiences.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Does every primary school need the same progression map?

No. There is no prescribed PSHE progression map template. Schools need to meet statutory RSHE requirements and ensure wider PSHE learning is coherently sequenced. Choose a format teachers can plan from and leaders can review.

How is a PSHE progression map different from a curriculum map?

A PSHE curriculum map usually shows which units or topics are taught and when. A progression map shows what pupils learn within those units and how their knowledge, vocabulary and ability to apply learning develop. Schools can use two linked documents or one map that shows both; the format matters less than making the teaching sequence and the learning progression clear to staff.

How detailed should a PSHE progression map be?

Enough to show intended learning, key vocabulary and the next step. One or two specific outcomes per strand and year group are usually sufficient; add detail only where staff need it to plan or check learning.

How often should we review the map?

Review the map at least annually, and sooner when guidance, resources or pupils’ needs change. Compare a small sample of the intended sequence with what was taught and what pupils can recall or apply. Record agreed amendments, who will make them and when you will review them. A complete rewrite should rarely be necessary.

What to do next

Start with an area of PSHE where learning is not building clearly from year to year, such as friendships. Put the existing plans and intended outcomes for Reception to Year 6 side by side.

Put the existing outcomes for Reception to Year 6 side by side and mark each as new learning, a purposeful revisit or a possible gap. Agree one clear outcome per year group, add key vocabulary and a short check for understanding, then test the sequence with the staff who teach it before moving on to another strand. 

For an example of whole-school provision, explore the Muse Wellbeing primary PSHE curriculum and its year-by-year lesson sequence. For related curriculum content, see our PSHE topics guide for primary schools.

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