Muse Wellbeing: RSE Programme for Primary Schools

Muse Wellbeing is a comprehensive RSE programme designed for primary schools. It offers a complete PSHE scheme of work for each primary school year group, covering all statutory RSE topics to ensure compliance with Department for Education guidelines.

Muse Wellbeing delivers high-quality wellbeing lessons through a holistic PSHE curriculum, aimed at fostering the growth of resilient and compassionate students. Each lesson includes differentiated tasks, materials, and extensions, ensuring every child is included and appropriately challenged.

At this time, Muse Wellbeing is available for free, supporting schools in delivering engaging lessons that inspire pupils and equip them with essential skills for modern life.

About Muse Wellbeing

Muse Wellbeing is an RSE programme designed for primary schools. In addition to meeting the Department for Education requirements for statutory RSE topics, the Muse programme offers a comprehensive PSHE curriculum. It covers a wide range of well-being, PSHE and RSE topics, from family and friendship to mental and physical health, digital citizenship, and economic well-being.

With 216 lesson plans and accompanying resources, Muse Wellbeing provides a full curriculum for Years 1-6 in UK primary schools. The RSE programme is structured for weekly delivery, with lessons ranging from 30 to 50 minutes. It follows a progressive set of learning objectives aimed at nurturing resilient and caring students.

Muse Wellbeing is developed and supported by a team of UK-qualified teachers, well-being advocates, and educational creatives dedicated to enhancing well-being for all children and school communities. The curriculum is continuously tested and refined based on teacher and pupil feedback, ensuring it remains the best RSE programme for primary schools.

The Muse curriculum is built on five core values that foster multidisciplinary mindsets and enhance well-being in schools. These core values serve as the foundation for every lesson, ensuring a well-rounded PSHE scheme of work that prepares students for life in the modern world.

• One: Mental & Physical Health.
• Two: Positive & Respectful Relationships.
• Three: Global Citizenship & Community Care.
• Four: Personal Growth & Economic Well-being.
• Five: Digital Citizenship & Online Safety.

What is an RSE Programme for Primary Schools?

RSE stands for relationships and sex education. It is a mandatory subject for all children. RSE is sometimes referred to as RSHE (relationships, sex, and health education) as health topics are also required in schools. Some schools choose to teach RSE within a broader PSHE (personal, social, health, and economic education) curriculum to fully prepare children for life in the modern world and support their physical and mental health.

RSE plays a crucial role in safeguarding children, so schools must dedicate time to the subject. Ofsted also considers the impact of RSE when inspecting schools, looking for a whole-school approach.

Planning and teaching RSE, like any other topic, can be challenging and time-consuming. Before the changes in 2020, PSHE was often overlooked or squeezed into the timetable irregularly. Now that RSE is mandatory, schools must provide evidence that they are teaching the required topics, making it a subject that can no longer be dipped in and out of. However, many schools are now recognizing the benefits of a full PSHE curriculum on pupil well-being, which is why they are turning to RSE programmes to assist with teaching and planning.

An RSE programme for primary schools can be supplied by an outside provider, like Muse Wellbeing. These external providers often create full primary PSHE schemes of work and can supply schools with anything from lesson resources to online programmes and even fully planned and resourced lessons to ease the pressure of planning and teaching RSE and PSHE.   

Why is RSE Important? 

RSE and PSHE equip children with essential life skills and the knowledge needed to keep themselves safe. By providing accurate and useful information through RSE, children are better prepared to make informed decisions on matters that will affect their lives.

Teaching RSE can significantly impact students’ mental and physical health, as well as their overall achievement. In doing so, schools are setting young people up for a more successful future.

How can an RSE Programme Benefit Primary Schools?

In addition to saving time and simplifying teaching and planning, an RSE programme for primary schools can greatly enhance the well-being of students.

A primary PSHE scheme of work like Muse Wellbeing is designed to meet and exceed the Department for Education’s 2020 guidelines. This means that, alongside all the mandatory topics, the curriculum includes additional well-being topics aimed at nurturing independent, kind, and caring students.

A comprehensive RSE programme provides schools with lesson plans, slides, resources, and differentiation tools, ensuring that teachers deliver the most engaging and thorough RSE and PSHE lessons. It also alleviates the pressure many teachers face, making the subject more enjoyable and engaging to teach.

What Makes Muse Wellbeing Different?

Among the various RSE programme providers, Muse Wellbeing stands out by offering a complete PSHE curriculum that covers the entire primary school journey (Years 1-6). Designed for weekly instruction, the programme includes everything schools and teachers need to effectively teach and document their RSE curriculum:

• Yearly overviews
• Lesson plans
• Lesson slides
• Resources
• Differentiation for both SEND learners and high-achievers
• Muse Wellbeing videos to support lessons

The lessons and resources are designed with fun and engagement in mind, inspiring pupils and giving teachers confidence that they’re delivering the best lessons possible. The intuitive lesson slides make teaching RSE and PSHE easier than ever.

The curriculum is organized into three main topics for each school term: Health and Wellbeing, Understanding Relationships, and The World Around Us. These are further divided into six half-termly topics:

• Term 1: Health and Wellbeing
  1:1 – Healthy Minds and Healthy Bodies
  1:2 – Growth and Change
• Term 2: Understanding Relationships
  2:1 – Positive Relationship
  2:2 – Respecting Others and Ourselves
• Term 3: The World Around Us
  3:1 – Thinking Locally and Globally
  3:2 – Economic Wellbeing and Reflection 

Schools have unlimited access to all aspects of the curriculum throughout their subscription, with everything on the Muse platform created by UK-qualified primary school teachers and SENDco leaders.

Currently, the Muse Wellbeing curriculum is in beta development, meaning it is regularly tested and improved. During this phase, it is completely free for schools to subscribe.

Final Thoughts: Using An RSE Programme

An RSE programme is the best way to ensure that mandatory topics are taught alongside other valuable well-being topics. While using an RSE programme, it’s important to consider the needs of the school and wider community, tailoring the topics to suit the pupils. Every school is different, and some topics may be more relevant than others. As long as schools cover the required relationships, sex, and health education, they are free to customize a PSHE curriculum that fits their community.

Teachers often face increasing workloads and limited time to plan engaging, mentally stimulating lessons. With an RSE programme like Muse Wellbeing, schools have the support they need to prepare their students for the future, safeguard young people, and deliver fun yet essential lessons.