Good News About Growing Up: Film And Teaching Pack
This is a colourful and cheerful film that uses puppetry, singing and interviews with school-children to explore topic areas around KS1 RSE / SRE.
Synopsis
Postman Jim gets home after a long shift, only for his envelope-shaped friend Frankie to discover there is one mysterious package left in his mail-bag. The package contains six letters, with each letter providing a gateway to a different story:
- Gerry the giraffe wants to fit in
- Paws (the little mouse) and Claws (the big lion) need to get along as friends
- Holly wants to be safe
- Monsieur Pip the photographer learns about different kinds of families
- Billy the Kid doesn’t want to grow up while Pirate Cat is trying her hardest to be a pirate when she does!
"All our members really liked your approach and found the interviews with the children helpful. We love the film thanks!"
Headteacher at Barton School, Cambridge
Take a look at our Top Tips before delivering your sessions.
Topic Areas: Friends, families, staying safe, growing up, being different, and what would you like to be?
Top Tips
The Whole School Approach
The resources available on this website have been developed in the context of a Whole School Approach to Relationships and Sex Education.
In Walsall we have found that this approach achieves the most successful positive outcomes for young people. Before using them we strongly recommend that practitioners consider the following:
• SRE policy
• Referral pathway for vulnerable young people
• SRE/PSHE curriculum
• Engagement of partners e.g. NHS specialists
• Staff confidence and current CPD opportunities
• Current National recommendations –policies, national curriculum etc.
Barry Scrymgeour, former head-teacher at St John’s Primary school delivered a creative curriculum that links different subjects meaningfully via a central theme. This can be a text, piece of art, film or worship theme. To enhance the use of the film they have incorporated it into some of their topic themes and plan to use it as a central stimulus in the future. It has been used as follows:
‘All about Me’ – Year 1
The film was used to introduce a part of the topic looking at families. The children watched the French photographer discuss different types of families and were then encouraged to bring in a photograph of their family (close or extended) to make a family tree in the classroom.
‘Ourselves’ – Reception
The episode of the giraffe wanting to be small is used as part of the children’s learning around themselves and the differences between people. The children were encouraged to visit/interact with a display that has a mirror on, to investigate their own and others faces and appearance. The children also worked in small groups to look at changing their appearance, using a Nintendo DS program called Face Gallery.
‘Captain Sensible’ – Year 2
Pupils had already looked at ideas around staying healthy and fit, but the episode with Holly was used to show someone who is afraid of the dark and the sensible things she did to help herself. The children then looked at being a superhero around school and home, thinking of ways the children can stay safe. The children looked at playground safety, corridor and toilet safety, and classroom safety. The children carried out mini risk assessments, created posters and became wardens for certain areas. This culminated in a superhero day where children came to school dressed as superheroes.
‘Help!’ – Reception
As part of reception’s ‘Help!’ topic, the children talked about the need to use big and small voices. The episode used was the lion ignoring the mouse due to his small voice. The children designed and made talking tubes to use in circle time out of cardboard poster tubes. These developed big voices for using in discussions, the notion of small voices for talking to partners.
‘Treasure Island’ – Year 2
As part of a wider ‘Treasure Island’ topic, Year 2 pupils used the episode of the Cat wanting to be a pirate to ask the children to decide what they want to be when they grow up. Different adults from around the school (including the caretaker, lollipop man, secretary, head teacher and local policeman) were asked to bring in a picture of them when they were a child and then talk about what they wanted to be when they were older. The children discussed the message that their ideas changed and working hard in school was always a key part to success.
Check out our Further Resources section to see if you can find extra helpful teaching materials.
Signposting
Walsall Sign-posting
Independent support services for people who are being abused, have been abused, or have other specific needs.
The Cedar Centre Walsall The Rock Centre, 27-31 Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1TE
info@blackcountrywomensaid.co.uk 01922 649 569
Electric Palace
Specialist centre for young people, providing education, support and youth activities
Blakenall community Centre, Blakenall Row, WS3 1LW 01922 712069GP’s
Your local GP’s offer a free and confidential service.
Walsall integrated Sexual Health (WiSH)
Pleck Road, Walsall, WS2 9ES (opposite main entrance to Walsall Manor Hospital)
To book an appointment or find details of clinic times please visit www.walsallsexualhealth.co.uk or alternatively call: 01922 270400
Teenage Pregnancy Team
Has two main aims to prevent/reduce teenage pregnancy and to support teenage parents and their children.
Phone: 01922 602330 Email: tpt@walsallhealthcare.nhs.uk
Offer free condoms, pregnancy testing and general counselling
55 Upper Forster Street, Walsall, WS4 2ABOffer Telephone 01922 649000 (24 hours)
Chat Health
A text service that allows you to talk to a School Nurse about your issues. Text 07480 635363
