PSHE
PSHE Education (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) is a planned programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to successfully manage their lives – now and in the future. As part of a whole-school approach, PSHE Education develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.
What do schools have to teach in PSHE Education?
According to the National Curriculum, every school needs to have a broad and balanced curriculum that:
• promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school;
• prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life;
• promotes British values.
From September 2020, primary schools in England also need to teach Relationships and Health Education as compulsory subjects and the Department for Education strongly recommends this should also include age-appropriate Sex Education.
Schools also have statutory responsibilities to safeguard their pupils (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DfE, 2023) and to uphold the Equality Act (2010). The Jigsaw Programme supports all of these requirements and has children’s wellbeing at its heart.
What are the aims of Relationships Education, Sex Education and Health Education in the primary school?
The opening paragraph of the Department for Education guidance states:
“Today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.” (DfE, 2019, Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education)
What must primary schools teach in Relationships Education, Health Education and Sex Education?
From September 2020, Relationships and Health Education are compulsory in all primary schools in England. For primary aged children this includes curriculum content under two headings (DfE 2019):
Health Education Relationships Education
Mental wellbeing Families and people who care for me
Internet safety and harms Caring Friendships
Physical health and fitness Respectful Relationships
Healthy Eating Online Relationships
Drugs, alcohol and tobacco Changing adolescent body
Health and prevention Being safe
Basic first aid
What will Jigsaw teach my child?
The overview below summarises the content in each of Jigsaw’s units of work (Puzzles):
Celebrating Difference focuses on similarities and differences and teaches about diversity, such as disability, racism, power, friendships, and conflict; children learn to accept everyone’s right to ‘difference’, and most year groups explore the concept of ‘normality’. Anti-bullying, including cyber and homophobic bullying, is an important aspect of this Puzzle.
Dreams and Goals aims to help children think about their hopes and dreams, their goals for success, what their personal strengths are, and how to overcome challenges, using team-work skills and tasks. There is also a focus on enterprise and fundraising. Children learn about experiencing and managing feelings of pride, ambition, disappointment, success; and they get to share their aspirations, the dreams and goals of others in different cultures/countries, and their dreams for their community and the world. It’s great for children to have this experience, to think ambitiously, and to have aspirations.
Being Me In My World covers a wide range of topics, including a sense of belonging, welcoming others and being part of a school community, a wider community, and a global community; it also looks at children’s rights and responsibilities, working and socialising with others, and pupil voice.
Healthy Me covers two main areas of health: Emotional/mental health (relaxation, being safe, friendships, mental health skills, body image, relationships with food, managing stress) and Physical health (eating a balanced diet, physical activity, rest and relaxation, keeping clean, drugs and alcohol, being safe, first aid). Most of the statutory content for Health Education (DfE) is contained within this Puzzle.
Relationships starts with building a respectful relationship with self and covers topics including families, friendships, pets and animals, and love and loss. A vital part of this Puzzle is about safeguarding and keeping children safe; this links to online safety and social networking. Children learn how to deal with conflict, build assertiveness skills, and identify their own strengths and strategies for building self-esteem and resilience. They explore roles and responsibilities in families and friendship groups, and consider stereotypes.
Changing Me deals with change of many types, from growing from young to old, becoming a teenager, assertiveness, puberty, self-respect and safeguarding. Each year group thinks about looking ahead, moving year groups or the transition to secondary school and how to cope positively with such changes.
Helpful information for parents
Click on the links below to see more information about our RSHE curriculum and policies.
|
RSHE Policy April 24 | [pdf 249KB] |
|
|
|
Rshe-charter | [pdf 113KB] |
|
|
|
jigsaw-information-leaflet-for-parents-and-carers-2021 | [pdf 474KB] |
|
|
|
rshe-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers-leaflet-2020 | [pdf 279KB] |
|
|
|
uk-3-11-12-snapshot-overview-map | [pdf 201KB] |
|
Implementation
The Jigsaw programme meets all the requirements of the statutory guidance for Relationships and Health Education (England 2020).
We also have an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) within our school to provide extra support to children where this is needed, for example support with friendships. We use a range of teaching and learning styles including circle time.
We place an emphasis on active learning by including the children in discussions, investigations and problem-solving activities. We encourage the children to take part in a range of practical activities that promote active citizenship, e.g. charity fundraising, the planning of school special events such as an assembly or open evening, or involvement in an activity to help other individuals or groups less fortunate than themselves.
We organise classes in such a way that pupils are able to participate in discussion to resolve conflicts or set agreed classroom rules of behaviour.
As a school we are also taking opportunities to explore different cultures and groups in order to increase their global awareness, tolerance and awareness of diversity within the wider world. This can include school trips and visitors to school.
Impact
Our PSHE curriculum will ensure all pupils have an improved global awareness and become resilient learners. Our PSHE curriculum also supports children in their academic, social, spiritual, mental, development. Our curriculum helps to ensure our children become well-rounded individuals who are ready to continue their educational journey and into adult life with respect, resilience and high aspirations. The PSHE subject co-ordinator effectively monitors the teaching and delivery of the PSHE curriculum to ensure it is being used to its full potential. This includes ensuring staff take every opportunity to provide SMSC throughout the curriculum and not just in PSHE sessions.