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What is PSHE Education?

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 have been required 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, 2019) and to uphold the Equality Act (2010).

 

The Jigsaw Programme supports all of these requirements and has children’s wellbeing at its heart.

 

What is Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, and how does it work?

Jigsaw is a whole-school approach and embodies a positive philosophy and creative teaching and learning activities to nurture children’s development as compassionate and well-rounded human beings as well as building their capacity to learn. Jigsaw is a comprehensive and completely original PSHE Education programme (lesson plans and teaching resources) for the whole primary school from ages 3-11. Written by teachers and grounded in sound psychology, it also includes all the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education, and Sex Education is also included in the Changing Me Puzzle (unit).

Jigsaw has two main aims for all children:
• To build their capacity for learning
• To equip them for life

Jigsaw brings together PSHE Education, compulsory Relationships and Health Education, emotional literacy, mindfulness, social skills and spiritual development. It is designed as a whole school approach, with all year groups working on the same theme (Puzzle) at the same time at their own level. There are six Puzzles (half-term units of work) and each year group is taught one lesson per week. All lessons are delivered in an age- and stage-appropriate way so that they meet children’s needs.

 

SMSC and Emotional Literacy in Jigsaw
Jigsaw is more than a PSHE Scheme of Work. It provides a structured programme of personal development to nurture the ‘whole child’ and increase learning capacity, underpinned by mindfulness philosophy and practice. Every Jigsaw lesson from Early Years to upper primary offers opportunities for children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development, and this is clearly mapped and balanced across each year group

 

British Values in Jigsaw
Jigsaw lessons also fully cover Fundamental British Values as part of a school’s SMSC provision.

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Statutory Relationships and Health Education Jigsaw
Jigsaw PSHE Programme is fully compliant with the DfE Statutory Relationships & Health Education Guidance.

See the document map for the depth and breadth of the curriculum coverage across the school and the Guide for Parents and Carers about Relationships and Sex Education in Jigsaw

 

What does Jigsaw teach about LGBTQ relationships?
Jigsaw is a complete scheme of work for Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) covering the entire PSHE curriculum. Only a very small number of these lessons in the entire scheme have any focus upon LGBTQ issues.

Jigsaw’s philosophy is about inclusion and valuing all children.

Relationships lessons focus on respect and regard between people e.g. friendships and families. Any reference to adult relationships, whether LGBTQ or heterosexual people is NOT describing sexual activity as this would be inappropriate.