PSHE

Intent

Although teaching the entire scope of PSHE is not a statutory requirement for Primary Schools in England, the subject makes a vital contribution to areas where schools do have a duty. For example, the Education Act (2002) requires that we provide our children with a broad and balanced curriculum that “meets the needs of all pupils”.

“High quality, evidence-based and age-appropriate teaching of these subjects can help prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. They can also enable schools to promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, at school and in society.” Department for Education (DfE)

At Little Kingshill Combined School, we follow the PSHE JIGSAW programme. Our PSHE lessons are placed as a high priority in our curriculum as they underpin our core school values of creativity, ambition, respect, kindness and resilience whilst also providing the necessary tools to promote the safeguarding of our pupils. We know that Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education (SMSC) must be promoted and that we have a duty of care to keep our pupils safe.

Our school values connect with each of the themes within Jigsaw PSHE and the Puzzle Titles (Being Me in My World, Celebrating Difference, Dreams and Goals, Healthy Me, Relationships and Changing Me). This is promoted and celebrated through assemblies which launch each Puzzle each half term. British Values are also and SMSC are mapped throughout Jigsaw e.g. working together and tolerance fits in with “Relationships”)

All staff and pupils are also be clear about the important contribution that PSHE brings to their development. Staff are committed to professional development in this area and are trained regularly.

The Department for Education (DfE) has stated:

“Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education. All schools should teach PSHE, drawing on good practice, and this expectation is outlined in the introduction to the proposed new national curriculum.”

The PSHE Association states

“PSHE education gives pupils the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe and to prepare them for life and work in modern Britain…. When taught well, PSHE education helps pupils to achieve their academic potential, and leave school equipped with skills they will need throughout later life.”

On their website, Jigsaw intent is clearly stated:

“Jigsaw holds children at its heart, and its cohesive vision helps children understand and value how they fit into and contribute to the world.

With strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health, Jigsaw 3-11 properly equips schools to deliver engaging and relevant PSHE within a whole-school approach. Jigsaw lessons also include mindfulness allowing children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration and focus.”

Implementation

Implementation of PSHE at Little Kingshill Combined school ensures depth and accurate subject knowledge, by following detailed planning and building on prior learning.

Jigsaw 3-11 offers a comprehensive Programme for Primary PSHE including statutory Relationships and Health Education, in a spiral, progressive and fully planned scheme of work, giving children relevant learning experiences to help them navigate their world and to develop positive relationships with themselves and others.

Jigsaw consists of six half-term units of work (Puzzles), each containing six lessons (Pieces) covering each academic year.

Term 1: Being Me in My World

Term 2: Celebrating Difference (including anti-bullying) Term 3: Dreams and Goals

Term 4: Healthy Me Term 5: Relationships

Term 6: Changing Me (including Sex Education)

Every Piece has two Learning Intentions, one specific to Relationships and Health Education (PSHE) (in purple) and the other designed to develop emotional literacy and social skills (in green).

Puzzles are launched with a whole-school assembly containing an original song, with each year group studying the same unit at the same time (at their own level), building sequentially through the school year, facilitating whole-school learning themes.

The various teaching and learning activities are engaging and mindful of different learning styles and the need for differentiation and the Early Years (EYFS) planning is aligned to the National Early Years Framework (England).

Each lesson is built upon a Charter which underpins the behaviour and respect that is the basis for each lesson (one is provided within Jigsaw, but children and their teacher can write their own to ensure mutual respect and ownership).

The lessons then split into 6 parts, all of which should be included in every session to ensure that the learning follows the optimum progression.

Connect us - This is a game or activity designed to be fun and inclusive and to build and maximise social skills. ‘Connect us’ engenders positive relationships and enhances collaborative learning. It sets the atmosphere at the beginning of each Jigsaw Piece and can be used again at the end should the teacher feel the atmosphere needs to be lifted after some deep work during the lesson.

Calm me - This section of the Piece helps children gain awareness of the activity

in their minds, relaxing them and quietening their thoughts and emotions to a place of optimum learning capacity. This will also engender a peaceful atmosphere within the classroom. It is an invaluable life skill which also enhances reflection and spiritual development. This underpins the mindful approach advocated in Jigsaw

Open my mind - The Reticular Activating System of the brain filters the many stimuli entering the child’s mind at any given time. It is designed only to allow in that which is significant. Therefore, it is important to engage this system with the most important aspects of learning intended for each Piece (lesson). If we do this well, it will enable children to filter out activity around them not significant to this learning intention, thereby improving concentration and learning.

Tell me or show me - This section of the Piece (lesson) is used to introduce new information, concepts and skills, using a range of teaching approaches and activities.

Let me learn - Following Piaget’s learning model, after receiving new information/concepts, children need to manipulate, use, and play with that new information in order for it to make sense to them and for them to ‘accommodate’ it into their existing learning.

Help me reflect -Throughout Jigsaw, children are encouraged to reflect on their learning experiences and their progress. By reflecting, children can process and evaluate what they have learnt, which enables them to consolidate and apply their learning. They are also asked to stop and become aware of their thoughts and feelings in any given moment in Pause Points (brief pauses within the lesson where the children can have a couple of moments to just stop and be to consider whether what they are learning may be particularly meaningful to them).

Closure - Each Piece needs safe closure. This will always include the teacher praising the children for their effort, positive attitude and achievement, as well as giving one or two sentences to summaries the key learning points for the children.

In addition to this, teachers have the freedom to plan with detail and attention to their individual children. Learners can be scaffolded, and any individual needs can be supported where necessary. The summative assessment process offers criteria for children either working at, beyond or towards the age-related expectations. Greater depth children can be challenged to ensure that they are being given the opportunities to enrich their learning further. The “Class Teacher” page at the start of every puzzle allows time for practitioners to consider the upcoming content. These support teachers to feel more confident in their own subject knowledge, which in turn allows them to extend the learning of the children.

As a school, we also invest in good CPD for teachers for whom PSHE is not a specialist subject, especially in areas of sensitivity such as the new statutory areas of health and relationships education (with which Jigsaw PSHE is fully compliant) and sex education if the school is following this in Jigsaw. As well as the on- line support detailed above, Jigsaw PSHE supports schools with a designated mentor and can also provide training for school staff and subject leaders.

Impact

At Little Kingshill Combined School, we are confident in the impact of PSHE, though monitoring the subject effectively using weekly pupil monitoring records which track the pupil’s understanding of skills and knowledge.