PSHE
At the Althorp Primary Partnership we believe that PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) gives children the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead healthy, empowered, independent lives and to become informed, active and responsible citizens. As a result, our PSHE lessons contribute directly to our pupils’ personal development. PSHE lessons provide children with the knowledge and the skills they need to take a lead in keeping both their body and mind healthy and the importance of having personal goals and the perseverance to achieve these.
We use a scheme called Jigsaw as a whole-school approach to PSHE.
“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 PSHE 2020
This scheme holds children at its heart and helps children understand and value how they fit into and contribute to the world. It places a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. Jigsaw lessons include mindfulness allowing children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration, focus and self-regulation.
What will Jigsaw teach my child?
The overview below summarises the content in each of Jigsaw’s units of work (Puzzles):
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.
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.
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. Life cycles and human reproduction are taught in some year groups at the school’s discretion. Jigsaw has produced a separate leaflet explaining the approach taken with Relationships and Sex Education. Your child’s school can make this available to you on request.
© Jigsaw PSHE Ltd 2020