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PSHE AT DOWNSHALL KEY STAGE 1 AND 2

Subject Leader: Ms M Begum

Introduction

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. 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 Downshall, using the Jigsaw, first quality teaching scheme, ensures that the key skills and knowledge are taught memorably to enable learning to be transferred to long term memory. We adapt planning and implementation to achieve the needs of the relevant cohort each year.

“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 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.”

Subject Drivers

The core subject aspects are taught specifically and are revisited regularly so that the children understand the essence of the subject. Jigsaw PSHE will support the development of the skills, attitudes, values and behaviour, which enable pupils to:

• Understand self-identity and self-purpose

• Value self and others

• Identify and form healthy relationships

• Make and act on informed decisions

• Communicate effectively

• Work with others; collaborate

• Respond to challenge; resilience and perseverance

• Take responsibility for future outcomes

• Be active citizens within the local community

• Explore issues related to living in a democratic society

• Become healthy and fulfilled individuals

The Six Puzzles (Themes/Units of work)

There are six Puzzles in Jigsaw (quickly identified by their colour scheme) designed to progress in sequence from the beginning of 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

Each Puzzle has six Pieces (lessons) which work towards an ‘end product’, for example, The School Learning Charter or The Garden of Dreams and Goals.

Each Piece has two Learning Intentions: one is based on specific PSHE learning and the other based on emotional literacy and social skills development.

The whole school works on the same Puzzle at the same time, meaning that each Puzzle can be launched with a whole-school assembly and learning can be celebrated by the whole school in a meaningful way.

Mindfulness & Zones of Regulation

Mindfulness, combined with the Zones of Regulation, helps children become aware of their thoughts and feelings as they arise and choose where to focus their attention. Using the Zones framework—Blue (sad), Green (calm), Yellow (anxious), and Red (angry)—children can identify their emotional state and apply mindfulness techniques like breathing (Calm me) exercises to regulate their emotions. This allows them to "pause" and decide whether to let their thoughts continue or shift them, moving back to the Green zone where they are calm and ready to learn. By doing so, children can avoid impulsive reactions like fight/flight, improve focus, reduce stress, and prevent behaviour issues that disrupt the classroom.

In Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, mindfulness is developed in 3 main ways:

a) through the ‘Calm Me’ time in each lesson. This consists of breathing techniques, awareness exercises and visualisations, enabling children to quieten their minds and become aware of the activity.

b) through the taught curriculum. Lessons help children to explore their thoughts and feelings, to expand their emotional vocabulary, explore thoughts-feelings-consequence sequences, build their confidence and express themselves in a safe environment.

c) through the ‘Pause Points’ in lessons, which ask children to ‘Stop and look inside’ to practise observing their thoughts and feelings relating to what they are learning about in that lesson.

Government Guidance

Please use the links below to access more information about PSHE and RSE from the DfE..

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-social-health-and-economic-education-pshe/personal-social-health-and-economic-pshe-education

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-personal-social-health-and-economic-pshe-and-relationships-and-sex-education-rse

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/relationships-and-sex-education-and-health-education

Our Curriculum Subject Vision Document

Please use this link to access our most up to date Subject Vision document.

Please use this link to access our most up to date Snap Shot Overview

Please use this link to access; How does the Jigsaw 3-11 meet the Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) Early Learning Goals?

Please use this link to access; What is Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE (ages 3-11)? A guide for parents and carers

Safeguarding

Jigsaw is eager to support schools in seeing how the Jigsaw materials contribute to government agendas.

The Relationships and Changing Me Puzzles have a strong safeguarding focus in particular, obvious to teachers but not necessarily so explicit to children. Our philosophy is to grow resilience and positive self- esteem and confidence in children, so they can recognise when they feel uncomfortable in a situation and know who to trust and how to speak up for help. They respect themselves and their bodies and know what healthy relationships feel like.

There may be some issues that some schools feel they do not yet need to include in their universal PSHE curriculum, but others do, e.g. FGM and sexuality issues. In this case, we, at Downshall, adapt and add specific lesson plans to meet needs of all the pupils.

Teachers are aware that sometimes disclosures may be made during Jigsaw lessons in which case, safeguarding procedures are followed immediately; in line with our school policy. Sometimes it is clear that certain children may need time to talk one-to-one after the lesson closes. It is important we allow the time and appropriate staffing for this to happen.

At Downshall, we take children’s safety and well-being very seriously, trying to empower them to speak up and get help if needed and to know how to keep themselves safe. Teachers often assess their lessons and ask the children to draw a Jigsaw Friend with either a smiley face/ neutral face/ unhappy face at the end of each Jigsaw lesson in their Jigsaw Journal. The teacher can then ascertain if any children are feeling worried or concerned about the lesson and follow this up with specific children if needed.

Examples of enrichment activities planned by our amazing teachers:

EYFS:

Set up role play area related to our topics, such as, home corner, vet surgery, school; Dreams and Goals unit

Plant and care for sunflowers, observe caterpillars turning into butterflies, and eggs hatching; Changing Me unit

Make sandwiches and set up different activities outdoors to exercise; Healthy Me unit

KS1:

Create artwork/displays to promote key messages; across all units

We create class recipes books to promote healthy eating; Healthy Me unit

We create whole class presentations to celebrate how special we all are; Being Me in My World unit

KS2:

Role play scenarios to open up debates and discussions on important issues.

Create artwork to promote key messages.

Collaborate in groups to create a presentation for the whole class/year group; these lessons and skills are planned and taught across all units

Quotes from PupilS

Year 1:

"I like Jigsaw because we get to learn about Lila and the Secret of Rain and other good books. It’s about being happy and sad." - Zaid (1B)

Year 2:

"Jigsaw is about how to be kind and about friendly relationships. Also, I learnt about dreams and goals – it is my goal to have a successful life." - Zayn (2K)

Year 3:

"I enjoy relaxing time – we breath in and we breath out, it helps me to relax and imagine what we are learning next." - Harvir (3J)

Year 4:

"We do fun activities and learn how to be good and kind to each other. We learn lots of new vocabulary as well." - Tabina (4U)

Year 5:

"I like that PSHE is expressive and hands on, and not just lots of writing – it is experimental. It helps us learn different situations and I’ve understood new vocabulary, such as aspirations, and what this means to me in my world." - Jason (5S)

Year 6:

"Calm Me relaxes my mind. PSHE has helped me understand others in the world don’t have access to the things we do. It makes me reflect and feel grateful for the life I have." - Zainab (6A)