PSHE and Relationships & Sex Education - the JIGSAW approach

Personal, Social and Health Education

At Tweedmouth Community Middle School we aim to promote healthy, independent and responsible members of society. We encourage all our pupils to play a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community through class & school councils, fundraising events, supporting nominated charities and involvement in community activities. Our pupils are given opportunities in PSHE lessons and assemblies to develop confidence, self-motivation and an understanding of their rights and responsibilities within our diverse society.

We teach PSHE in a variety of ways: as a discrete subject, via assemblies and through other subjects such as RE, History, Geography, Literacy, Maths and Science, as well as through outdoor educational visits, community work and activities. We also provide information via our school Lunch page on nutrition, healthy diet, being active and food allergies.

Please also use our 'SUBJECTS' pages  to find out what they are learning about in the relevant Curriculum Overview.

The Jigsaw Approach

Introduction

Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, brings together Personal, Social, Health Education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development in a comprehensive scheme of learning. A lesson a week with the teaching resources included, helps teachers to focus on tailoring the lessons to their children’s needs and to enjoy building the relationship with their class, getting to know them better as unique human beings. Teaching strategies are varied and are mindful of preferred learning styles and the need for differentiation. Jigsaw is designed as a whole school approach, with all year groups working on the same theme (Puzzle) at the same time. This enables each Puzzle to start with an introductory assembly, generating a whole school focus for adults and children alike.

The Six Puzzles (Themes/ Units of work)

There are six Puzzles in Jigsaw that are designed to progress in sequence from the start of each academic year and which develop across all four years of Middle School.

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:

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)

SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) development: every Piece (lesson) contributes to at least one of these aspects of children’s development.

Please click here to read SMCS Outcomes Document

British Values: Jigsaw fully incorporates the teaching of fundamental British values.

To see how these are built into the units taught over year 5 and Year 6 please click HERE.

Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance

Jigsaw provides a comprehensive PSHE Programme which covers all the requirements of the government guidance and outcomes, and more. The Relationships and Healthy Me Puzzles (units) cover most of the aspects in the guidance but these are enhanced, revisited and foundations built throughout the Jigsaw Programme. Jigsaw’s philosophy starts by building positive self-image, a sense of identity and a healthy relationship with self, and from that starting point helps children grow healthy relationships with others. Health Education in Jigsaw embraces not only physical health but has a strong focus on mental health and emotional literacy throughout, and empowers children to be aware of their own thoughts and feelings and know how to manage and regulate these - e.g. using ‘Calm Me’ mindfulness techniques. Jigsaw values every child and so takes inclusivity as a given, promoting acceptance of individuals for who they are and who they will become.

To read how Jigsaw tackles the sensitive issues within Relationships and Sex Education please click HERE to read a very helpful booklet.

Please read the PARENT LEAFLET BELOW which gives more details on the Jigsaw approach to LGBT+ relationships education.

To view the full DFE document, click here: Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance 2019 (updated 2021)

To view our Relationships and Sex Education Policy please click HERE.

There are 8 mapping documents below which detail how the JIGSAW Framework covers all statutory elements of this vital part of the curriculum: