Mrs Poole

At Knowle CE Primary Academy, we believe that Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) are fundamental to the development of the knowledge, skills and attributes children need to keep themselves healthy and safe. Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development and British values are at the heart of our school ethos. Children learn to understand and respect our common humanity; diversity and differences so that they can go on to form the effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning. PSHE is embedded throughout our curriculum and life at school so our children can become responsible members of society, as well as preparing them for adult life in modern Britain.

Our curriculum intent – the knowledge and skills we expect our pupils to learn – can be found in our Curriculum Maps (see below)

PSHE at Knowle Church of England Primary Academy is implemented using the Jigsaw programme which is a whole school approach. The Jigsaw programme is a local authority purchased scheme which is supported alongside schools throughout Solihull and is endorsed by our local GP’s and NHS staff. Jigsaw is a spiral, progressive scheme of work which prepares children for life, helping them to know and value who they are and understand how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world. There is a strong emphasis on emotional Literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. It includes mindfulness to allow children to advance their emotional awareness, concentration, and focus.

Progression in skills and knowledge in the subject is outlined in the PSHE progression grid. The curriculum for PSHE is delivered throughout the whole school starting with a shared assembly each half term to introduce new topics. Each Jigsaw puzzle piece is delivered at the same time for each year group and revisited every year to enable progression. The six themes (Puzzle pieces) covered are: Being Me in My World, Celebrating Difference, Dreams and Goals, Healthy Me, Relationships and Changing Me. Learning takes place during weekly whole class Jigsaw lessons which explore the different themes. These themes are also embedded through all other lessons and the whole school day with everyone supporting and encouraging the children they interact with to use the skills they are developing and to make links to other areas of learning.

The aims of PSHE and Jigsaw within Knowle Church of England Primary Academy are to provide children with:

– accurate and relevant knowledge

– opportunities to create personal understanding

– opportunities to explore and challenge a range of values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities

– a range of skills and strategies to live a healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced life

Our PSHE programme deals with the diverse beliefs, values, and attitudes that individuals and societies hold. It helps pupils to develop themselves, their understanding of the world, and their ability to communicate their feelings. Children at Knowle Church of England Primary Academy acquire an understanding and experiences of British values that are necessary if they are to make sense of their experiences, value themselves, respect others, appreciate differences and feel confident and informed as a British citizen.

In the Foundation Stage, PSHE and citizenship is taught as an integral part of topic work and is embedded throughout the curriculum. The objectives taught are the Personal, Social and Emotional Development statements from ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ and the PSED Early Learning Goals. Nursey and Reception also use the Jigsaw Scheme of Work materials.

In Key Stage 1 and 2, PSHE is taught through a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. We ensure we cover the Health and Well-Being, Relationships and Living in the Wider World Learning Opportunities set out in the PSHE Association’s Programme of Study, which comprehensively cover the statutory Health Education and Relationships Education guidance.

At Knowle Church of England Primary Academy, in addition to Relationships Education, we also teach aspects of Sex Education that is covered in our Science Curriculum. Alongside this we teach about different kinds of relationships, including same sex relationships, and gender identity because it is important that our children should understand the full diversity of the world they live in and be prepared for life in modern Britain. The Sex Education aspects of PSHE are also taught through the Jigsaw programme.

PSHE is taught through Jigsaw’s six half termly themes with each year group studying the same unit at the same time:

Autumn 1: Being Me in My World

Autumn 2: Differences (including anti-bullying)

Spring 1: Dreams and Goals

Spring 2: Healthy Me

Summer 1: Relationships

Summer 2: Changing Me (including Sex Education)

The Jigsaw programme identifies links to British Values, and SMSC and is taught in such a way as to reflect the overall aims, values, and ethos of our school.

We believe that focusing on developing a ‘Growth Mindset’ in our children will help them to build resilience, independence, and confidence; embrace challenge; foster a love of learning; and increase children’s level of happiness. We do this through the language we use in class, praising children for their efforts, and using language to encourage children to change their way of thinking. This supports both our school and PSHE aims and values, and we focus on Growth Mindsets in all aspects of school life.

PSHE, including SMSC and British Values, is an integral part of the whole school curriculum, and is therefore often taught within other areas of our curriculum such as physical education and links to our SMILE Agenda by reinforcing the five steps to mental well-being. We encourage our pupils to develop their sense of self-worth by playing a positive role in contributing to school life and the wider community. We challenge all our pupils to look for opportunities to show the school values of ‘The fruits of the spirit’.  Visitors, such as emergency services, St John’s Ambulance, assisting Spark Hill food bank and connecting with the elderly in our local community, are examples of how we complement our PSHE curriculum to offer additional learning and enable our children to become wider global citizens.