At Whetstone Field, we understand that pupils must be provided with an education that prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. A key part of this relates to relationships and health education, which must be delivered to every primary-aged pupil. Primary schools also have the option to decide whether pupils are taught sex education.
Relationships education focusses on giving pupils the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships, and to build their self-efficacy. Health education focusses on equipping pupils with the knowledge they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing.
We understand our responsibility to deliver a high-quality, age-appropriate and evidence-based relationships, sex and health curriculum for all our pupils.
PSHE and RSE is taught at Whetstone Field Primary School by using a ‘mindful’ approach. The JIGSAW scheme brings together Personal, Social, Health Education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development in a comprehensive scheme of learning.
The children are taught to be ‘mindful’, making them aware of their thoughts and feelings as they arise. They are taught to be able to focus their minds on what they choose to focus on. Mindful children can more readily choose their responses to situations rather than react while caught up in the thought-flows and emotions, saving behaviour issues from happening, helping concentration and lessening stress and anxiety.
In Jigsaw, mindfulness is developed in 3 main ways:
a) through the ‘Calm Me’ time in each Lesson (Piece). This consists of breathing techniques, awareness exercises and visualisations, enabling children not to empty their minds but to quiet them and become aware of the activity within them and manage it positively.
b) through the taught curriculum. Lessons (Pieces) 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 (Pieces) which ask children to ‘Stop and look inside’ to practice observing their thoughts and feelings relating to what they are learning about in that lesson.
A chime is played at the start of the lesson and Calm Me exercises help the children relax their bodies and calm their minds, reaching an optimum state for learning.
PSHE is taught using a whole school approach with all year groups working on the same theme (Puzzle) at the same time. Each Puzzle starts with an introductory assembly, generating a whole school focus for the adults and children.
PSHE is taught in six Puzzles that are designed to progress in sequence from the start of each academic year:
Autumn term: Being Me in My World
Celebrating Difference (including anti-bullying)
Spring term: Dreams and Goals
Healthy Me
Summer term: Relationships
Changing Me (including Sex Education)
Jigsaw provides a comprehensive PSHE Programme that covers all the requirements of the government guidance and outcomes for RSE. The ‘Relationships’ and ‘Healthy Me’ Puzzles (units) cover most of the aspects in the guidance. 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.
PSHE lessons are delivered in safe, open and positive learning environments based on trusting relationships between all members of the class, adults and children. A Jigsaw Charter will be drawn up by the teachers and children and will include:
• We take turns to speak.
• We use kind and positive words.
• We listen to each other.
• We have the right to pass.
• We only use names when giving compliments or when being positive.
• We respect each other’s privacy.