PSHE Subject Leader - Mrs K Burden

Please click here to see our Curriculum Intent statement

What is PSHE Education?

PSHE stands for Personal, Social, Health Education

PSHE education is a planned programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives – now and in the future.  At MGIA we aim to improve our children's capacity to learn, strengthen their resilience, support their emotional well-being and mental health, thereby enchancing their life chances.

As an Academy we have chosen, after extensive research and recommendations from other schools in the borough, to deliver our PSHE curriculum through use of a scheme called ‘Jigsaw – the mindful approach to PSHE/Health and Well-being’. 

What is Jigsaw, and how does it work?

Jigsaw is a comprehensive and completely original PSHE Education program for the whole primary school from Years F1 and 2 through to Year 6 (ages 3-11). It was launched in July 2013 and hundreds of schools across the country are using it.

Jigsaw has two aims for all children:

• To build their capacity for learning

• To equip them for life

Jigsaw brings together PSHE Education, emotional literacy, mindfulness, social skills and spiritual development. A variety of teaching strategies are used and are mindful of each child’s preferred learning style. 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. 

Statutory Relationship and Health Education

Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE/Health and Well-being, fulfils all the requirements for the statutory Relationships and Health Education curriculum (as announced by the Department for Education in England in 2019, as implemented from September 2020). Jigsaw goes even further than this and provides a spiral and progressive comprehensive Programme in which the statutory elements sit and are embraced.  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).

What impact has introducing Jigsaw had on our children?

Towards the end of the first year of us adopting the Jigsaw Scheme of work the staff delivering the lessons were asked for some feedback relating to its implementation.  Here are just some of their comments;

In your opinion has it positively impacted on the schools ethos and culture? If so, how?

100% responded with ‘yes’ it has positively impacted upon the schools ethos and culture.

"It teaches respect, children develop understanding of others"

"It has helped to promote a culture of ‘it’s ok to be different’ and has helped celebrate those differences in a positive way."

"Everyone feels valued and has the opportunity to share their feelings"

"There is now a ‘whole school’ ethos about PSHE and as current Y1 children move to Y2, and R to Y1 etc. they will see the journey for themselves and it will have further positive impact"

How do you feel it has impacted on our pupils?

Do you feel it has developed the pupil’s emotional literacy?

(E.g. dealing with anger or stress in a positive way and being able to express themselves)

100% responded with ‘yes’ they felt it had helped develop the children’s emotional literacy.

"I have had children come up to me after playtime saying that they had fallen out but had used some of the skills learnt in jigsaw to resolve it".

"Personally for our class the children are able to deal with minor issues and are able to go to teaching/support staff if there are bigger issues."

"We have had lots of opportunities to discuss emotions and ways of dealing with negative feelings."

"I do not have a particularly boisterous class but on the odd occasions when lunchtime/playtime incidents do occur children are handling themselves and their emotions more positively."

"It has helped to build their confidence and express their emotions."

"We have a lot of emotional children who are able to explain and express their feelings in a more positive way."

"It has helped us to talk through what we should do in certain situations."

"Children refer to jigsaw lessons often when discussing behavioural issues/feelings"

"Its early days but once firmly embedded I can envisage a big impact. For some children it has begun to change the way they express themselves when dealing with anger/stress and we see evidence of this in class and on the playground as the children are not so quick to react negatively."

Do you think it encourages the pupils to become more open to discussing issues affecting their lives?

100% of staff responded with ‘yes’, it did encourage children to be more open.

"It’s given them the forum to be able to talk about issues affecting their lives within a calm, safe environment where everyone respects each other."

"Most issues discussed relate to school life, less about home life. All children do discuss topics openly and honestly and there is a respect for confidentiality etc. Jigsaw has been good for this."

"It gives the children a purpose and reason to talk."

"Because of the scenarios given via Jigsaw sessions it has given lots of opportunities for discussion."

"The children look forward to their jigsaw lessons as they enjoy sharing their thoughts, opinions and experiences."

"In Jigsaw lessons they do share lots and are very tolerant of what the other children say."
 

MORE DETAIL!

Each half term we work on a different ‘puzzle piece’ of the jigsaw.

The lessons (‘Pieces’) are structured as follows:

• Connect Us (including Circle Time) - To improve their social skills to better enable collaborative learning
• Calm Me - Prepare them for learning
• Open My Mind - Help the brain focus on specific learning intentions
• Tell Me or Show Me – Initiate new learning
• Help Me Reflect – Support them in reflecting on their learning and personal development

We thought it might be helpful to share an overview of what we will be exploring so that you can ask your child about it at home.

Our puzzles for the autumn term are…

Being me in my World - Autumn 1

We will be;

• Making sure that everyone feels special and safe in our class
• Understanding the rights and responsibilities as a member of our class
• Working on how to make our class a safe place for everybody to learn
• Learning that our views are valued and can contribute towards making decisions
• Recognising how it feels to be proud of an achievement
• Recognising the choices that we make and understand the consequences
• Recognising the range of feelings when we face certain consequences.

Celebrating Difference - Autumn 2

We will be;

• Identifying similarities between people in our class
• Exploring the ways in which we are the same and different compared to our friends
• Understanding that these differences make us all special and unique
• Exploring what bullying behaviour is and understanding how being bullied might feel
• Identifying people who we could talk to if we were feeling unhappy or being bullied
• Knowing how to make new friends and know how it feels to make a new friend

Children's Mental Health Week 2024

'My Voice Matters'

Children’s Mental Health Week takes place during our Spring 1 term. The week is organised by the children's mental health charity Place2Be, in order to raise awareness of the importance of children and young people’s mental health.

During the week we will help to further raise the children's awareness of positive mental health and wellbeing through the delivery of a range of assemblies, which were followed up in the classroom with activities that helped to explore the theme further.  We do hope that you find the Place2Be information sheets useful in suggesting meaningful ways to connect with you child/children.  Please see the links below to view the ideas.  

Children's mental health week - parent tips

Children's mental health week - children's tips 

Supporting Your Child's Mental Health & Wellbeing Parent Presentation

January 2024

Many thanks to all of the parents/carers who attended this workshop.  You can access the Power point presentation which was delivered as part of the presentation below (within our useful documents section), just scroll down the page to locate this section.

Friendship and Kindness Week 2023

I’m sure many of you are well aware that in the past our Academy has annually taken part in Anti-Bullying Week during the autumn term.  However, this year we  chose to rename the week, in order to focus upon the positive behaviours that we are aiming to encourage from our children.  We still mark Anti-Bullying Week through the Jigsaw sessions taught, but our whole school display focuses upon friendship and kindness.

Our ‘Friendship & Kindness’ week took place between Monday 13^th – Friday 17th November 2023 to coincide with Anti-Bullying week dates.

Anti-Bullying Week 2023 – Parent Information Tool Pack

The Anti-Bullying Alliance provide a useful parent tool pack.  Here is a hyperlink which takes you straight to this information; Anti-Bullying Parent Tool Pack  it contains lots of helpful tips about what to do if you’re worried about bullying, and provides you with tools that will help you to talk to your children about bullying.

HEALTHY EATING WEEK

Healthy eating should be for everyone but the cost-of-living crisis is making it harder to afford healthier diets.   Healthy Eating Week (12^th-16^th June 2023), is organised by the British Nutrition Foundation.  The British Nutrition Foundation provide FREE evidence-based advice and support to make it easier for everyone to find ways to eat well and live a healthier lifestyle.  For more information click on the following link; Healthy Eating Week

Relax Kids

Relax Kids offers a unique system of children’s relaxation and mindfulness that helps children to decrease stress and anxiety, increase attention span and improve concentration.  Relax Kids also supports good mental health, pupil self-esteem and resilience.

The resources provided through Relax Kids sessions promote social, emotional and behavioural skills in children.  It helps give children tools to manage their emotions and frustrations and helps build their self esteem and confidence. 

Our Year 1 cohort of children thoroughly enjoyed their sessions with Alison Core (Relax Kids coach), and Year 1 staff felt that the sessions were of great benefit to the children.  Here are some of the positive feedback comments that our Year 1 staff have made, reflecting upon the impact that they felt that Relax Kids sessions had made.

You can talk with the children about what they have done in the sessions if they need to calm down for any reason.

Within the groups of children that I work with I have noticed a change in their ability to listen more carefully to instructions and have a calmer approach to their work.

Whilst I am not in the sessions, from talking to the children I know that they all enjoy their sessions, especially the massage techniques.

Listening skills have improved, they are able to sit still, stay calm and listen to music played at the end of their Relax Kids sessions.  Skills relating to working together well have improved too.

It has a calming effect on the children.

Children could not easily relax and stay still for a period of time, but my class are more able to do this now and are aware of the breathing techniques if they need to use them.

The children have an understanding of appropriate contact/touch and know to ask for permission before hugging etc. and that not everyone likes it.

Please click below to view the following Policies:

Useful Websites

Drugs and Alcohol

The following websites give Information and guidance relating to how to talk to your children about alcohol awareness.

We have chosen to add this to our website in response to our most recent HRBQ data which highlighted that an increasing number of children are 'tasting' alcoholic drinks.

General Websites of Interest

Bereavement Support for Children and Young People

Websites to Help Support Your own Mental Health & Wellbeing