Overview

Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE provides a thorough curriculum package for 3-16 year olds, with the Jigsaw R.E.S.T. (Resilience and Engagement Scale and Toolkit) boosting resilience at Primary, and the Jigsaw Families Programme offering support for parents and carers.

Children and young people are at the heart of all Jigsaw Programmes. We aim to improve their capacity to learn, their resilience and emotional well-being and mental health and thereby enhance their life-chances.

Jigsaw materials are age- and stage-appropriate, and offer each school the flexibility to deliver the more sensitive issues in ways appropriate to their school ethos and values.

Intent

Integrating this personal and social development work into a comprehensive Personal, Social, Health Education (Health and Well-being) curriculum gives the relevant context to build skills, attitudes, self- esteem, resilience and confidence, all of which we believe need to be taught explicitly as well as nurtured implicitly, thereby demanding a well-structured, progressive lesson-a-week process.

The Jigsaw PSHE programme is far more than curriculum programmes. It offers whole-school opportunities e.g. assemblies, end-of-Puzzle displays, Weekly celebrations, music and songs, to reinforce the curriculum work and enhance the positive ethos of the whole school community; an effective whole- school development tool.

The rationale and philosophy underpinning Jigsaw resources is based on mindfulness philosophy and practice, sound psychology and is evidence-based. We have explored how the brain works and how learning happens and have structured Jigsaw lessons to maximise these processes.

Implementation

We follow a broad and balanced curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners. We follow planning that ensures progression of skills and that covers all aspects of the curriculum. Children’s work is stored in class floor books for reference of progression and assessment. We want to ensure that PSHE is embedded throughout the whole curriculum and that opportunities are given for enhancing learning by using the skills in a number of subjects.

Impact

At North Denes Primary School, the PSHE curriculum is regularly assessed to ensure best practice. PSHE is assessed in many ways, such as:

• Work scrutinies
• Discussions with children
• Discussions with teachers
• Assessment grids completed by teachers, as a unit is completed. These give a clear outline of the level of understanding for every child in the school. 
• Attending relevant CPD
• Yearly action plans outlining a clear vision for the year ahead. 
• Governors report written each year, highlighting the current attainment levels in school, areas of strength and next steps.