PSHE and RSE at Copthorne

Find all you need to know here about PSHE/RSE at Copthorne Community Infant School by clicking the link below:

Information Leaflet for Parents and Carers

What is PSHE Education?

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) is a planned programme of learning through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to successfully manage their lives - now and in the future. As part of a whole-school approach, PSHE Education develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.

What do schools have to teach as part of PSHE?

• promotes the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school;
• prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life;
• promotes British values.

From September 2020, primary schools in England also need to teach Relationships and Health Education as compulsory subjects and the Department for Education strongly recommends this should also include age-appropriate Sex Education.

Schools also have statutory responsibilities to safeguard their pupils (Keeping Safe in Education, DfE, 2019) and to uphold the Equality Act (2010). The Jigsaw programme used at Copthorne, support all of this. 

What is Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, and how does it work?

Jigsaw is a whole school approach and embodies a positive philosophy and creative teaching and learning activities to nurture children's development as compassionate and well-rounded human beings as well as building their capacity to learn. 

Jigsaw is a comprehensive programme (lesson plans and teaching resources) for the whole primary school from 3-11 years. Written by teachers and grounded in sound psychology, it also includes all the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education, and Sex Education (age-appropriate) is also in the Changing Me Puzzle (unit). 

Jigsaw has two main aims for all children:

• To build their capacity for learning
• To equip them for life.

Jigsaw brings together PSHE Education, compulsory Relationships and Health Education, emotional literacy, mindfulness, social skills and spiritual development. It is designed as a whole school approach, with all year groups working on the same theme (Puzzle) at the same time at the age-appropriate level. There are six Puzzles (half-term units of work) and each year group is taught one lesson per week. All lessons are delivered in an age- and stage-appropriate way so that they meet children's needs. 

Each Puzzle begins with a whole school introductory assembly, generating a whole school focus for children and adults alike.