At Inkpen Primary School, our PSHE (which includes RSHE) follows the Jigsaw PSHE program. Jigsaw adopts a mindful approach to PSHE bringing together Personal, Social, Health Education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development in a comprehensive scheme of learning. Teaching strategies are varied and are mindful of preferred learning styles and the need for differentiation.

Personal, social and health education underpins everything that we do. We promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our children. We prepare children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences to deal with life in a tolerant society. We provide the knowledge, understanding and positive values that children need to reach their full potential as individuals within the community. Our children learn to understand and respect our common humanity, diversity and differences, so that they can go on to form effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning.

We aim to:

• Develop all our children to be confident, life-long learners who are able to make a positive contribution to society.
• Ensure all our children leave us with the skills and resilience to reach their full potential
• Encourage our children to be active, responsible citizens within their local community
• Teach children to respect others’ views and way of life
• Explore issues related to living in a democratic society
• Teach children to become healthy and fulfilled individuals

The Jigsaw PSHE scheme of work reinforces our vision and values.

There are six half-termly units and the whole school studies the same learning themes at the same time, each year group at its own level. This unites the school as all children are focussing on the same topic.

Each unit has two learning intentions: one is based on specific PSHE learning and the other on emotional literacy and social skills. Jigsaw is relevant to children living in today’s world as it helps them understand and be equipped to cope with issues like body image, cyber and homophobic bullying, and Internet safety.

The teaching of PSHE is treated as a discussion subject throughout the school and work is recorded in journals and scrap books to celebrate and reflect on what we have learnt.  

At Inkpen Primary School we recognise that we have a legal responsibility under the statutory guidance “Relationships Education, Relationship & Sex Education and Health Education” (2019), to provide comprehensive Relationship Education and Health Education for all pupils receiving primary education.

We recognise that Relationships education is a highly sensitive subject. We firmly believe that effective Relationships education can make a significant contribution to the development of the personal skills our children need if they are to establish and maintain positive healthy relationships. It also enables children and young people to make responsible and informed decisions about their health and well-being.

At Inkpen Primary School, we recognise the importance of teaching children about both their physical health and mental wellbeing. Our curriculum ensures that children have sufficient information in order to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. By teaching children about mental health, we hope to reduce the stigma attached to health issues. Our teaching at school aims to complement and reinforce the lessons that you as parents teach your children as they grow up.

Although the statutory “Relationships Education, Relationship & Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education" guidance (2019) made Relationship Education compulsory in all primary schools, Sex education is currently not compulsory. However, the Department for Education continues to recommend that all primary schools should have a sex education programme tailored to the age and maturity of the pupils. We conclude, from this guidance, that sex education refers to human reproduction. Much of this content is also taught within the Science National Curriculum. 

As set out in the guidance it is up to individual schools to determine whether they need to cover any additional content on sex education to meet the needs of their pupils. We, like many other schools, already choose to teach some aspects of sex education and will continue to do so.

Please see the documents below for additional information of how PSHE and RSE are taught at Inkpen Primary School.