In our Federation schools, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) enables our children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. It aims to help them understand how they are developing personally and socially, and tackles many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up. We provide opportunities to learn about rights and responsibilities and appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society.

PSHE is a vital tool to ensuring that children develop emotionally as well as academically and therefore valued by ALL within our inclusive schools. Occasionally, those outside our school community seek to challenge the way in which schools sensitively talk, raise and share the themes and issues that our PHSE teaching covers, and seek to accuse schools of promoting one lifestyle choice over another, or of promoting a 'woke' agenda. We would ask our parents to be aware and wary of those who seek to bring discord and disruption into the life of our school, for their own political beliefs or outright fundamentalist leanings. We teach our children to be respectful and kind with full knowledge and understanding of all who exist in our community and society. We work with our families to ensure our children are informed enough to be able to be safe and knowledgeable about the risks that exist for them and we work within a framework that has been decided upon and determined with previous groups of families and the wider parental body.

The PSHE curriculum allows children to develop their confidence and self-esteem which in turn allows them to recognise their own worth; whilst also ensuring that our children are well equipped with the skills of collaborative learning. In addition to this we prepare our children to play active roles as citizens within the wider society; allowing them to develop positive relationships and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Our hope is that through our PSHE & RSE learning we equip our children with the ability to ask questions; having the confidence to challenge when they think something is wrong. Our Curriculum Aims:

• To nurture resilient, emotionally aware children who are ready to flourish in the world ahead and be able to reach their full potential.

• To be aware of emotional and physical needs of others.

• To be knowledgeable about the laws of the society in which we live and their rights and responsibilities and those of others.

• To be aware of the impact of the choices that they make.

Following a period of consultation with governors, parents and staff in 2018 and again, following the pandemic in 2021, we introduced and have now firmly embedded the 'Jigsaw' scheme to help us meet both our aims in the teaching of PHSE & RSE (above) and our statutory obligations.

Jigsaw PSHE

At Bushey & Oxhey Infant School and Bushey Manor Junior School, a whole primary school pathway PSHE & RSE scheme called Jigsaw is now firmly embedded in our approach and in our teaching. Jigsaw combines PSHE, emotional literacy, mindfulness, social skills and spiritual development. 

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 the children. There is a Weekly classroom celebration/discussion that highlights a theme from that week’s lessons across the school, and encourages children to try to reflect that learning in their behaviour and attitudes.

Jigsaw aims to help children know and value who they really are and how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world.

There are six Puzzles (half-term units of work), each with six Pieces (lessons). Every year group studies the same Puzzle at the same time (in order from September to July), allowing for whole school themes and the end of Puzzle product which is displayed in classes as appropriate. Each year group is taught one lesson per week and all lessons are delivered in an age- and stage-appropriate way so that they meet children’s needs. The curriculum pathway is also published on our website, should you wish to look at this in more detail. 

Relationships & Sex Education

An important part of the Jigsaw PSHE programme is delivered through the 'Relationships' and 'Changing Me' puzzle pieces, which are covered in the summer term in all year groups.

There are four main aims of teaching RSE:

• To enable children to understand and respect their bodies
• To help children develop positive and healthy relationships appropriate to their age and development
• To support children to have positive self-esteem and body image
• To empower them to be safe and safeguarded

Each year group will be taught appropriate to their age and developmental stage.

Below is a summary of RSE coverage within the Jigsaw scheme for each year group:

• Reception Class  - Growing up: how we have changed since we were babies
• Year 1 - Boys’ and girls’ bodies; naming body parts
• Year 2 - Boys’ and girls’ bodies; body parts and respecting privacy (which parts of the body are private and why this is - linked to NSPCC safety campaign PANTS) 
• Year 3 - How babies grow and how boys’ and girls’ bodies change as they grow older
• Year 4 - Internal and external reproductive body parts, body changes in girls and menstruation
• Year 5 - Puberty for boys and girls, and conception
• Year 6 - Puberty for boys and girls and understanding conception to birth of a baby