At Ark Oval, we deliver our PSHE and Relationships and Health Education (RHSE) through the Jigsaw program, which centres on children and fosters their understanding of their role in and contribution to the world. Our intent is to provide accessible lessons that maximize outcomes for every child, enabling them to know more, remember more, and understand more. As a result, students will become healthy, independent, and responsible members of society, equipped to navigate moral, social, and cultural challenges associated with growing up. We emphasize the importance of rights and responsibilities, encouraging children to appreciate diversity and develop self-worth by positively contributing to school and community life.
Our approach
Our PSHE curriculum is structured around a Charter that establishes expected behaviours and mutual respect among students. Each lesson is divided into six key parts to ensure effective learning progression:
- Connect Us: A fun, inclusive activity that builds social skills.
- Calm Me: Chime time for meditation.
- Open My Mind: Focus on learning objectives and important lesson information.
- Tell Me/Show Me: Introduce new concepts and skills using various teaching methods.
- Let Me Learn: Engage students in manipulating and exploring new information to integrate it into their existing knowledge.
- Help Me Reflect: Encourage reflection to consolidate and apply learning.
Jigsaw comprises six half-term units, each with six lessons per academic year:
- Being Me in My World
- Celebrating Difference
- Dreams and Goals
- Healthy Me
- Relationships
- Changing Me
Each unit includes two Learning Intentions: one focused on Relationships and Health Education (in purple) and the other on emotional literacy and social skills (in green).
All children recognize the significance of PSHE, RE, SMSC, and British Values, as evidenced by termly pupil voice sessions and monitored PSHE floor books. By promoting safety, health, self-esteem, resilience, and empathy, our PSHE program addresses barriers to learning, raises aspirations, and enhances life opportunities for vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils.
The skills and attributes gained through PSHE education contribute to improved academic attainment and attendance, particularly among pupils eligible for free school meals. By the time they leave Ark Oval, students will be equipped to be healthy, independent, and responsible members of society. They will understand their personal and social development and be prepared to tackle moral, social, and cultural challenges. Our curriculum fosters an appreciation for rights and responsibilities and encourages contributions to a diverse society, ensuring that by Year 6, students are mentally and physically ready for the future.