We use our Christian Values (Compassion, Koinonia, Courage, Creativity, Service and Truthfulness) British Values and our work in Personal, Social and Health Education ( PSHE )  to explore themes with children to help them to develop into the best versions of themselves, with a deeper understanding and respect, of the multi faceted, multi cultural country and world in which we all live. 

At St Mary’s every class uses ‘Jigsaw’,  which is a holistic approach to PSHE that helps children to connect all the pieces of Personal, Social and Health education. It provides pupils with a well structured, progressive, whole school approach, helping to develop empathetic pupils who understand and value how they fit into and contribute to the world. 

Jigsaw offers a ‘mindful’ approach to themes, with plenty of opportunity to reflect, share, discuss and challenge ideas and opinions. Jigsaw actively focuses on developing the mental health and well -being of pupils and allows them opportunities to ponder life’s bigger questions.

The Jigsaw Programme, is divided into six jigsaw pieces:

• Being Me in My World

• Celebrating Differences

• Dreams and Goals

• Healthy Me

• Relationships

• Changing Me

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)

In September 2020 the teaching of Relationship Education became compulsory in primary schools. It is important for children to be taught the building blocks of how to form healthy relationships. 

The Jigsaw scheme helps us to teach children about relationships in an age-appropriate way. The scheme also introduces children to how their bodies are changing inside and out as they grow up, teaching children how to stay healthy and, as they progress into key stage 2, what to expect in puberty. When children are in Year 6 the lessons also teach children about how babies are conceived and how they are born.

Sex education ‘should ensure that both boys and girls are prepared for the changes that adolescence brings (puberty) and – drawing on knowledge of the human life cycle set out in the national curriculum for science – how a baby is conceived and born’.

We teach puberty as a statutory requirement of Health Education and covered by our the Changing Me unit with our Jigsaw scheme of work.

“Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory Relationships and Sex Education” DfE Guidance p.17

We conclude that sex education refers to Human Reproduction, and therefore inform parents of their right to request their child be withdrawn from the PSHE lessons that explicitly teach this. 

The Jigsaw Changing Me Puzzle

Year 5, lesson 4 (Conception)

Year 6, Lesson 3 (Conception, birth)

We will inform parents of this right by writing to them the term prior to the unit of work being studied.

Below are links to helpful documents about RSE in schools:

Every year we consult parents and hold a meeting to ensure that you are fully aware of the programme of RSE your child will be learning.