Personal, Social, Health and Economics Education including Relationships and Sex Education

Purpose of Study

At Southridge we use the Jigsaw Framework to deliver a spiral curriculum which focuses on the teaching of fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other children and with adults. We do not teach sex education at Southridge First School. 

In addition to the Jigsaw Framework, we also incorporate Melva: Mental Health Education through Storytelling in Key Stage 2. This serves to deepen children's understanding of their own mental health and extends the work that is already done across the whole school using the 'Zones of Regulation' approach to promote emotional literacy and well-being for all.

The National Curriculum States that personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education. All schools should teach PSHE, drawing on good practice, and this expectation is outlined in the introduction to the proposed new national curriculum.

PSHE is a non-statutory subject. To allow teachers the flexibility to deliver high-quality PSHE we consider it unnecessary to provide new standardised frameworks or programmes of study. PSHE can encompass many areas of study. Teachers are best placed to understand the needs of their pupils and do not need additional central prescription.

Relationships and sex education (RSE) is an important part of PSHE education. Relationships education is compulsory for all primary school pupils, and relationships and sex education (RSE) is compulsory for all secondary school pupils.

At Southridge we use the Jigsaw Framework to deliver a spiral curriculum which focuses on the teaching of fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other children and with adults. We do not teach sex education at Southridge First School. 

In addition to the Jigsaw Framework, we also incorporate Melva: Mental Health Education through Storytelling in Key Stage 2. This serves to deepen children's understanding of their own mental health and extends the work that is already done across the whole school using the 'Zones of Regulation' approach to promote emotional literacy and wellbeing for all.