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Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) promotes pupils’ personal social and emotional development, as well as their health and well-being. It helps to give children the knowledge and skills they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives. 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. It gives children an understanding of the rights and responsibilities that are part of being a good citizen and teaches them what it means to be appositive member of a diverse and multicultural society.

At Rainhill St Ann’s, we believe that the personal, social and health development of each child, in conjunction with their citizenship skills, has a significant role in their ability to learn. We value the importance of PSHE and Citizenship in preparing children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. In addition, we believe that a child needs to learn about the many emotional aspects of life and how to manage their own emotions. We are also aware of the way that PSHE supports many of the principles of Safeguarding.

At Rainhill St Ann’s, PSHE is taught through ‘Jigsaw’ which is a comprehensive Scheme of Learning for PSHE. It includes Emotional Literacy, Social Skills and Spiritual Development for FS– Y6 pupils. Teaching strategies are varied and are mindful of preferred learning styles and the need for differentiation. Jigsaw is designed as a whole school approach, with all year groups working on the same theme (Puzzle) at the same time.

The Six Puzzles

  • Autumn 1: Being Me in My World
  • Autumn 2: Celebrating Difference (including anti-bullying)
  • Spring 1: Dreams and Goals
  • Spring 2: Healthy Me
  • Summer 1: Relationships
  • Summer 2: Changing Me (including Sex Education)

Each puzzle has six pieces (lessons). Each piece has 2 learning intentions: one is based on specific PSHE learning (covering the non-statutory national framework for PSHE but enhanced to address the children’s need today) and one is based on emotional literacy and social skills (covering the SEAL learning intentions but also enhanced).

The Structure of the Pieces

1. Connect us - Designed to enhance social skills, positive relationships and collaborative learning,

2. Calm me - Aims to still the children’s minds, relaxing them and quietening their emotions.

3. Open my mind - Enables children to engage with the most important aspects of learning.

4. Tell me or show me - Introduce new information, concepts and skills.

5. Let me learn - Opportunity for children to manipulate, use and play with new information.

6. Help me reflect - Children reflect on their own learning experiences and progress.

7. Closure - Teacher to praise the children and summarise the key learning points.


Every piece (lesson) contributes to at least one of these aspects of children’s development. This is mapped on each Piece and balanced across each year group. This can be seen on the Puzzle Map (overview) at the beginning of each Puzzle.