PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) Education at St Patrick’s
Subject Leader – Mrs Mincher
My name is Mrs Mincher and I am the PSHE Lead at our school. I am passionate about ensuring that every child is equipped not just with academic knowledge, but with the personal, social and emotional skills they need to navigate life confidently and safely.
I lead the delivery of PSHE through the Jigsaw PSHE programme, ensuring a consistent, progressive approach across all year groups. My role involves supporting staff, monitoring the quality of teaching and learning, and making sure our curriculum reflects the needs of our pupils and the world they are growing up in.
I believe PSHE should be relevant, honest and grounded in real life. Children need clear guidance, not assumptions. They need opportunities to talk, question and understand the world around them, including how to manage relationships, stay safe, and make responsible choices. Creating a safe environment where pupils feel heard and respected is central to this.
As part of a Catholic school community, I also ensure that our PSHE provision reflects our values. Respect, compassion, dignity and responsibility are not add-ons—they sit at the core of what we teach and how we support our pupils.
Curriculum
At our school, Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is a fundamental part of every child’s development. We are committed to providing a curriculum that equips pupils with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive both now and in the future.
Our PSHE provision is delivered through the Jigsaw PSHE programme, a comprehensive and progressive scheme that places children at the centre of their learning. Jigsaw brings together personal, social, emotional and mental health education with a strong focus on wellbeing, resilience and positive relationships.
The curriculum is carefully structured into six half-termly themes: Being Me in My World, Celebrating Difference, Dreams and Goals, Healthy Me, Relationships, and Changing Me. These units are taught in a progressive sequence, ensuring that knowledge and skills are built upon year by year.
A key strength of the Jigsaw approach is its focus on emotional literacy and mindfulness. Each lesson provides children with the opportunity to reflect, discuss and develop self-awareness, helping them to understand their own emotions and those of others. This supports the development of empathy, respect and responsible decision-making.
Through PSHE, we aim to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Children are encouraged to develop confidence, independence and a strong sense of identity. They learn how to stay safe, manage risk, build healthy relationships and understand their role as active, respectful members of society.
Our PSHE curriculum also supports statutory Relationships and Health Education, ensuring that all pupils receive age-appropriate, inclusive and relevant learning. Sensitive topics are approached in a safe and supportive environment, where all voices are valued.
As curriculum leader, I ensure that PSHE is delivered consistently and effectively across the school. This includes supporting staff, monitoring progression, and continually reviewing provision to ensure it meets the needs of all learners. We are committed to creating a positive, inclusive culture where every child feels safe, valued and empowered to succeed.
PSHE & the Wider Curriculum
As a Catholic school, PSHE is rooted in our Gospel values and commitment to the dignity of every individual. Through Jigsaw, pupils are supported to understand their unique worth as children of God, to show compassion, forgiveness and respect for others, and to recognise their responsibility within the wider community. The programme complements our Catholic Life by promoting love, inclusion and moral responsibility, encouraging pupils to make choices that reflect faith, care for others and a desire to contribute positively to the world around them.
PSHE, delivered through the Jigsaw PSHE scheme, underpins and strengthens all areas of the National Curriculum by developing the personal, social and emotional skills needed to access learning.
Through Jigsaw, pupils build speaking and listening skills in English by discussing feelings and viewpoints; apply reasoning and real-life problem-solving in Mathematics through themes such as money and decision-making; explore health, the body and lifestyle choices in Science; develop safe and responsible use of technology in Computing; and build resilience, teamwork and wellbeing in Physical Education. In History and Geography, Jigsaw supports understanding of diversity, communities and global citizenship, while in Art and Design and Design Technology it encourages self-expression, identity and creativity. In Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), PSHE promotes respect for different cultures, perspectives and ways of life, helping pupils communicate with empathy and understanding.
PSHE is a flexible curriculum and is designed to help children learn through a range of ways. Each half term we have a celebration day or week of the topic that we are learning and these include First Aid, World Ocean Days, Bikeability, Safety workshops including water, fire and road safety, Rainforest Day, Outdoor Learning Days, Eco Committees and Fairtrade awareness activities. As well as other National celebrations such as Antibullying Week, Walk to School Month, Mental Health awareness and Safer Internet days.
In this way, Jigsaw provides a structured, progressive framework that enables pupils to engage confidently and responsibly across the full curriculum.
PSHE Documents
Please view the additional documents in school:
- PSHE Knowledge and Skills Progression
- PSHE Vocabulary Progression
- PSHE Unit Markers
- PSHE Knowledge Organisers
