Jigsaw 11-16 Frequently Asked Questions
for Secondary Headteachers, Leaders, Teachers and StudentsFAQ's for Headteachers and Senior Leaders
The Jigsaw 11-16 materials have been mapped to the latest Ofsted requirements and this can be seen on the Community area of the website (for schools that have bought the Jigsaw 11-16 programme only).
Students are taught and empowered to know their own minds, to operate from a position of self-awareness, mindfulness and self-valuing, and to develop the capacity to empathise with others as well as to think with discernment.
Elements of each Jigsaw lesson will support student development of British values: democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of others.
These are perhaps most explicitly seen in the ‘Celebrating Difference’ and ‘Dreams and Goals’ Puzzles (units), however, it is implicit in every lesson.
The mapping document can be found under Articles -> 11-16 -> British Values
- A broad and balanced curriculum
- Opportunities for SMSC
- Support for student well-being
Furthermore, Jigsaw provides explicit teaching, supporting the ‘Behaviour and Attitudes’ and ‘Personal Development’ strands of the Ofsted framework, in addition to discrete teaching on diversity, which supports the ‘Equalities’ duty.
Mapping documents on the Community Area show in more detail how specific lessons and units serve the Ofsted framework.
Even if Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) elements were not a high priority for Ofsted, we would still value these aspects of students’ development and believe that Jigsaw enhances each of them.
We have mapped SMSC across each Puzzle and across each year group to ensure a balanced coverage.
Every Jigsaw Piece (lesson) contributes to this target and the SMSC disc clearly indicates which elements are enhanced in each lesson (bold blue).
In order for students to gain the most from the Jigsaw Programme, it is important that they have the chance to experience the full lesson (Learning Pod, the BIG Bit, Finishing Facts and the Signpost) to make best use of the opportunity to develop the skills that will prove valuable as they continue their career journey.
There are numerous lessons in every year group that explore the world of work and further study, most of which appear in the Dreams & Goals and Being Me in My World Puzzles (units).
In terms of the monetary value of Jigsaw, each year group’s resource costs less than 2 days’ supply cover. Can any PSHE teacher plan 36 lessons in less than 2 days and ensure they meet statutory requirements, fit into a spiral curriculum, have summative assessment tasks etc?
We strive to keep the cost of Jigsaw as affordable as possible for every school.
FAQ's for Subject Leaders
Jigsaw pledges to always cover all aspects of PSHE required by the DfE regarding statutory status on RSE and Health Education, to position these aspects within its holistic whole-school approach to PSHE, and to contribute significantly to the 2019 Ofsted framework, especially to behaviour and Attitudes and Personal Development.
Every aspect of the PSHE Association’s programme of study (2017) is covered in Jigsaw. The mapping documents (which are in the launch pack, once you have purchased Jigsaw 11-16) state clearly how Jigsaw covers the outcomes in the Programme of Study, as well as how Jigsaw places a lot of emphasis on emotional literacy and personal development, more than is suggested in the Programme of Study.
The Jigsaw snapshot, supplied in the Materials (Launch Pack) and downloadable with Inspection materials, shows a brief overview of the content covered in Jigsaw and the documents relating to Ofsted and statutory status guidance give more detail as to Jigsaw’s coverage.
That said, we believe it is vitally important for teachers to tailor their delivery of Jigsaw 11-16 to the needs of their students and there is flexibility built into the jigsaw Programmes to allow this to happen.
The Jigsaw team are constantly monitoring the changing world of PSHE and Health & Well-being coverage and anything new which appears in the curriculum is quickly addressed through the supportive Community Area.
The detailed and flexible lesson plans (including all teaching resources) can be adapted according to the structure of the timetable and also model best practice, regardless of who is teaching the lessons.
The lesson plan is a brief summary with the lesson itself being structured and delivered through a detailed Powerpoint presentation with teacher notes beneath each slide, and activities sheets included for printing when necessary. This means preparation time is kept to a minimum, allowing teachers to use their time to tailor and differentiate the lessons rather than planning them from scratch and searching for teaching resources.
We believe Jigsaw PSHE lessons are examples of good practice while enabling teaching staff to use their professional judgement and creativity to best meet the needs of students. Teachers are, of course, free to adapt the lesson plans and resources to suit students and staff, whilst maintaining the fidelity of the Jigsaw Programme.
In order for the Jigsaw Programme to have the most positive impact in school, it is important that teachers adhere to the philosophy and structure of the programme. Whilst there is room for flexibility in the structure (as you will have seen in the way the lessons are planned), and it is vital to meet student needs, it is crucial that teachers use the tried-and-tested methods and ideas so they can note real impact.
We have produced lesson plans that can be used in a range of settings and using a variety of teaching models to suit all needs, and carefully considered how learning happens and the structures necessary to optimise this.
The Puzzles progress through the academic year, in the following sequence:
- Being Me in My World (BM)
- Celebrating Difference (CD)
- Dreams and Goals (DG)
- Healthy Me (HM)
- Relationships (RL)
- Changing Me (CM)
The lesson plans are thoughtfully structured to enhance and maximise both focus and learning potential, are logical and become quickly familiar with students. The exact structure and rationale can be seen in the following section, from the Inspection Materials and is explained in more detail in the Jigsaw Approach document.
Assuming a full 4-part lesson needs an hour’s teaching time:
• Learning Pod, where students focus on the essence of the lesson (approx. 15-20 minutes);
• Big Bit, which builds upon and develops that which is in the Learning Pod (approx. 30-35 minutes);
• Finishing Facts (conclusion) (approx. 2-3 minutes) and
• Signpost (approx. 2 minutes).
There are also two distinct lesson combinations depending on teaching time available:
1. Learning Pod + Finishing Facts + Signpost
2. Learning Pod + Big Bit + Finishing Facts + Signpost
The lessons can be taught weekly OR as the components for a drop-down/off-timetable day (Jigsaw believes PSHE is usually more effective when delivered in a regular time-tabled teaching slot so learning can be built over time).
The issues covered in Jigsaw lessons may well lead to discussions which disclose or hint at students’ needs that should be addressed and referred into the pastoral system.
At Jigsaw, we believe this subject is fundamental to young people’s personal development and their learning, so of course we need to assess learning and evaluate teacher performance. However, we need to do this in as non-burdensome way as possible.
Starting where students are is vital, so the Learning Pod exercises give opportunities to observe starting points. Jigsaw encourages self-reflection towards the end of each lesson and includes a “workbook” of summative assessment tasks in Piece (Lesson) 6 of each Puzzle.
The “workbook” could be completed as a whole (in Piece 6) or could be divided up and activities given during appropriate lessons through the Puzzle.
All workbooks from all the Puzzles in each Year Group are collated into one workbook per year group and these are free to download from the Jigsaw 11-16 Community Area of the Jigsaw 11-16 website, thus providing an ongoing annual record of each student’s learning for the year.
These workbooks also provide the assessment process needed to meet the Learning Objectives for the NCFE (Northern Council for Further Education) Levels 1 and 2 Awards in Relationships, Sex and Health Education (see www.ncfe.org.uk for more details).
Whilst we agree that much significant learning happens without the need for writing it down, we also believe it is important to value the learning journey of each student. In this regard we suggest each student keeps a Jigsaw Journal, harvesting learning experiences and creating a portfolio. Jigsaw Journal covers are available on the Community Area of the Jigsaw website providing an inexpensive way to create such portfolios by sticking the Journal cover to the front of a scrapbook or exercise book.
More information and support materials, including training materials, editable sample policy etc are also available in the Jigsaw 11-16 Community Area.
The Learning Objectives in these Awards cover all the statutory RSHE outcomes (DfE England 2019) but also have a wider reach reflecting a whole-school PSHE programme.
Jigsaw PSHE 11-16 is endorsed by NCFE as being in complete alignment with the Awards. Following the Jigsaw Programme means all the necessary learning content will be covered in the same order as the Awards’ Learning Objectives are sequenced. The assessment ‘Workbooks’ in lesson 6 of each Jigsaw unit can be used to evidence learning aligned to the NCFE Awards’ criteria, meaning no additional assessment processes are needed to gain students the Awards.
For further information www.ncfe.org.uk
Supported by many years’ experience in teaching and psychotherapy, and through seeing the tangible positive impact this makes on children experiencing Jigsaw 3-11, the practice of mindfulness, even just a few minutes each Jigsaw lesson, can have real benefits.
Students learn to become aware of their thought processes and emotional states in the present moment without judgement, and the ability to do this needs to be practised regularly.
The Jigsaw Approach is underpinned by mindfulness philosophy. This aims to empower students to learn now and improve their life-chances later, and to help them develop personal awareness. Mindfulness practice enables them to observe their own thoughts and feelings, regulate them and make conscious decisions about their learning, behaviour and lives. It helps them to remain focused on the present moment and thrive in it.
Feedback from schools has shown that although students are unused to the practice at first, they soon see the value of it and willingly use the techniques to help them in other areas of their learning as well as in life outside school, having significant positive impact on learning and mental health.
Assuming a full 4-part lesson needs an hour’s teaching time:
• Learning Pod, where students focus on the essence of the lesson (approx. 15-20 minutes);
• Big Bit, which builds upon and develops that which is in the Learning Pod (approx. 30-35 minutes);
• Finishing Facts (conclusion) (approx. 2-3 minutes) and
• Signpost (approx. 2 minutes).
There are two distinct lesson combinations depending on teaching time available:
1. Learning Pod + Finishing Facts + Signpost
2. Learning Pod + Big Bit + Finishing Facts + Signpost
The lessons can be taught weekly OR as the components for a drop-down/off-timetable day (Jigsaw believes PSHE is usually more effective when delivered in a regular time-tabled teaching slot so learning can be built over time).
The Jigsaw Consultants are all experienced teachers and trainers and can provide in-school training on Jigsaw 11-16 resources (twilight, half day or full day sessions).
We also provide RSE training, to equip staff with the knowledge, skills and competence to deliver high-quality RSE lessons using the Jigsaw programme.
Find out about our training opportunities at www.jigsawpshe.com/training. or contact our friendly team.
There is an additional cost for in-school training.
For full pricing information on Jigsaw 11-16, use the Products menu at the top of the page, choose Jigsaw 11-16 and then your region.
We encourage you to read through the ‘Launch Pack’ and explore the Community Area of the website before you start using any of the resources, as there is a lot of useful information available to you to help get Jigsaw 11-16 off to a positive start across your school.
If you order the printed folders in addition to the digital download, your folders will usually arrive within five working days, depending on where your school is situated.
Follow the instructions in the Launch Pack and contact the Jigsaw team if you have any further questions.
FAQ's for Teachers
If you already have Jigsaw 11-16, the Snapshot document is included in your ‘Launch Pack’ which you can download after you log into the Jigsaw 11-16 website.
If you haven’t got Jigsaw yet, you will find the Snapshot included with our free Inspection Materials, which can request here.
Get the free Inspection MaterialsTo differentiate further it is possible, because all year groups study the same Puzzle (unit) at the same time (but at their own level), to pull up onto your computer screen, the relevant lessons for that unit from different year groups and thereby select learning activities that will best suit your students’ needs/abilities.
Our 3-11 article on teaching ‘composite classes’ takes this further. The same strategies apply across all the year groups.
- Through the mindfulness practice in each Piece (lesson). This consists of breathing techniques, awareness exercises, and visualisations.
- Through the unfolding of mindfulness philosophy within the lessons. For example, this might be explaining how the brain works, how thought-processes happen and the potential consequences of this; it would then explain how the mind can be best used in the context of whatever PSHE content is being covered, for instance, when making decisions about relationships or using alcohol.
There is a short mindfulness practice script included with each lesson plan for the teacher to read. To make this even easier, there is also an audio file embedded into one of the early slides in every lesson’s PowerPoint presentation. We know this approach is invaluable, so we invite you to try it and encourage your students to persevere and practise this to enable the positive impact it can have.
The Community Area of the 11-16 website also has mindfulness practice videos to try if students prefer a visual focus, and supplementary videos and audio files are included in the annual update package.
We have produced a short video that explains how and why mindfulness is used in Jigsaw lessons, which you will also find in both 3-11 and 11-16 Community Areas. This is to explain to students and staff why there is mindfulness practice in Jigsaw lessons, and may be used to explain the concept to parents/carers too.
One of the six Puzzles (units) in Jigsaw 11-16 is called ‘Relationships’ and is dedicated to exploring the relationships we have with ourselves and with others.
Indeed, the relationship with self (self-awareness, self-identity, innate qualities and skills of resilience, self-esteem) is the vital starting point, which has an impact on everything else, from decisions regarding health to relationships chosen.
Positive and successful relationships with others stem from this initial starting point, including others in friendships, family, communities and as a global citizen. Skills of empathy, intimacy, communication, negotiation and conflict-resolution are enabled through the whole of Jigsaw from ages 3 up to 16, as appropriate at different ages and stages of development.
It is treated in a matter-of-fact manner to allay embarrassment and fear. We do not believe it is controversial. It is flexible enough for a school to ensure that the material fits their ethos and values.
There is a strong safeguarding element to this work. The materials in Jigsaw are original so all schools are advised to check them carefully to ensure they fit appropriately with the philosophy and ethos of their setting.
Schools with religious character will obviously need to check their own diocesan/organisation’s advice during this process.
Sample policy documents have been added to the Community Area of the Jigsaw website to assist schools in updating their policy in line with DfE guidance.
Note that Jigsaw 11-16 (2nd Edition) fulfils the requirements for statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (DfE 2019 England).
Jigsaw contains lessons explaining mental illness e.g. eating disorders/self-harm etc but chooses also to emphasise how to gain and maintain positive mental health.
For example, each lesson plan clearly states which of the five emotional literacy domains are contained so the purpose of that lesson is clear, in terms of student development and not just their ‘knowledge learning’. Confidence in oneself, awareness of self-identity and authentic self-esteem – the backbones of good mental health – are sometimes difficult for students to develop. However, a tried-and-tested method is used in Jigsaw and is proving to be invaluable when helping students to become more successful in all aspects of their lives, not just as learners.
Mindfulness philosophy and practice (through which students learn to be aware of their thoughts and feelings in the present moment – without judgement and to direct their minds to focus on whatever they choose to focus on) is included at the start of each Jigsaw lesson and uses visualisation and breathing techniques. This philosophy is woven through many lessons to enhance student’s understanding and how it assists positively in real-life situations.
The Jigsaw Approach is underpinned by mindfulness and this aims to empower students to learn now and improve their life-chances later, and to help them develop personal awareness. Mindfulness practice enables them to observe their own thoughts and feelings, regulate them safely and make conscious decisions about their learning, behaviour and lives. It helps them to remain focused on the present moment and thrive in it, allaying and managing stress and anxiety and helping grow gratitude and appreciation, a positive psychology towards life.
The latest guidance recommends that schools need to teach social and emotional skills. These skills are too important to only be learned by osmosis, which is why Jigsaw 3-16 develops them in a structured and developmental way throughout every age group.
A programme like Jigsaw is so helpful to schools, because it sets out exactly how students learn best and how to teach skills that lead to better social, emotional and mental health, which in turn builds their capacity to learn.
Schools can be confident that a focus on well-being and mental health not only enables them to provide healthy and happy school environments for students and staff, and prepare the citizens of tomorrow with sound character and values, but also directly supports their more immediate mission, which is shared by Jigsaw: the promotion of effective learning.
The DfE has made use of the eight Benchmarks of good career guidance, developed by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, to set a standard of excellence, and it is against these benchmarks that Jigsaw 11-16 is mapped.
Elements of each Jigsaw lesson will support student development of the emotional literacy domains: self-awareness, social skills, empathy, motivation and managing their feelings.
For all year groups, learning intentions are focused on perseverance, achieving goals and thinking about what needs to happen now so that things can be better in the future. Equally, the emphasis is on jobs and careers, and deciding on what is important in life.
FAQ's for Students
Jigsaw 11-16 is co-produced with teachers and students and it is our aim to ensure it is as relevant to young people’s real lives as possible. This is a challenge for a universal curriculum programme and we encourage teachers to use it as their underpinning structure and to add specifics relevant to their school community when necessary.
Jigsaw 11-16 provides well-researched lessons covering essential areas in the development of a student’s life. It helps build self-esteem and resilience while encouraging you to recognise your own strengths. This process enables students to make healthy and positive decisions in their lives. Looking after the mental and physical health of students is a major focus for Jigsaw.
A student who is able to develop strategies to deal with teenage life will be more equipped to succeed booth at school and in later life.
Focus on mental health is evident throughout the scheme. The Jigsaw team is passionate about mental health being a pre-requisite for successful learning, for health, happiness and positive life choices. It is also crucial for understanding that young people need to be empowered to understand themselves and their minds in order to combat stress, pressure and influences that may cause them harm.
The content is student-driven and is in line with the most recent national guidance. Jigsaw 11-16 remains a universal, core programme that will be added to and updated regularly to accommodate changing needs and contexts.
The Jigsaw 11-16 Programme has been mapped fully to the PSHE Association Programme of Study (2017) and amply covers all the expectations and outcomes, comfortably meeting the statutory requirements set out in the DfE 2019 guidance, contributing to the 2019 Ofsted framework plus so much more.
The Jigsaw Approach is underpinned by mindfulness and this aims to empower your learning, and improve your life-chances later, and to help you develop personal awareness.
Mindfulness practice simply enables you to observe your own thoughts and feelings, regulate them and make conscious decisions about your learning, behaviour and life. It helps you to remain focused on the present moment and thrive in that moment.
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