Primary PSHE Curriculum Review (Jigsaw, Muse Wellbeing, 1decision, and SCARF)

Primary PSHE Curriculum Review (Jigsaw, Muse Wellbeing, 1decision, and SCARF)

PSHE education is essential for equipping children with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in our modern world. With statutory RSE topics being introduced in the 2020 Department for Education guidance, schools are now required to provide pupils with relationship, sex and health education. A full primary PSHE curriculum, incorporating elements of RSE, offers significant benefits for the physical and mental well-being of students. This is why many PSHE providers have developed comprehensive curriculums that cover a wide range of learning areas.

Choosing the right primary PSHE curriculum can be a challenging decision, but the options available offer great potential for schools. Providers like Jigsaw, Muse Wellbeing, 1decision, and SCARF each bring unique strengths to the table, offering diverse approaches to delivering a well-rounded PSHE education.

PSHE: What Does It Stand For?

PSHE stands for “personal, social, health and economic education”, and is a vital subject in schools which supports mental and physical health as well as preparing pupils for the modern world and keeping them safe. 

Is PSHE Compulsory In Primary Schools?

While PSHE education is not mandatory in primary schools, key components of it were made compulsory in 2020 under the banner of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education. Primary schools are required to teach pupils about relationships and health, although sex education remains non-compulsory until secondary school.

Parents do not have the option to withdraw their children from relationships or health education lessons, but they do have the right to review the materials that will be used, ensuring transparency in what their child will be learning.

PSHE and RSE: How Are They Different?

The main difference between PSHE and RSE is that PSHE is non-mandatory but RSE (or Relationships Education in primary schools) is a mandatory subject. However, many schools choose to teach a full PSHE curriculum and incorporate the compulsory RSE topics into it. 

A full PSHE curriculum ensures students are better supported in all areas of physical and mental health and well-being as well as being prepared for life after school and the digital world. PSHE curriculums can be tailored to meet the individual needs of school settings and their students and other stakeholders.

In general, schools are expected to teach children about relationships with family, friends, online relationships and how to stay safe. Health education should also cover physical and mental health, puberty and how to make decisions and seek help regarding health issues. 

What Are Schemes Of Work?

A scheme of work is a planning tool used by school staff (and in particular, teaching staff) to outline the learning objectives and content to be covered over a specific period, such as a term or the entire school year.

These plans typically include an overview of each unit, necessary prior learning, connections to future topics, enrichment opportunities like trips or guest speakers, detailed lesson plans and methods for assessing student progress.

Essentially, a scheme of work provides a broad overview of the curriculum, serving as a guide for lesson planning. Lesson plans, on the other hand, offer more specific details on what will be taught in each lesson, ensuring that teaching aligns with the set learning objectives.

PSHE Curriculum Review 1: Jigsaw

Jigsaw is a mindful approach to PSHE that is the most well-known and widely used primary PSHE curriculum. Jigsaw has built up a bank of resources to ensure schools can deliver a comprehensive PSHE curriculum that extends beyond dedicated PSHE lessons.

On the Jigsaw PSHE portal, teachers have access to a wide range of materials including lesson plans, displays, and assessments as well as resources for whole-school learning such as assemblies and weekly celebrations. There is also a community section where teachers can find a training library with additional resources from other professionals. 

The Jigsaw Friend encourages children to actively listen to each other and builds confidence in addressing the whole class. Jigsaw’s approach to emotional literacy leaves plenty of room in the PSHE scheme of work for whole-class discussions as well as being able to track individual progress through a varied bank of resources. 

Parents can access the parent portal via a code provided by their child’s school. Here they will find the content used for learning. However, some aspects of the content overview can be quite vague for people unfamiliar with the primary PSHE curriculum.

A Jigsaw PSHE subscription starts at around £795+ per year for smaller primary schools. 

JIGSAW PSHE: Key Benefits

• User-friendly portal making resources easy to access when they are updated or new materials have been added to reflect changing societal consensus
• Strong emphasis on emotional literacy to support confidence, resilience, and nurturing well-being
• The Jigsaw Friend soft toy encourages respectful listening and confidence to speak in front of the class, especially in lower key stage 2 or younger

PSHE Curriculum Review 2: Muse Wellbeing

Muse Wellbeing is a complete well-being, RSHE, and PSHE curriculum that has been designed by teachers to nurture the growth of resilient and caring students in all schools. The lessons and resources are made with fun and engagement in mind both to inspire pupils and give teachers the confidence that they’re providing the best primary PSHE curriculum possible.

The Muse PSHE curriculum is based on five core values – mental and physical health, positive and respectful relationships, global citizenship and community care, personal growth and economic well-being, and digital citizenship and online safety. This creates a well-rounded approach to PSHE and equips students with all the knowledge they need to grow up in the modern world.

The range of materials available with the Muse Wellbeing PSHE curriculum is designed to make delivering PSHE inspiring and easy. Lessons are organised into three main topics for each school term: Health and Wellbeing, Understanding Relationships, and The World Around Us.

Schools have access to 216 lessons covering one weekly lesson for Year 1 to Year 6 classrooms. Each lesson comes with a lesson plan, lesson slides, learning resources, and extra resources where applicable. On each plan is a suggestion for differentiation and further challenges to support teachers for both SEND children and those looking for the next steps in learning. The primary PSHE curriculum provided by Muse is constantly being developed following both teacher and pupil feedback to ensure the best final product.

A Muse Wellbeing PSHE subscription currently gives all primary schools free access to the curriculum.

Muse Wellbeing: Key Benefits

• The curriculum is updated using teacher and pupil feedback to create the best, most comprehensive primary PSHE scheme of work
• As the curriculum is currently in continued development, schools have complete and free access to the Muse Wellbeing scheme of work
• The lessons and learning objectives are very clear and easy for teachers to deliver – just open the slides and follow the learning prompts and ideas
• Each lesson comes with differentiated materials for both SEND pupils and higher-achieving students
• Carefully designed materials that are attractive and engaging for students and teachers including Muse-created custom videos

PSHE Curriculum Review 3: 1decision

1decision sets itself apart from other PSHE curriculum providers by being almost entirely online, making it ideal for the digital age. This PSHE program utilizes animations, documentaries and videos with alternative endings, empowering children to explore different choices and outcomes. While the program is primarily online, it also offers printable resources and students have individual logins to monitor their progress seamlessly.

The online format of 1decision is user-friendly and highly engaging for pupils, offering them unique scenarios that help build critical thinking skills in a safe environment. Although it emphasizes individual learning, the platform still supports class discussions and collaborative learning through its various resources.

1decision PSHE supports teachers in meeting DfE requirements by offering comprehensive lesson guidance. While the platform focuses on providing resources and guidance, it encourages teachers to tailor lessons to their students’ needs, allowing for a more customized approach to PSHE education. 1decision PSHE also provides a parents and carers section with resources that can be used at home to support extra learning.

A 1decision PSHE subscription ranges from around £185-£700+ per year depending on the school size. 

1decision: Key Benefits

• Interactive and printable resources which are useful for different types of learners 
• Individual login for each pupil which makes tracking progress easy. It can also be accessed from home
• Access to stickers and certificates for reward incentives – especially useful for lower key stage 2 or younger and SEND pupils who respond well to rewards

PSHE Curriculum Review 4: SCARF PSHE

SCARF is a fully-resourced primary PSHE scheme of work created by the charity Coram Life Education. SCARF stands for safety, caring, achievement, resilience, and friendship and uses these values to create a whole-school approach to better behaviour, mental health and achievement. The SCARF subscription also includes resources for assemblies that support the curriculum.

SCARF PSHE offers schools the opportunity to take part in workshops delivered by their trained educators. These workshops build on the primary PSHE curriculum and offer interactive learning experiences for students. Tailored to specific year groups, each workshop provides appropriate learning and materials for children. The workshops are available online or in person and all come with a set of learning outcomes that align with the PSHE scheme of work.

There is a parents and carers area on the SCARF website with a focus on home learning and how to tackle sensitive subjects at home. Many parents will want to see the materials used for lessons and an information for parents document is available.

A SCARF PSHE subscription ranges from £385 to £770 per year, with additional charges for extra pupils. Multi-academy discounts are also available.

SCARF PSHE: Key Benefits

• Offers workshops alongside the curriculum for more interactive learning bringing the curriculum into different settings and allowing pupils to demonstrate their knowledge
• Training is available for individual teachers or whole school groups to build confidence in delivering a PSHE curriculum
• Discounts available for multi-academy trusts make the platform cost-effective if it’s being rolled out across multiple schools

Primary PSHE Curriculum Overview

By choosing a PSHE scheme of work provider, schools can be assured that they are delivering a complete and comprehensive PSHE curriculum covering a range of important topics of learning. These curriculums can (and should) be further tailored and adapted to meet the individual needs of school communities.

PSHE Education: Final Thoughts

Supporting our students’ mental health and well-being is essential which is why RSE is now a statutory subject. PSHE education is important in primary schools as it allows students to thrive and nurtures respect, confidence and an ability to stay safe.

Better mental health and well-being not only produce better attainment in school but significantly increase the opportunities of students outside of their school life. PSHE allows every child access to the same life skills and knowledge to live happy, safe and healthy lives.