The Jigsaw Approach

At Jigsaw, our approach to our Programmes goes beyond the classroom. We blend evidence-informed pedagogy with an understanding of how children learn and grow. By weaving emotional, social, and academic development into a structured, spiral curriculum, we equip children and young people with the skills they need for life.

Through our whole-school approach, integrated mindfulness practice, and commitment to inclusion, Jigsaw fosters resilience, self-awareness, and empathy, empowering children to navigate an ever-changing world. Our programmes are designed to support both children and teachers, providing a comprehensive, inclusive, and flexible framework for holistic development.

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Evidence based teaching and learning

All of our Jigsaw programmes are research based, drawing from research in child development, neuroscience, and pedagogy, ensuring they are not only effective but aligned with how children and young people learn best. Our lessons are structured to foster long-term retention, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

Our curriculum is based and created on how children learn, including cognitive load theory, social-emotional learning (SEL), and metacognition. This ensures lessons are designed around how children and young people learn as well as being accessible, engaging, and effective.

Our SEL approach develops emotional intelligence by focusing on self-awareness, empathy, and relationship-building. This method has been proven to improve both wellbeing and academic performance and is demonstrated daily in the 10,000 schools we currently work with.

We incorporate metacognitive strategies, such as reflection and self-assessment, throughout our programmes. This allows children and young people to become aware of their own learning processes, helping them become independent thinkers.

Mindfulness practices are embedded within our programmes, helping our children and young people manage stress, build focus, and enhance their emotional resilience. These practices support mental health and wellbeing and build skills that they can take throughout life.

Regular formative assessments and feedback loops are integrated into our programmes, allowing teachers to gauge progress, identify areas for targeted support, ensuring every child’s development is personalised and supported.

Whole school approach

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Integrated across the school

A school-wide ethos that reinforces PSHE in every aspect of school life.

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Inclusive school culture

Promotes respect for diversity, ensuring every child feels valued and safe.

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Engaging parents and carers

Involves parents and carers through Parent Access to the Portal and our Jigsaw Families programme, for support beyond the classroom.

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Positive school atmosphere

Reinforces wellbeing with assemblies, celebrations, and cross-curricular activities.

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Structured, progressive curriculum

Jigsaw programmes have a progressive spiral curriculum at their core. This means that they revisit key concepts at age-appropriate stages, building a strong foundation of knowledge and skills. Our unique approach to this in our programmes ensures the continuous development of children and young people and supports teachers in delivering impactful lessons.

Our programmes revisit core topics at each age-appropriate stages, deepening their understanding over time. This ensures children and young people continuously build on their learning, reinforcing retention and mastery of concepts.

The spiral structure of our programmes allows for flexible learning paths, adapting to individual children’s needs and ensuring that each child and young person is able to progress at their own pace. Students can learn thematically through PSHE, developing key learning characteristics, and have freedom of choice in their learning with the wealth of worldviews and enquiries in Jigsaw RE.

Happy children are better learners. We know for pupils to thrive academically, their wellbeing and emotional welfare needs to come first. By threading mindfulness and emotional regulation skills throughout our programmes, we can empower children and young people to not only acquire essential academic knowledge but also develop the emotional resilience, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills necessary for success in both school and life.

With clear, structured lessons, built-in assessments, and time-saving resources, Jigsaw empowers teachers to support their children by providing the guidance, professional development, and ready-to-use materials they need to confidently deliver the curriculum. This streamlined approach saves valuable teaching time, allowing educators to focus on what matters most in the classroom.

Our programmes are thoughtfully created to align across all year groups building PSHE and RE learning progressively. This ensures a consistent and comprehensive delivery of essential life skills, personal, moral and spiritual development, and wellbeing across the whole school.

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Integrated Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness is woven throughout the Jigsaw PSHE curriculum, helping children develop the emotional tools to manage stress, build focus, and increase resilience. By fostering emotional regulation, we equip children with life skills that enhance their wellbeing, academic performance, and interpersonal relationships.

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Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging

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Celebrating diverse experiences

Our resources encourage acceptance and understanding through diverse representation from a wide range of cultures, abilities and ages so children can make a more personal connection to their learning.

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Building emotional intelligence

By instilling skills such as empathy, compassion, and respect via the activities in the programmes, we equip children with the social skills required for an inclusive school community.

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Creating a sense of belonging

By instilling skills such as empathy, compassion, and respect via the activities in the programmes, we equip children with the social skills required for an inclusive school community.

Our Jigsaw Friends and The Owls

At Jigsaw, we believe that social-emotional learning (SEL) is integral to a child's development, and our Jigsaw Friends (PSHE) and Owls (RE) were created to support this journey in a relatable and engaging way. These characters were designed with a clear purpose: to help children understand key concepts of emotions, relationships, and personal growth through familiar, friendly faces.

The Jigsaw Friends in Jigsaw PSHE and Jigsaw Families guide children to explore emotions such as empathy, resilience, and kindness through their stories, interactions, and adventures.

The Owls, as part of the Jigsaw RE Programme, bring an added layer of mindfulness and emotional regulation. As wise, calming figures, the Owls help children slow down, focus, and practice mindfulness techniques that support emotional wellbeing.

These beloved characters are not only featured in our lessons but are also provided as physical resources for every school engaging with either Jigsaw PSHE or RE. This set of tangible materials enhances the learning experience, helping to foster an inclusive, supportive environment where every child feels valued and understood, laying the foundation for a well-rounded, emotionally intelligent future.

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Impact and Evidence of Success

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Our programmes are research based and in the 10,000 Jigsaw schools show positive outcomes in children’s academic performance, mental health, and social-emotional development. Studies have shown that schools using Jigsaw see improved emotional resilience, better classroom behaviour, and enhanced relationships, contributing to a healthier, happier school community. Our programmes are regularly updated to stay current and compliant with the curriculum to ensure continued relevance and impact.

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