RSE is taught within the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education curriculum - following the PSHE Association Question-Based Model. Biological aspects of RSE are taught within the Science curriculum, and other aspects are included in Religious Education (RE).
Relationships Education focuses on teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships including:
➢ Families and people who care for me
➢ Caring friendships
➢ Respectful relationships
➢ Online relationships
➢ Being safe
These areas of learning are taught within the context of family life taking care to ensure that there is no stigmatisation of children based on their home circumstances. Families can include single parent families, LGBT parents, families headed by grandparents, adoptive parents, foster parents/carers amongst other structures. Along with reflecting sensitively that some children may have a different structure of support around them (for example: looked after children or young carers).
Resources used during RSE will show a variety of family structures e.g. pictures/stories.
We are sensitive to the language that we use, within school, when discussing families and gender e.g. the use of mums/dads and boys/girls.
We are mindful to avoid stereotyping ‘typical boy’ and typical girl’ interests/themes/topics when planning activities and lessons.
Any language used in a derogatory way by pupils – is dealt with in line with our school‘s Managing and Supporting Positive Behaviour’ policy.
Pupils also receive stand-alone Sex Education sessions in Years 5 & 6, which are delivered by school staff. Trained health professionals may also be invited into school to support with this. These sessions link closely to the Science curriculum.
In order to further support the teaching of RSE, we will be using resources from the Christopher Winter Project. This will ensure that the curriculum develops the knowledge and skills, as children learn, about the physical and emotional changes of puberty and about reproduction – see Appendix 3 for the curriculum and resource overview.
For more information about our RSE curriculum, please see the full policy below.
Please speak to the school if you would like to view any of the materials used in any aspect of the RSE curriculum.