Menu
Wednesday Evening - New Reception Children Sept 2023 Induction meeting for parents/carers Parent/Child Lunch Thursday for those booked in - YR to Y2 parents 12 noon, Y3-6 parents 12.30pm Sports Day Friday - 10.45-11.45 Early Years, 1pm Years1-6
Home Page

Relationships and Sex Education Policy

Date accepted by Governors: Summer 2020

Review Date: Summer 2023

 

Aims

The aims of relationships and sex education (RSE) at our school are to:

  • Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place
  • Prepare pupils for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene
  • Help pupils develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy
  • Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships
  • Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies

 

Statutory requirements

As a maintained primary school we must provide relationships education to all pupils as per section 34 of the Children and Social work act 2017.

However, we are not required to provide sex education but we do need to teach the elements of sex education contained in the science curriculum.

In teaching RSE, we must have regard to guidance issued by the secretary of state as outlined in section 403 of the Education Act 1996.

At Ash Grange we teach RSE as set out in this policy.

 

Policy Development

Our policy was developed in line with current practice, new guidance and best practice guidelines.  The lead staff member on this is Sarah Cox, who has attended all related training.

 

Staff, parents and governors will be consulted on the detail of units during the spring term of 2020, in preparation for ratification at the end of the Spring term by the governing body.

Parents will be consulted through Parent Council and Newsletters.

 

PRACTICE

RSE is taught within the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. Biological aspects of RSE are taught within the science curriculum, and other aspects are included in religious education (RE); all delivered by the class teams of teacher and learning assistant.

Year 5 and 6 pupils also receive a separate puberty and changes session, this is taught in age and gender groups, i.e. Year 5 Girls, Year 5 Boys, Year6 Girls and Year 6 Boys.  The session is delivered by Mrs Curtis and the class team in the Spring term of the academic year.

  • to provide the knowledge and information to which all pupils are entitled
  • to clarify/reinforce existing knowledge
  • to raise pupils’ self-esteem and confidence, especially in their relationships with others
  • to help pupils understand their feelings and behaviours, so they can lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives
  • to help pupils’ develop skills (language, decision making, choice, assertiveness) and make the most of their abilities
  • to provide the confidence to be participating members of society and to value themselves and others
  • to help gain access to information and support
  • to develop skills for a healthier safer lifestyle
  • to develop and use communication skills and assertiveness skills to cope with the influences of their peers and the media
  • to respect and care for their bodies
  • to be prepared for puberty and adulthood

 

Curriculum links:

Science

  • the pollination of plants as part of the seeds to seed cycle
  • life cycles from nature e.g. amphibian, insects, birds,
  • the birth of live young as part of a study of living things e.g. pets and other mammals including humans
  • a general understanding that both male and female of a species are usually involved in reproduction, but that there is also sexual reproduction.

 

Personal, Social and Health Education, as outlined in the Association Curriculum and including:

  • about feelings, the vocabulary to describe feelings and strategies to manage feelings
  • about feelings during change (including schools) and loss (including divorce and bereavement)
  • the importance of and how to maintain personal hygiene
  • about growing and changing and associated opportunities and responsibilities
  • names for main parts of the body (including external genitalia) and differences between boys and girls
  • how bodies will and emotions may change approaching and going through puberty
  • about human reproduction
  • identify, predict and assess risks in different environments
  • rules for and ways of keeping physically and emotionally safe, including the use of information technology and what secrets (not)to keep
  • about taking care of their body and the right to protect it from inappropriate and unwanted contact
  • positive and negative effects on physical, mental and emotional health
  • to recognise that images in the media can be unrealistic and have a negative effect on self esteem
  • about examples of stable and loving relationships
  • to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy (e.g. bullying) relationships, build and maintain the former and seek help to deal with the latter
  • to deal with pressure (including from peers) to behave in an unacceptable, unhealthy or risky way
  • to identify and challenge discrimination, teasing, bullying and aggressive
  • to know who, how and when to ask for help

 

SMSC (rule of law)

  • recognise legal boundaries and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England (e.g. knowing the age of consent and that some practices, such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), are illegal)

 

On-going

  • if a child raises a specific question, a simple factual answer is given and the parents/carers informed so that further discussions may take place.
  • if there is a child protection or safeguarding concern, it is dealt with following the school’s child protection and safeguarding policy.

 

Vocabulary

All adults will model the scientific name for sexual organs to ensure that a child learns the specific name and can use it accurately:

Penis, Scrotum, Vulva, Vagina, Breast and Nipple.

Additional vocabulary will be taught to Year 5 and 6 when they are learning about puberty.

 

Specific Age Appropriate Units

These are taught at the start of the Spring Term each year by the Classteacher as part of changes, body awareness and personal safety programme. Parents may not withdraw their child/children from the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum.  Parents will be given an opportunity to view materials used for sex education and raise any concerns so that teaching can be adjusted as needed for individual children.  Early Years Foundation Stage children do not have additional units as the curriculum teaches basic life changes.

Year

My Body

My Feelings

My Relationships

1

Concepts: Rules, Goals and Choices

 

Label my body parts – set out

 

Pants and Vests are private

Name my key feelings:

Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Excited, Worried;

Share those with adults and friends.

 

Who is my family, who are my friends and how I show respect.

2

 

Concept: Belonging, Danger, Well-being

Label my body parts – set out

 

Pants and Vests are private

 

Who can touch which parts and when.

Identify 2 levels within each feeling to be able to express myself more clearly.  My key feelings:

Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Excited, Worried.

I am beginning to help myself to manage my feelings, getting help as needed.

 

Building respectful relationships with people outside of the family and school e.g. cubs, clubs

 

Begin to see how others feel and respect their feelings.

 

Understand what a secret is and when and when not to keep it.

 

 

Y3

 

Concept: Democracy, Hazard, Risk, Community

How do I look after my body?

Health, safety when out and about e.g. near roads, rail etc…

Medicines – what does it do and how do I take it?

Identify 3 levels within each feeling to be able to express myself more clearly.  My key feelings:

Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Excited, Worried.

I know how to help myself to manage my feelings, getting help as needed.

 

What is a stranger? Are all strangers bad? Are all non-strangers good?

 

How are families different to one another?

Y4

 

Concept: Decision, Peer Pressure, Consequences, Rights and Responsibilities.

How do I look after my body?

Health, safety when out and about e.g. near roads, rail etc…

Medicines – what does it do and how do I take it?

 

What are the consequences of not looking after my body?

 

 

I can express my own feelings clearly, respecting other opinions and saying no (appropriately)

 

 

What are the risks of relationships?

 

Knowing how to sort friendship difficulties.

 

I know when and when I am not being treated with respect.

Year

My Body

My Feelings

My Relationships

Y5

 

Concept: Misuse, Charity, Law

Puberty – how my body changes

What are the consequences of not looking after my body?

Effect of misuse on the body- drug including smoking awareness

I use given strategies to help manage my feelings and regulate myself.

 

 

 

I can have relationships with people who are similar and different to me; everyone is respected.

 

I use given strategies to help manage my peer relationships and recognise when I am not the person they need to help and speak to the right person to help.

Y6

 

Concept: Culture, Captivity, Freedom

Puberty – how my body changes

 

Effect of misuse on the body- drug including smoking awareness

 

Puberty – why my body changes

 

Effect of misuse on the body- alcohol awareness

I use a wider range of strategies independently to manage my own feelings.

 

I can overcome my own needs with the support I need.

I understand how to give and receive permission to and from others.

 

I can manage difficult friendship situations and seek advice/help as required.

 

I can recognise unhappy, unsafe or abusive relationships and how to seek advice/help.

 

Content is demarked in colour, if it is repeated content it has the associated year band colour for reference.

 

Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from this talk and undertake the responsibility to educate their child on this important subject, a letter is sent home to request permission prior to the Year 5 and 6 relevant talks.

 

Curriculum

Curriculum is based on the National Curriculum, Guidelines and local needs, it is planned according to the School Handbook.

 

Roles and responsibilities

 

The Governing Body

The Governing Body will approve the RSE policy, and hold the Headteacher to account for its implementation.

 

The Headteacher

The Headteacher is responsible for ensuring that RSE is taught consistently across the school, and for managing requests to withdraw pupils from [non-statutory/non-science] components of RSE

 

Staff

Staff are responsible for:

  • Delivering RSE in a sensitive way
  • Modelling positive attitudes to RSE
  • Monitoring progress
  • Responding to the needs of individual pupils
  • Responding appropriately to pupils whose parents wish them to be withdrawn from the [non-statutory/non-science] components of RSE

 

Staff do not have the right to opt out of teaching RSE. Staff who have concerns about teaching RSE are encouraged to discuss this with the Headteacher.

Sarah Cox is the PSHE/RSE Subject Leader

 

Pupils

Pupils are expected to engage fully in RSE and, when discussing issues related to RSE, treat others with respect and sensitivity.

 

Parents’ right to withdraw

Parents do not have the right to withdraw their children from relationships education.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from the [non-statutory/non-science] components of sex education within RSE (in Year 5 and 6).

Requests for withdrawal should be put in writing using the form found in Appendix 1 of this policy and addressed to the Headteacher.

Alternative work will be given to pupils who are withdrawn from sex education.

 

Teachers

If a child has a question about any of the content of the Relationship (Sex) Education policy, then:

Check the content against the age and stages set out in the document, if it is for their age group inform them of the facts.  If it is not, inform them that they will find out about this when they are a little bit older and then inform the parents/carers so that they can discuss this earlier if they choose to do so.

 

Training

Staff are trained on the delivery of RSE as part of our continuing professional development calendar.

The Headteacher will also invite visitors from outside the school, such as school nurses or sexual health professionals, to provide support and training to staff teaching RSE.

 

Respecting Differences

In all aspects of this policy, staff and children will demonstrate respect for one another and no disrespect will be tolerated.  If anyone shows an intolerance or disrespect this will be addressed through the implementation of the behaviour/staff capability policies.

 

Monitoring arrangements

The delivery of RSE is monitored by the Senior Leadership Team through monitoring of planning, lessons and evidence of children’s learning, in line with the published calendar monitoring.

Pupils’ development in RSE is monitored by class teachers as part of our internal assessment system and forms part of the PSHE certificate.

 

Mental Health and Wellbeing

The school has an established culture that promotes and enhances the positive mental health of the whole school community, recognising that healthy relationships underpin positive mental health and have a significant impact on learning, health and wellbeing. We champion the expectation that ‘mental health is the individual’s responsibility supported by the whole school community.’

 

Linked Policies

Mental Health, Safeguarding, PSHE Policy, Anti-Bullying, Computing, Curriculum Display, Teaching and Learning; Assessment, Health and Safety, SEND

Scopay School Shop
Top