Date accepted by Governors: Summer 2020
Review Date: Summer 2023
The aims of relationships and sex education (RSE) at our school are to:
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.
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.
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.
Science
Personal, Social and Health Education, as outlined in the Association Curriculum and including:
SMSC (rule of law)
On-going
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.
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:
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