Relationships, Sex and Health Education

Purpose of study 

A high-quality Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) will enable pupils to understand the foundations of positive relationships and the importance of emotional and physical wellbeing. Through engaging in RSHE, pupils will learn about relationships, friendships and family and how differences should be respected. They will be able to identify those around them that can offer support as they grow and develop. Our relationships, sex and health education will be built on kindness, consideration and respect for ourselves and others. Pupils will be taught the importance of honesty, about seeking and giving permission (consent) and about personal privacy. They will be taught the skills needed to establish personal space and boundaries and to recognise inappropriate and unsafe physical contact. The RSHE curriculum will enable pupils to apply the principles of positive relationships to an online setting, placing importance on kindness and respect even when we are anonymous. Pupils will learn how to stay safe in an online world where they are faced with misleading information, trolls and images that often don’t reflect reality. Through RSHE children will be taught about positive emotional and mental wellbeing and how relationships can support this. They will be taught the skills needed to live and take responsibility for a healthy and balanced lifestyle, learning that mental wellbeing is as important as physical wellbeing. Pupils will learn how their bodies and emotions change as they enter puberty and how to manage these changes.

Aims

The school relationships, sex and health curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils: 

• Develop the confidence to think about, listen to and discuss feelings and relationships. 
• Are given the skills and understanding to recognise healthy friendships and relationships.
• Understand the concept of privacy, boundaries, consent and respect. 
• Identify their support networks and who they can go to for help and advice. 
• Apply the skills they have learnt to online settings and online relationships.
• Are equipped with the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies. 
• Are prepared for puberty and the changes that happen during puberty. 
• Have the skills to lead a healthy lifestyle both physically and emotionally. 
• Recognise that emotional wellbeing is of equal importance to physical wellbeing.

Organisation

From September 2020 all primary schools in England are required to teach RSHE. Relationships, Sex and Health Education will be taught in an age appropriate and sensitive way and consideration needs to be given to the existing knowledge of pupils and their personal circumstances. Consideration also needs to be given to local issues as it may mean that additional content needs to be taught to address these concerns. It should be remembered that it is better for children to have considered issues in the safe learning environment of the classroom before they experience them in real life. The nature of RSHE means that some topics will potentially be sensitive for children and their parents/carers. Knowing about any sensitivities children in your class may have is important when planning and delivering these lessons. Even if you know the children really well there is still the likelihood that disclosures can occur during or after a RSHE lesson, any safeguarding concerns should be reported immediately. It is important to establish a safe environment when teaching RSHE and ground rules may need to be established prior to teaching. Take time to consider your own thoughts and feelings as you need to be prepared for any questions the children may ask. 

At least two RSHE lessons/discussions should be taught per half term.

Relationships, Sex and Health Curriculum Overview