RSE Policy

RSE gives children essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful and non-exploitative relationships and staying safe on and offline.

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Policy

Parties involved in the policy’s development and consultation

  • RSE & PSHE Leader  – Alison Raine

  • Headteacher  – Luke Redfearn

  • Governing Body

  • Parents contributing feedback and views about RSE provision

This policy reflects the DFE 2020 guidance from the PSHE Association, the sex forum and the local authority.

All school personnel, parents and carers have been made aware of this policy. This policy will be made to view via the school’s website. Hard copies will be available in the school office.

Definition of RSE:

RSE is learning accurate and age appropriate skills and knowledge about the body, reproduction, sex and sexual health. RSE also gives children and young people essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful and non-exploitative relationships and staying safe both on and offline. Some aspects are taught in Science and others are taught as part of personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE)

Aim

An aim of the school is that each pupil will develop the skills and knowledge to make decisions. Decisions about how they relate to others can only be made if they have adequate knowledge and understanding of their own physical and emotional development. This is not a task for the school in isolation, and we seek to work with parents/carers to ensure that the teaching of sex and relationships education reflects their expectations and complements teaching at home. Parents/carers will be informed about the teaching of sex and relationships education in Year 5 and 6 so that they can decide whether or not to withdraw their child. Why Do We Teach Relationships and Sex Education?

Why Do We Teach Relationships and Sex Education?

 This school policy is in line with current regulations from the Department of Education (DfE) on Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education (Feb 2019). Relationships Education and Health Education are taught in this school as statutory subjects. Elements of sex education, though non-statutory are also part of an integrated PSHE programme of work. For the purposes of this policy we will refer to Relationships Education and Sex Education as combined subjects, as any learning about the physical and sexual aspects of growing up is taught in the context of positive healthy relationships.

Relationships and Sex Education make a significant contribution to the school’s legal duties to

  •  prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
  •  promote the spiritual, moral, social cultural mental and physical development of pupils

It is taught in the context that every child should grow up to understand how humans are able to reproduce in the context of a loving relationship. Relationships and Sex Education is defined by the PSHE Association as ’learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up, relationships, human reproduction, human sexuality and sexual health’. This content is delivered in an age appropriate way in our school with regard to the age and stage of pupils. The aim of Relationships and Sex Education in our school is to equip children and young people with the information, skills and values they need to have safe, fulfilling and enjoyable relationships and take responsibility for their health and wellbeing. We recognise the central importance of relationships in supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, academic achievement and future success. We aim to put in the key building blocks of healthy respectful relationships, focussing on family and friendships, in all contexts, including online. Our programme also aims to support pupils in their personal development with regard to attributes such as kindness, integrity, generosity and honesty. These approaches support our wider work of building resilience in our pupils.

In this school we deliver age appropriate sex education as an integrated part of our PSHE programme. We recognise the prevalence of information and attitudes about relationships and sex that children and young people are exposed to and aim to provide an environment where they can receive reliable information about their bodies, and feel comfortable to ask questions, rather than turn to inappropriate sources. We take a rights-based approach to relationships and sex education. We focus on attitudes and values, skills and as well as knowledge and understanding. This will include developing self-esteem, the skills to manage relationships and most importantly keep themselves safe in all their relationships. As a school we recognise the impact of social media, the media and the digital world on our children and young people. We aim to deliver a RSE programme that recognises and addresses this to ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves and their personal information safe.

What does our RSE Curriculum Include?

 Our Key Objectives

  1.  To provide accurate information about and increase understanding of, sex related issues.
  2. To dispel myths
  3. To explore a range of attitudes and values towards sex-related issues and help children to reach their own informed opinions.
  4. To develop a sense of mutual respect and care for themselves and others.
  5. To increase children’s self-esteem.
  6. To develop skills in communication, risk assessment, decision making, assertiveness, conflict management, seeking help, helping others etc relevant to sex-related behaviours
  7. To develop confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings and relationships.
  8. To be able to name parts of body and describe how their body works.
  9. Can protect themselves and ask for help and support.
  10. To be prepared for puberty and periods.
  11. To know how a baby is conceived and is born.
  12. To address friendship, bullying and the building of self-esteem.
  13. To help and support young people through their physical, emotional and moral development.
  14. Move with confidence from childhood through adolescence into adulthood.
  15. To treat each child equally, through a well-structured P.S.H.E. (PSHE Matters) and Science Scheme, by all teachers from Reception to Year 6.

The DfE recognises 5 elements to Relationships Education. These are:

  1.  Families and people who care for me
  2. Caring friendships
  3. Respectful relationships
  4. Online relationships
  5. Being safe

In Reception (age 4-5) children will learn about family networks, body awareness, hygiene and myself and others.

In Key Stage 1 (age 5-7) children will learn about recognising naming and managing their emotions; what makes them special; what makes a good friend; how to be kind to others; what’s special about them and their families; how families are different; life cycles; about changes and how they have changed since babyhood.

In Lower Key Stage 2 (age 7-9) pupils learn about change in friendships, relationships and families; how to be a good friend online and offline; managing conflict in friendships; staying safe online; about feelings and how to cope with them; about privacy, boundaries and secrets and who to talk to if they feel anxious or unhappy.

In Upper Key Stage 2 ( age 9-11) pupils learn about the important relationships in their life; about how to show love to others; the different kinds of families and partnerships ; about marriage and stable loving relationships and their importance for having babies and bringing up children; how to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships; the different types of bullying, why they are unacceptable and how to respond; the physical and emotional changes in puberty, including menstruation, and how to cope with them; how babies are conceived, how they develop and are born; the impact of social media on self-esteem, body image, health and safety and ways to manage this.

Some elements of sex education are statutory. Learning about ‘the changing adolescent body’ is part of statutory Health Education. Children will learn key facts about puberty including physical and emotional changes, about menstruation and the key facts about the life cycle.

National Curriculum Science is also statutory. This includes:

Key Stage 1

· Identify name draw and label the basic parts of the body and say which sense the part of the body is associated with each sense

 · That animals, including humans, have offspring that grow into adults

Key Stage 2

· Describe the differences in the life cycle of a mammal, an amphibian and insect and a bird

 · Describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals

· Describe the changes as humans develop to old age

· Recognise the impact of diet exercise drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function

How is RSE Provided?

 1. Kniveton Primary School has a caring ethos that models and supports positive relationships between all members of the school community.

 2. Within the taught, age appropriate, RSE programme within Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE).

 3. Within Science as stipulated by the national curriculum.

 4. Through other curriculum areas for example Drama, English etc.

5. Through assemblies.

6. Through pastoral support.

7. By the provision of appropriate leaflets and other information sources.

8. Via targeted intervention, where appropriate, with vulnerable individuals.

 9. Delivery in response to incidents.

10. Kniveton Primary School delivers RSE with regards to the Equality Act 2010.

Teaching Methods, Resources, Training and Monitoring

All the following elements of teaching methods, resources, training and monitoring are essential elements in providing quality RSE.

A Safe Learning Environment

 In order for PSHE or RSE to be conducted safely the following will be in place:

· Group agreements or ground rules are negotiated, explained and referred to wherever appropriate. (When receiving external visitors, they will have sight of and understanding of the ground rules/group agreement.)

 · No one in the classroom will be expected to answer a personal question.

· Distancing techniques such as the use of scenarios will be used to help to keep pupils safe. There will be no need for anyone to discuss their own personal issues.

· Confidentiality will be clearly explained. Pupils will understand how disclosures will be handled.

· Pupils will be expected to engage and listen during lessons, however it is accepted that sometimes it is inappropriate for them to be expected to take part in the discussion.

· Where age appropriate, the correct names for body parts will be used.

· The meanings of words will be explained in a sensible and factual way.

 · Care will be taken not to use materials or approaches that may trigger trauma or distress. Pupils at risk will be identified and arrangements made for them to access the learning in a comfortable way.

· Signposting to sources of support when dealing with sensitive issues

Teaching and Learning Methods

Teaching and learning best practice will be applied. Active learning methods that support participation and encourage reflection will be used including group work, talking, negotiation and using thinking skills. Our scheme of work is drawn from PSHE Matters.

 Asking and Answering Questions

 Teachers will attempt to answer pupil’s questions and concerns in a sensitive, age and development appropriate manner. Individual teachers will use that a skill and discretion in these situations, and if necessary, refer to the PSHE coordinator or the Head Teacher for advice and support.

Groupings

RSE takes place within mixed gender classes or single gender groups as deemed appropriate and relevant with the pupil’s usual teacher. There may be times when choosing particular mixes of genders may be useful. It is important to note that although separated genders may have different activities on occasions the messages and information they receive will be consistent. It is important that genders learn about each other’s changes etc. It is also important to note that at times, friendship groupings may be the safest way for pupils to discuss an issue. It will be left to the teacher’s discretion to make these decisions.

Visitors

A visitor can enrich, but not replace, the RSE curriculum. Care is taken to ensure that the visitor’s contribution fits with our planned programme of work and policy, and that the content is age appropriate and accessible for the pupils. It is particularly useful when visitors have expertise and/or provide a service to pupils.

Resources

New and up to date teaching resources from The Christopher Winter RSE project will be used and selected on the basis of their appropriateness to pupils and their impact. Care will be taken not to use materials or have discussions that could be ‘instructional’ e.g. regarding self-harm.

 Continuity, Progression and Assessment

Kniveton Primary School has the same high standards of the quality of pupils learning in RSE as in other curriculum areas. RSE will be delivered through a sequenced planned programme of work (PSHE Matters). Continuity and progression will be generated through the adoption of a whole school approach to the planning and delivery of outcomes covering knowledge, skills and understanding developed in response to the needs assessment of pupils existing knowledge, experience and understanding. Pupils’ existing knowledge needs to be the starting point for all RSE work. Needs assessment will be built into some lesson planning as each group may have different knowledge, experience and understanding. Baseline, formative and summative assessments will contribute to the effective delivery of RSE. The elements of RSE that form part of the Science curriculum are assessed in accordance with the requirements of the national curriculum. Learning from the other 6 elements of RSE is assessed as part of the PSHE provision and builds on existing school systems.

 Parental Engagement in RSE

We recognise the prime role of parents/carers in the development of their child’s understanding about relationships and sex. We ensure that parents/carers are made aware of the schools approach and rationale for RSE through the policy; made aware of the schools PSHE Curriculum and encourage them to support their child’s learning at home, through shared learning activities if appropriate.

Parents/carers have a legal right to withdraw their children from dedicated sex education lessons delivered outside the Science Curriculum. These are delivered in Year 6 at Kniveton Primary School.

They do not have a right to withdraw their children from those aspects of RSE that are taught in National Curriculum Science, Relationship Education or Health Education.

 If a parent/carer has any concerns about the RSE provision, we will take time to address the concerns and ally any fears they may have. In the event of a request to withdraw, we will document this process and ensure that a record is kept.

Links to other policies and advice

This RSE policy is supported by, but not limited to:

PSHE policy

Behaviour policy

Health and safety policy

Safeguarding/Child protection policy

Schools visits

Confidentiality policy

Equality policy

Anti-bullying policy

Relationship and Sex Education Guidance – DFE

 Role of the RSE & PSHE Co-ordinator –  Mrs Alison Raine

1. Will offer guidance and support.

2. Manage and update resources.

3. Inform staff of any changes.

4. Lead PSHE policy development.

 5. Monitor and evaluate programme

 6. Carry out continuous process of review.

Review The next review of this policy is in 1 year (2023) Governing Body/Parents/Head Teacher/ Mrs Raine