The National Curriculum states that 'all schools should make provision for Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), drawing on good practice'.
We recognise that PSHE education is an area where children develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and which prepare them for life and work in modern Britain.
Our PSHE Curriculum
Our PSHE curriculum is based on the Learn 4 Life scheme. We include the statutory Relationships and Health Education within our whole-school PSHE Programme. This runs alongside and compliments all other subject areas, taking care to embed the skills and knowledge children need to be good citizens, develop healthy relationships and know how to keep themselves and others safe. This scheme ensures children have opportunities to develop skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, teamworking and critical thinking.
To be good citizens our children need to have positive role models, to understand that they need to feel happy and safe, to have a voice and to see that they can make a difference. This links with many other areas of learning which children will encounter during their time at Holywell.
We believe Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is lifelong learning about ourselves including our emotions, self-esteem, relationships, rights and responsibilities, sexual behaviour, sexuality and health. It takes place in many contexts - at home, at school and in the community.
RSE is an entitlement for all young people. Difference and diversity must be taken into account when delivering RSE. Special educational needs or disability, gender, sexual orientation and age, nationality, religion, cultural and linguistic background, all affect access to RSE.
RSE is most effective when provided in the wider context of social and emotional development. In schools, successful RSE is firmly rooted in personal, social and health education (PSHE). RSE must enable young people to gain information, develop and transfer skills and explore attitudes and values, in order to support informed decision-making.
Aims
The aims of relationships and sex education (RSE) at our school are to:
We have developed the curriculum in consultation with parents, pupils and staff, taking into account the age, needs and feelings of pupils. If pupils ask questions outside the scope of this policy, teachers will respond in an appropriate manner so they are fully informed and do not seek answers online.
Primary sex education will focus on:
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).
Pupils also receive stand-alone sex education (Our Changing Bodies) sessions delivered by members of the Pastoral team within school.
Relationships education focuses on teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships including:
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).
We will also be mindful of the law and legal requirements, taking care not to condone or encourage illegal political activity, such as violent action against people, criminal damage to property, hate crime, terrorism or the illegal use of drugs.
For more information about Relationships and Sex Education at Holywell please visit the Policy page and download the Relationships and Sex Education Policy.