Intent, Implementation and Impact

For Intent, Implementation and Impact, please see PSHE curriculum page.

Relationships and Sex Education - Policy (September 2024)

1. 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

The Frenchwood Family is a diverse one, with opinions informed by faith, culture and personal experiences. It is important that we are respectful of the views of each other whilst ensuring the safety of our pupils and preparing them for life beyond our school.

2. Statutory requirements

As a maintained primary school, we must provide relationships education to all pupils under section 34 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017.

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.

We must also have regard to our legal duties set out in:

• Sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996
• Part 6, chapter 1 of the Equality Act 2010
• The Public Sector Equality Duty (as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). This duty requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities

At Frenchwood Community Primary School, we teach RSE as set out in this policy.

3. Policy development

Relationships and Sex Education is delivered through the Jigsaw scheme, alongside other elements of the Personal, Social and Health Education curriculum.

This is taught in themes:

• Being Me in My World;
• Celebrating Difference;
• Dreams and Goals;
• Healthy Me;
• Relationships;
• Changing Me.

The final piece of the jigsaw, Changing Me, contains elements of sex education – human reproduction.

Preparation work took place during 2021-2022 with a small working party including local religious leaders. In summer term 2022, parents, staff and governors were invited to share their views on specific questions linked to health and sex education.  The findings from this consultation helped to extend our Relationships Policy to include Sex Education.

Consultation findings:

• There were 43 respondents, the majority of whom were parents.
• The majority of respondents believe that children should be introduced to correct biological terms to describe private parts of the body in Key Stage 1 or earlier.
• Opinion was split fairly evenly between those who thought that puberty should be taught in LKS2 or earlier, and those who thought that it should be taught in UKS2.
• Most respondents would prefer that sex education is taught holistically within Personal, Social and Health Education lessons rather than in science, with the majority sharing their view that it is important that parents have the choice to withdraw from the lessons about human reproduction.
• More than two thirds of respondents would prefer puberty to be taught in single gender classes.
• A significant minority of respondents stated that they were very likely to withdraw their children from the specific lessons on human reproduction, although almost half of these were likely to change their opinion if lessons were delivered in same gender groups.

Considering the statutory requirements, the structure of the curriculum and the responses from the school community:

• Pupils are taught the correct biological terms to describe private parts of the body in Key Stage 1.
• Puberty is introduced in LKS2.
• Sex education is taught holistically within Personal, Social and Health Education lessons rather than in science, to enable parents to have the choice to withdraw from the lessons about human reproduction.
• The ‘Changing Me’ Unit is taught in single gender groups in LKS2 and UKS2.

4. Definition

RSE is about the emotional, social and cultural development of pupils, and involves learning about relationships, changing bodies, human reproduction, healthy lifestyles, diversity and personal identity.

RSE involves a combination of sharing information, and exploring issues and values.

RSE is not about the promotion of sexual activity but about keeping safe and healthy.

5. Curriculum

Our RSE curriculum is set out as per Appendix 1.

We teach Personal, Social and Emotional Education, which includes Relationships and Sex Education, through the Jigsaw scheme.  This builds knowledge and understanding in a systematic and age appropriate way.  There are six separate ‘puzzle’ pieces which cover the curriculum in a thematic way in each phase, enabling weekly assemblies to have collective meaning across school.

• Autumn 1 - Being Me in My World
• Autumn 2 - Celebrating Difference
• Spring 1 - Dreams and Goals
• Spring 2 - Healthy Me
• Summer 1 – Relationships
• Summer 2 - Changing Me (this includes human reproduction in UKS2)

For more information about our curriculum, see our curriculum map in Appendix 1.

6. Delivery of RSE

RSE is taught within the personal, social, health education (PSHE) curriculum. Some aspects of RSE are also taught within religious education (RE).

Relationships education focuses on teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships including:

• Families and people who care for me
• Caring friendships
• Respectful relationships
• Online relationships
• Being safe

For more information about our RSE curriculum, see Appendices 1 and 2.

These areas of learning are taught within the context of family life, taking care to make sure 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 and 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.

Inclusivity

We will teach about these topics in a manner that:

• Considers how a diverse range of pupils will relate to them
• Is sensitive to all pupils’ experiences
• During lessons, makes pupils feel:
  • Safe and supported
  • Able to engage with the key messages

We will also:

• Make sure that pupils learn about these topics in an environment that’s appropriate for them, for example in:
  • A whole-class setting
  • Small groups or targeted sessions
  • 1-to-1 discussions
  • Digital formats
• Give careful consideration to the level of differentiation needed

Use of resources

We will consider whether any resources we plan to use:

• • Are aligned with the teaching requirements set out in the statutory RSE guidance
  • Would support pupils in applying their knowledge in different contexts and settings
  • Are age-appropriate, given the age, developmental stage and background of our pupils
  • Are evidence-based and contain robust facts and statistics
  • Fit into our curriculum plan
  • Are from credible sources
  • Are compatible with effective teaching approaches
  • Are sensitive to pupils’ experiences and won’t provoke distress 

7. Use of external organisations and materials

The materials used are appropriate and in line with our legal duties around political impartiality.

The school remains responsible for what is said to pupils. This includes making sure that any speakers, tools and resources used don’t undermine the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. 

All our RSE lessons will be taught by school staff.  External agencies will not be employed for teaching this area of the curriculum.

8. Roles and responsibilities

8.1 The governing board

The governing board will hold the headteacher to account for the implementation of this policy.

The governing board has delegated the approval of this policy to the Standards and Effectiveness Committee.

8.2 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 components of RSE (see section 9).

8.3 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 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.

All class teachers are responsible for the teaching of RSE in their classroom.  TA3 staff and members of the pastoral team may also take these sessions.

8.4 Pupils

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

9. 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 components of sex education within RSE.

Requests for withdrawal should be put in writing using the following form - https://forms.office.com/e/GP5XL9zX9R

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

10. Training

Staff are trained on the delivery of RSE as part of their induction and it is included in our continuing professional development calendar.

The headteacher may also invite visitors from outside the school, such as school nurses, to provide support and training to staff teaching RSE.

11. Monitoring arrangements

The delivery of RSE is monitored by our PSHE lead, Tom O’Beirne, through planning scrutinies, learning walks, etc.

Pupils’ development in RSE is monitored by class teachers as part of our internal assessment systems.

This policy will be reviewed by Tom O’Beirne annually. At every review, the policy will be approved by the Standards and Effectiveness Committee.