RSHE
Relationships, Sex and Health Education
Rationale:
Relationships, Sex and Health Education are compulsory elements of the curriculum in maintained schools. The aim is that teaching will build on the knowledge acquired at primary school and develop further pupils’ understanding of health, with an increased focus on risk areas such as drugs and alcohol, as well as introducing knowledge about intimate relationships and sex at age-appropriate points.
Teaching about mental wellbeing is central to these subjects, especially as a priority for parents is their children’s happiness. We know that children and young people are increasingly experiencing challenges, and that young people are at particular risk of feeling lonely. The subject content will give them the knowledge and capability to take care of themselves and to access support if problems arise.
All of this content will support the wider work of our school in helping to foster pupil wellbeing and develop resilience and character, which we know are fundamental to pupils being happy, successful and productive members of society. Central to this is pupils’ ability to believe that they can achieve goals, both academic and personal; to stick to tasks that will help them achieve those goals, even when the reward may be distant or uncertain; and to recover from knocks and challenging periods in their lives.
This should be complemented by development of personal attributes including kindness, integrity, generosity, and honesty.
Aims
- To know how to stay healthy and safe.
- To understand the value of respectful and healthy relationships.
- To know the difference between right and wrong and have a tolerance and appreciation of others' protected characteristics.
- To know how to discuss opinions appropriately and to appreciate the views of others.
- To have the opportunity to develop as an individual outside the classroom.
- To know how to make informed decisions about their future and where to get reliable advice from.
Through
- Understanding how to form and manage relationships
- Appreciating what a healthy and unhealthy relationship looks like
- learning about managing sexual relationships
- Learning about choices in relation to pregnancy
- Having an appreciation and tolerance of others protected characteristics
- An awareness of how to identify and report abuse
- Knowing what constitutes as sexual harassment and why it is unacceptable
- An awareness of how to stay safe in everyday life
- An awareness of how to stay healthy
- An understanding the factors that affect mental health
Curriculum
KS3 RSHE
All students in KS3 will cover the following National Curriculum themes:
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Internet Safety & Harms: "Inappropriate content" SMART rules (Safe, Meet, Accept, Reliable, Tell) Harmful content, age ratings, BBFC, PEGI. Impact of viewing inappropriate content. |
Internet Safety & Harms: "First to a million" Protecting oneself online, risks of sharing material. Rights and responsibilities online. Impact of comparison, over-reliance on online relationships. How to get help if affected. "Sharing Nudes" Protecting oneself, legal issues like sexting. Recognizing harmful online behaviours. |
Internet Safety & Harms: "Cyber Security" Identifying key threats to computer security. Social engineering, malware, and protection methods. "Online Data" How personal data is shared by companies. Protecting one's digital footprint and privacy. How data is used by online companies. |
| "Fake News": The importance of trustworthy news. Disinformation vs. misinformation, viral spread, CRAAP rules. How to spot false information and its harm. Reporting concerns online. |
"Online Hate": Extreme behaviours online. Misinformation, filter bubbles, and laws governing online content. Impact of online content on real-world actions. |
Mental Wellbeing: Understanding the '13-year-old brain'. Emotional awareness, risk-taking, and FOMO. Committed Relationships: Factors of healthy platonic and romantic relationships. Importance of commitment, respect, and marriage. |
| Positive Self Concepts: Emotional effects of transitioning to a new school. Friendships: Establishing and maintaining healthy friendships. Bullying: Impact and school's anti-bullying stance. Healthy Lifestyles: Diet, exercise, sleep, and oral hygiene. Staying Safe: Medical issues like FGM and their impact on health. |
Dealing with Anxiety: Exploring anxiety, depression, and stress. Respectful Relationships: Peer pressure, coercion, assertiveness. Healthy Lifestyles: Smoking, vaping, alcohol, and drugs. Understanding addiction and how to seek help. Exploitation: Dangers of knife crime, county lines, and exploitation. |
Sexual Health: Consent, delaying intimacy, contraception, and STI awareness. Exploitation and Abuse in Relationships: Recognizing coercion and abuse. Hate Crime and Radicalisation: Addressing risks of hate crimes, prejudice, discrimination, and radicalization. |
KS4 RSHE
| Families and Relationships: - Bringing up children in different types of relationships. - Marriage, civil partnership, cohabitation, and their legal status. - Healthy and unhealthy relationships, managing conflict. - How stereotyping can damage relationships. |
| Respectful Relationships: - Characteristics of positive and healthy relationships. - Steps to improve relationships. - How stereotypes based on protected characteristics can damage relationships. - Respect for others in school and community. - Different types of bullying. - Criminal and coercive behaviors. - Sexual harassment and violence. - Rights and responsibilities regarding equality. |
| Being Safe: - Consent, exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based violence, FGM. - How these issues affect relationships. - How to communicate consent. |
| On-line Media: - The risks and issues surrounding pornography. |
| Intimate and Sexual Relationships: - Positive and healthy intimate relationships. - Impact on health from sexual choices. - Sexual health and fertility. - Identifying and managing sexual pressure. - Facts about contraception and pregnancy choices. - STI transmission and prevention. |
| Mental Wellbeing: - Recognizing signs of mental ill health. - Healthy and unhealthy coping strategies. - Sources of support. |
| Internet Safety: - Risks of online gambling and debt. |
| First Aid: - Basic treatments for common injuries. - Lifesaving skills and CPR. - Purpose and use of defibrillators. |
Cross Curricular
RSHE themes are also delivered across the wider curriculum at both key stages for example:
- RE: The delivery of family, relationships and equality (including the equality act)
- Science: The national curriculum for science also covers many areas of sex education including fertilisation, hormones and the human productive system.
- Food technology and PE: Healthy lifestyles including diet and fitness
- ICT: On-line safety and the media
- Design technology: The effects of Photoshop on prejudice and discrimination
In school, students are taught how to take responsibility for themselves and others and the consequences of their actions. Students develop an appreciation of right and wrong and to challenge prejudice. The school has a support/pastoral network in place with access to outside agencies including the school nurse and other health professionals. This network provides daily support on many issues our students face including sex and relationship problems. Daily assemblies cover a wide range of social issues including e-safety and tolerance.
Parental Consent
All parents and carers are informed about the sex education programme and are given the opportunity to opt their child out. A consultation on school policy and curriculum content will take place annually.
Management
Policy and strategy are overseen by the assistant headteacher responsible for the personal development of students.
Review
Both policy and curriculum are reviewed annually as part of school improvement planning.