The Department for Education is introducing compulsory Relationships Education for primary pupils and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for secondary pupils from September 2020. Also, from September 2020 it will be compulsory for all schools to teach Health Education.
Through these subjects, we want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe – we want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society.
This guidance for parents has been written in line with Department for Education ‘Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education’ Draft statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers, dated February 2019.
Today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly including online. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.
Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education must be age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate. The content will be taught sensitively and inclusively, with respect for the backgrounds and beliefs of learners and parents, while always with the aim of providing learners with the knowledge they need to prepare them to play a full part in society as responsible citizens. Our curriculum on Relationships and Sex Education complements, and is supported by, our policies on behaviour, bullying and safeguarding.
These subjects also support our wider work in helping to foster learner wellbeing and develop character and personal attributes that we believe are fundamental to learners being happy, successful and productive members of society. Central to this is learner’s 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.
Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education must be accessible for all learners. This is particularly important when planning teaching for learners with special educational needs and disabilities. High quality teaching that is differentiated and personalised will be the starting point to ensure accessibility.
We are also aware that some learners are more vulnerable to exploitation, bullying and other issues due to the nature of their SEND.
Relationships Education and RSE can also be particularly important subjects for some learners; for example those with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs or learning disabilities. Such factors are taken into consideration in designing and teaching these subjects.
We are also aware of the need to tailor content and teaching to meet the specific needs of learners at different developmental stages. As with all teaching for these subjects, we ensure that teaching is sensitive, age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate and delivered with reference to the law.
01256 437177 | ele.murphy@inclusionschool.org.uk
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