Relationships and Sex Education 2022-2023
Head of PSHEE & RE Department: Mrs. M. Timberlake
E-mail address: mtimberlake@gilbertinglefield.com
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) lessons take place in PSHE lessons in the summer term. The purpose of RSE is to provide knowledge and understanding of how the human body changes during puberty and how to form healthy, safe relationships. Pupils will learn about the processes of human reproduction, within the context of relationships based on love and respect. They will develop attitudes and an understanding which will help them to form relationships in a responsible and healthy manner. They will gain an appreciation of the value of stable family life, including the responsibilities of parenthood and marriage
RSE lessons contain accurate and relevant information about the physical and emotional changes that children and young people will experience through their formative years and into adulthood. We aim to establish an awareness of the importance of stable family life and relationships, including the responsibilities of parenthood and commitment.
Pupils’ areas of learning are all dictated by the Department of Education and PHSE Association’s guidance.
Pupils will be building on their learning which has been taught progressively since they started school. The pupils will cover these topics:
Autumn Term: on their return to school after lockdown, all pupils will complete a well-being unit to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
Year 5:
- Respect and bullying: Mutual respect; Sharing points of view; Stereotypes; Types of bullying and how to get help; Discrimination.
- Staying safe: Privacy and personal boundaries; Acceptable and unacceptable contact; Permission-seeking and giving; Personal safety.
- Growing and changing: Growing up; Puberty, including periods and wet dreams; Sleep.
Year 6:
- Puberty and reproduction: Menstrual wellbeing; managing the changes of puberty; developing independence; how a baby is made
- Managing change: Developing friendship skills; Changing and ending friendships; Managing change, loss and bereavement; Sources of support
- Friendships and staying safe: Opportunities to connect online; The nature of online only friendships; Reporting harmful content and contact; Staying safe online
Year 7:
- Healthy lifestyles: Physically and mentally healthy lifestyles; Healthy sleep habits; Dental health; Managing stress; Accessing health services
- Relationships: Healthy and positive relationships, including intimate relationships; Expectations and stereotypes in relationships; Managing strong feelings; The concept of consent.
- Friendships and diversity: Respectful relationships and conflict resolution, including online; Equality, diversity and tackling prejudice; Bullying, including online
Year 8:
- Friendships and managing influences: Managing social influence, peer pressure and peer approval; Strategies to manage pressure to conform within a group and in relation to substance use.
- Relationships: Stereotypes and expectations of gender roles, behaviour and intimacy; Consent in intimate situations; Introduction to contraception and sexual health.
- Mental health and wellbeing: Attitudes to mental health and emotional wellbeing; Digital resilience; Body image; Healthy and unhealthy coping strategies; Seeking support for themselves and others.
Parents are welcome to contact Mrs. Timberlake to discuss the programme or to raise any concerns they have.
Our school RSE policy can be found on this website.
Parents/carers are not able to withdraw their child from any aspect of Relationships Education or Health Education (which includes learning about the changing adolescent body and puberty). Parents/carers will only be able to withdraw their child from aspects of Sex Education which are not part of the science curriculum.
Parents are welcome to meet our head teacher to discuss the benefits of RSE education and the reasons behind their decision.
