Relationship and Sex Education
Most Recent Consultation (12/10/23)
Please find our updated RSE and PSHE Policy below:
On Thursday 12th October, our PSHE Lead and Deputy Headteacher met with a group of parents, that spanned the different phases across school, to consult with them regarding the new RSE and PSHE Policy.
The slides used as part of the consultation process can be found by clicking here.
Following on from our parent consultation, we then had a consultation period for staff and governors to contribute to and approve our new policy.
Previous consultations (22/11/19)
On Friday 22nd November, the parent forum met to discuss new expectations for teaching RSE in a primary school. The comments from this meeting are posted on this page as are the documents that were looked at as part of the consultation.
Staff Members
- Mrs Richardson (Deputy Headteacher)
- Mrs Camplejohn (PSHCE Subject Leader)
Consultation Group Make Up
- 5 x Parents
- 1 x Foundation Governor
Comments and suggestions
- Is sex education taught in specific gender groups?
- There are some aspects currently taught in single sex groups, but then the classes come back together into a mixed sex group so they all have the opportunity to listen to the answers given by the teacher when addressing the questions put forward by the children through the ‘Question Box’ strategy.
- Current views on the curriculum indicate it is a progressive curriculum from EYFS to Yr6 and is brilliantly put down in the framework.
- It covers aspects that had not originally been thought of and this prepares them for adult life
- It gives them the information they need that was missing in our own childhood
- Having this outline for parents would be helpful to support the learning in school
- It covers how respect is a key aspect of relationships
- Yr3 addresses the differences between secrets and surprises
- Does this curriculum meet the needs of the children and our community?
- It is a very comprehensive document and the values take things in the right direction
- The pastoral side of things was a feature that appealed when choosing the school for their children
- I fully support LGBTQ rights and feel that in terms of RSE education our children should be taught that:
- Love is love
- Family structures can appear different to your own
- Marriage can be entered into by either same-sex or opposite sex couples
- Some of the children in school will identify or come to identify as LGBTQ as they grow (6% of the UK population currently, openly identify as LBGTQ). Providing an understanding amongst all of the children that same sex relationships are just as normal and valid as opposite sex ones may make the journey to being out smooth and less traumatic. It is also important that the children understand that everyone has an equal right to be themselves.
- I empathise with the school's position given that we are a C of E school. Currently the Anglican church in England does not allow its ministers to carry out same sex marriages however, the church does openly welcome members of the LGBTQ community into it's congregation and I feel that it is on this latter point that the school must place it's RSE education.
- I feel that the changes to the RSE curriculum are a fantastic opportunity given how many families hold traditional, conservative values in rural North Yorkshire. I am sure you are aware that the changes themselves may cause a few ripples but I am sure that you consider and manage this accordingly.
- Do we need to address how non-uniform is communicated when the clothing is perceived to be sexualised (underwear on show because of clothing choices)?
How to move our curriculum forward?
- What should the children expect from adults that is not appropriate, legal or safe?
- We work with the NSPCC to run assemblies and workshops about appropriate relationships
- Understanding own reactions and emotional responses to when things go wrong within a relationship. Do our children know how to deal with this aspect?
- This is covered within our e-safety curriculum but will be explored more.
- The DfE document focuses more on the mental health side of things which doesn’t appear as much in the current SRE curriculum.
- We need to reference about our communities not being widely diverse which may be different to what they will experience in later life. Is there going to be more coverage of diversity within relationships? How diverse is the conversation going to be?
- KS3 – This opens up more and more questions and we need to prepare them for this. We cannot tell them everything.
- Appropriate clothing choices and how other children respond when they see children wearing clothing that shows more than school uniform
- Do we address loss in general for children and how to deal with this emotion?
- Science, RE and Miss Winfield currently offer support along with outside agencies such as Just B, but more could be done with this area.
- It is really useful to know, as parents, what is being covered in each year group regarding coverage.
How is Sex Education in Yr6 currently taught?
- The opportunity is there to opt out
- Children will talk to each other and this is something that cannot be removed
- Is sex education more about the science side or the emotions of it?
- Hormones and how this is addressed? This may effect mental health as the changes start in girls
Parent Communication
- Parents would appreciate a text to let them know that a letter/document regarding curriculum coverage has been updated and sent out
Documents used as part of the SRE Parents Consultation
