SEX AND RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION POLICY
HILL WEST PRIMARY SCHOOL SEX AND RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION POLICY 1. INTRODUCTION At Hill West Primary School we have developed an on-going programme of education and support which aims to ensure that the children who attend our school are nurtured towards maturity both physically, emotionally and morally. Our Sex Education and Relationship Policy is one of the key building blocks of this programme. The Policy is firmly embedded in our PSHE work and its basic elements form strands, that are woven through the whole curriculum. It forms an important aspect of our work on keeping healthy and encompasses key objectives from our Science curriculum. The programme has been drawn up in consultation with parents, children, teachers, governors and support agencies. Individual opinions were obtained via questionnaires and discussions.
2. DEFINITION We believe that, as stated in DfES 0116/2000, Sex and Relationship Education is a lifelong process of learning about physical, moral and emotional development. It is about understanding the importance of marriage for family life, stable and loving relationships, respect, love and care. It is also about the teaching of sex, sexuality and sexual health.
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3. MAIN ELEMENTS Attitudes and Values
Learning the importance of values and individual conscience and moral considerations;
Learning the value of family life, marriage, and stable and loving relationships for the nurture of children;
Learning the value of respect, love and care; Exploring, considering and understanding moral dilemmas; and
Developing critical thinking as part of decision making.
Personal and Social Skills
Learning to manage emotions and relationships confidently and sensitively;
Developing self-respect and empathy for others;
Learning to make choices based on an understanding of difference and with an absence of prejudice;
Developing an appreciation of the consequences of choices made;
Managing conflict; and
Learning how to recognise and avoid exploitation and abuse.
Knowledge and Understanding
Learning and understanding physical development at appropriate stages;
Understanding human sexuality, reproduction, contraception and support services (KS2 only).
Learning reasons for delaying sexual activity and the benefits to be gained from such delay (KS2 only); and
The avoidance of unplanned pregnancy (KS2 only).
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sexual
health
advice,
4. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES At Hill West Primary School Sex and Relationship Education will:
Enable our children to make well informed decisions about their lives.
Help and support our children through their physical, emotional and moral development. It will also help them to learn to respect themselves and others and move with confidence from childhood through adolescence into adulthood.
Help our children to develop the skills and understanding they need to live content, healthy and independent lives. It will play an important role, alongside other aspects of the curriculum and school life, in helping them to deal with difficult moral and social questions.
Ensure our children are taught about the nature and importance of marriage and civil partnerships for family life and bringing up children.
Ensure our children are given accurate information and helped to develop skills to enable them to understand difference, and respect themselves and others, and for the purpose also of preventing and removing prejudice.
Contribute to promoting the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at our school and of society and prepare our children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
Teach our children to understand human sexuality and to respect themselves and others. It will also enable them as they mature, to build up their selfconfidence and self-esteem and understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity. It will build up knowledge and skills, which are particularly important today because of the many different and conflicting pressures on young people.
Be part of the lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development.
5. ORGANISATION As previously stated Sex and Relationship Education forms an integral part of our PSHE curriculum. We aim to ensure that the teaching and nurturing of the fundamental qualities of love, care and respect underpins the whole of our school curriculum and forms the basis of our ethos. It is our intention however, that during SRE Policy 13.2.14
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the autumn, spring and summer term of each year we teach the discreet elements of Sex Education (covered in the Knowledge and Understanding section of this guidance) to our year 5 and Year 6 children specifically. These elements will initially be built upon the Science objectives for each year group and extended into the appropriate aspects of the Sex and Relationships for PSHE. This will vary slightly from year to year in order to suite the maturity of the children. The children in Years 5 and 6 will be taught in mixed groups of boys and girls and where possible their own class teacher and another member of staff will be present. However the Year 5 children will be taught in same sex groups for puberty. Outside, professional agencies will support the class teacher for the delivery of the work in Year 5 and Year 6. Before the sex education programmes begin a letter will be sent to parents stating our intention to deliver the Sex Education programme to Year 5 and Year 6 children, inviting them to view resources and giving them the opportunity to state their wish to allow their child to take part or be withdrawn. Year 5 Focus
Know about and understand the physical changes that will occur during puberty.
Know about the main stages of the human life cycle.
Know that adults have young and that these grow into adults which in turn produce young.
Know that human young are dependent on the adults for a relatively long period.
Know that if living things did not reproduce they would eventually die out.
Year 6 Focus
Know that the life processes common to humans and other animals include reproduction.
Understand human sexuality, reproduction, sexual health advice, contraception and support networks.
Learn reasons for delaying sexual activity, and the benefits to be gained from such delay; and
The avoidance of unplanned pregnancy.
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6.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
The Head Teacher will monitor the delivery of the Sex and Relationship Policy and report annually to the Governing Body through the Leadership, Learning and Teaching Committee. At the end of each programme, and in some instances each lesson, a worksheet type activity will be given to the children asking whether they have had their questions answered and have any further concerns. Where appropriate teachers may feedback concerns to parents, if they consider further support is needed.
7. ROLE OF PARENTS The School recognises that the role of parents, as co-educators, is fundamental to the delivery of our Sex and Relationships programme. Initially, the views of parents were sought, via a meeting so that we could feed back the results and inform parents about best practice. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of the sex education programme. Parents will be given the opportunity to express their wishes in writing each year before the programme of teaching in Year 5 and Year 6 begins. They can at any time discuss their concerns with their child’s class teacher or the Head Teacher. It is our wish to respect the views and wishes to parents in this regard and to ensure that they are kept informed at all times.
8. CONFIDENTIALITY Teachers will conduct Sex Education lessons in a sensitive manner and seek to provide an atmosphere of trust and confidentiality. We would wish that the children would express their thoughts and concerns in an open and honest fashion in order to avoid stress or embarrassment. If a child expresses worries or concerns or makes comments to a teacher that the teacher feels is inappropriate or where the teacher feels that he/she is unable to respond in a professional manner then the Head Teacher and the child’s parents will be informed immediately. SRE Policy 13.2.14
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If a child makes references to being involved, or likely to be involved in sexual activity, then the teacher will take the matter seriously and deal with it as a matter of child protection. Teachers will respond in a similar way if they suspect that a child may be a victim of abuse. In these circumstances the teacher will speak to the child and draw their concerns to the attention of the Head Teacher. The Head Teacher will then deal with the matter according to the guidelines laid down in the school’s Child Protection Policy.
Signed
A. Staples
Date
13th February 2014
Signed
B.M. Clarke
Date
13th February 2014
(For the Local Governing Body)
(Head Teacher)
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