Scissett CE Academy
Relationships, Sex and Health Education
At Scissett CE Academy, we understand the importance of educating pupils about relationships, sex and their physical and mental health to help make safe and well-informed choices both now and in their futures. Our teaching of Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (RSHE) is based upon the teachings of the Church of England faith, but also considers the many faiths and cultures of young people today. As a church of England school, we will follow the Church of England Charter for Faith Sensitive and Inclusive Relationship Education.
Our teaching RSHE prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life and supports them to make and sustain positive, healthy and respectful relationships. It also plays a vital role in safeguarding pupils so they can find and access health and support.
We strongly believe that parents and carers are the first educators of their children on many of these matters and our role is to provide our pupils with high-quality and age-appropriate teaching to support their personal development and pastoral needs. We have worked carefully with parents and carers when planning our RSHE curriculum and we will continue to do this through annual updates.
At Scissett CE Academy, our RSHE teaching is incorporated into our PSHE curriculum and delivered by staff using the Jigsaw scheme of work. Please see the link below to see our overview of PSHE teaching.
Jigsaw RSHE 3-11/12 Content Overview
Defining Relationship and Sex Education
The DFE guidance defines RSE as “lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development. It is about the understanding of the importance of marriage and family life, stable and loving relationships, respect, love and care. It is also about the teaching of sex, sexuality and sexual health”. It is about the development of the pupil’s knowledge and understanding of her or him as a sexual being, about what it means to be fully human, called to live in right relationships with self and others and being enabled to make moral decisions in conscience. The full DFE Guidance document is provided below for you, as well as a document to show exactly when each aspect of RSHE is covered by the Jigsaw curriculum.
Department of Education - RSHE and Health Education
Working effectively with parents
 |
- Our aim at Scissett CE Academy is to establish open communication and maintain positive relationships with all parents/carers so they are given every opportunity to inform and understand the purpose and content of RSHE.
- Our parents have helped us form our RSHE and PSHE curriculum through consultation in 2020-21.
- If parents/carers have questions or concerns about any aspect of the RSHE curriculum, they are encouraged to share these with the school. We will then invite parents/carers to come and talk to us. Alternatively, parents/carers can email or write a note or letter.
- Parents/carers contacting the school about RSHE will be asked to include a name and contact information. This is so we can respond to the parent/carer directly. Anonymous communication will not be considered.
Right to withdraw from sex education
- Science, relationships, and health education are statutory at primary school from September 2020.
- At Scissett CE Academy, we do not teach any aspects of sex education beyond those that are covered in the National Curriculum for primary science.
- Parents are not able to withdraw their child from any aspect of relationships education or health education (which includes learning about the changing adolescent body, puberty, and menstruation) or any content delivered through the national curriculum science programme.
- Any parent/carer wishing to discuss their children’s involvement in sex education lessons or who wishes to discuss the curriculum content in more detail is asked to arrange a meeting with Mr Cunningham, via the school office.