SO WHAT IS THE MEANING OF RSE?
RSE stands for “relationships and sex education” and as part of Relationships and Health Education, is a new approach to teaching children about relationships and health.
The Relationships Education, RSE, and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019 have made Relationships Education compulsory in all primary schools. Sex education is not compulsory in primary schools.
All primary school children will be required to learn about relationships and health. Relationships and Health Education comprises two distinct areas:
- Relationships
- Physical health and mental wellbeing
- Appropriate for children’s ages and development stage.
- Sensitive to the needs and religious backgrounds of the children in the school.
Why was there a new RSE Curriculum in 2020?
The current curriculum has not been updated for 20 years. So much change has happened since then. Children need to learn what is relevant to them and the world they are growing up in.
The Relationships and Health Education 2020 curriculum is designed to:
The Relationships and Health Education 2020 curriculum is designed to:
- Equip your child with knowledge to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships as well as preparing them for a successful adult life.
- Help all children grow up healthy, happy and safe.
- Support all children to manage the challenges and opportunities of modern Britain.
Teaching relationships in primary education
The Relationships part of the curriculum will teach the children what they need to learn to build positive and safe relationships:
- With family.
- With friends.
- Online.
- What is a relationship?
- What is friendship?
- What is family?
- Who can children look to for support?
- How to treat each other with kindness, consideration and respect.
What will children be taught by the end of primary school?
By the time a child finishes primary school, they will have been taught about the following in Relationships Education:
- Family and people who care for them.
- Caring friendships.
- Respectful relationships.
- Online relationships.
- Being safe.
Physical health and mental wellbeing in primary schools
The physical health and mental wellbeing part of the RSE curriculum will teach the children how to:
- Make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing.
- Recognise issues in themselves.
- Recognise issue in others.
- Seek support as early as possible when issues arise.
- Mental wellbeing.
- Internet safety and harms.
- Physical health and fitness.
- Healthy eating.
- Facts about drugs, alcohol and drugs and the risks
associated with them. - Health and prevention of illness.
- Basic first aid.
- Changes to the adolescent body.
Can parents withdraw their children from the new RSE Curriculum?
Parents cannot withdraw their child from any part of the Relationships and Health Education aspects of the RSE curriculum. It is important for ALL children to be taught the content on such essential matters like friendships and keeping safe.
There are separate rules on withdrawing a child from Sex Education. Sex education is separate from the Relationships and Health curriculum and parents can withdraw children from some or all of the lessons on Sex Education. The head teacher must grant a parent’s request to withdraw a child beforehand, and it’s useful to have good conversations with parents so that they understand fully what their child will be taught.
Before making a request, parents should:
There are separate rules on withdrawing a child from Sex Education. Sex education is separate from the Relationships and Health curriculum and parents can withdraw children from some or all of the lessons on Sex Education. The head teacher must grant a parent’s request to withdraw a child beforehand, and it’s useful to have good conversations with parents so that they understand fully what their child will be taught.
Before making a request, parents should:
- Ask the school about what will be taught in Sex Education, and when.
- Remember that the science curriculum in all maintained schools includes content on human development, which includes human reproduction.
- Remember there is no right for a parent to withdraw their child from the science curriculum.
What are the obligations for schools for the RSE curriculum?
As a school we must teach in a way that reflects the age and religious background of the pupils. We must consult parents when developing and renewing our policies on Relationships and Health Education and we must publish our policies on Relationships and Health Education online.
|
|
|
|
RSE Policy 2021 | |
File Size: | 1379 kb |
File Type: |