Led by Mrs Churm
We are awaiting information from the DFE following a consultation in the RSHE curriculum Autumn 2024. As soon as we receive this, we will update our curriculum and inform parents.
Here at Newdale, we have high aspirations for all of our pupils to be safe and recognise how important it is for them to be independent, resilient, healthy and responsible members of the community.
For many years now at Newdale, we have believed in the importance of equipping children with age-appropriate knowledge about relationships and health education to prepare them for future life. From September 2020, all primary schools in England were required to teach Relationship Education and Health Education, as it is now becoming a statutory subject.
With your support, we are committed to a home school partnership, which supports and is consistent with our duties under the Equalities Act and Safeguarding. We feel it is important for teachers to convey this information factually and sensitively in a supportive environment, rather than risk your child learning about it incorrectly through their peers during unstructured time.
Our Relationships and Sex Education (RSHE) is taught through our Life Learning Curriculum. Through our RSHE lessons, we aim to
- Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place
- Help pupils understand the value of family life, the implications of parenthood and the need for the proper care of all young things.
- Prepare pupils for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene in an age appropriate way.
- Help pupils develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy
- Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships
- Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies
- Raise and promote positive self esteem
- Help pupils develop their skills and confidence in making decisions, communication, assertiveness, self-expression, respect for self and others
- Help pupils communicate and understand their feelings and emotions
- Provide pupils with skills necessary to keep themselves happy and safe
- Challenge media stereotypes, oppression and prejudice and promote equal opportunities
- Explain the meaning of words in a sensible and factual way, using correct names for body parts and functions
- Develop the confidence to seek help, support and advice
Our RSHE curriculum is about the emotional, social and cultural development of pupils, and involves learning about relationships, sexual health, sexuality, healthy lifestyles, diversity and personal identity, as pupils progress from the primary to secondary phase of school. It involves a combination of sharing information, and exploring issues and values, which our pupils understand through accessible education.
Whole School approach
It is our belief that RSHE is the responsibility of all staff and is integral to teaching a board and balanced curriculum, educating the whole child and is the taught component of ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022′. Pupils’ questions will be responded to by staff (teaching and non-teaching staff) in a straightforward manner. Factual, simple information will be provided, using correct terminology for body parts and functions, appropriate to the age and maturity of the child.
School staff recognise the importance of responding to pupils’ questions as part of the taught RSHE curriculum and as they arise.
Life Learning Overview
Parent Consultation:
Following on from our Relationships, Sex and Health Education this half term (Autumn 2), we have prepared a condensed presentation to share our life learning curriculum for those who could not attend. Please visit Parent Pay for more information about giving permissions for the non-statutory content. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from the ‘sex education’ element of the curriculum, apart from objectives which fall in your child’s Science curriculum, which are statutory. The DfE have produced a leaflet for parents “understanding relationship and health education in your child’s school: primary” www.gov.uk .