RSE Policy (Relationships and Sex Education)

Policy details

• Date created - 16/05/2024
• Next review date - 26/05/2025
• Policy owner - Daniel Bull

Introduction and Context        2

Aims        3

Statutory Requirements        3

Policy Development        4

Definition        4

Curriculum        4

Delivery of RSE        5

Use of resources        6

Use of external organisations and materials        7

Roles and responsibilities        8

The Governing Board        8

The Headteacher        8

Staff        8

Students        9

Parents’ right to withdraw        9

Training        9

Monitoring arrangements        9

Appendix 1 - By the end of secondary school pupils should know        10

Introduction and Context

Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams believes that every child can be knowledgeable, articulate and successful. We will have the highest standards for every member of our school community, and we will expect the best from our students in terms of effort, organisation and behaviour. Our curriculum will be knowledge rich and stimulating and our teaching staff will be subject experts who provide high quality teaching, supporting and challenging every child in their care.

At Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams, colleagues and students will work at PACE, ensuring Pride, Ambition, Care and Excellence for self, school and city.

Aims

The aims of relationships and sex education (RSE) at our academy are to:

•  Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place
•  Prepare students for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene
•  Help students develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy
•  Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships
•  Teach students the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies

RSE is part of our academy's vision for personal development to ensure our students know how to keep themselves and others physically healthy, mentally well, and safe. At Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams, colleagues and students will work at PACE, ensuring Pride, Ambition, Care and Excellence for self, school and city.

Statutory Requirements

As a secondary academy, we must provide RSE to all pupils under section 34 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017.

In teaching RSE, we’re required by our funding agreements to have regard to guidance issued by the secretary of state, as outlined in section 403 of the Education Act 1996.

We also have regard to legal duties set out in:

• Sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996
• Part 6, chapter 1 of the Equality Act 2010
• The Public Sector Equality Duty (as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). This duty requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities.

At Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams, we teach RSE as set out in this policy.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1090195/Relationships_Education_RSE_and_Health_Education.pdf 

Policy Development

This policy has been developed in consultation with the LGC and Trust.  Moving forward this will be shared with staff, students and parents/carers and the consultation review for policy development will involve the following steps:

1. Review – the Deputy Headteacher will collate all relevant information including national and local guidance
2. Staff consultation – all school staff will have the opportunity to look at the policy and make recommendations
3. Student/Parent/stakeholder consultation – all interested parties will be invited to attend a transition event and signposted to the policy. A questionnaire will be issued to parents and carers regarding RSE and wider PSHE  and student voice will take place to ascertain their views.
4. Ratification – any amendments made to this policy will be shared with governors and ratified

Definition

RSE is about the emotional, social and cultural development of pupils, and involves learning about relationships, sexual health, sexuality, healthy lifestyles, diversity and personal identity.

RSE involves a combination of sharing information, and exploring issues and values.

RSE is not about the promotion of sexual activity.

Curriculum

We have developed the curriculum in consultation with the LGC and Trust taking into account the age, developmental stage, needs and feelings of our pupils. If pupils ask questions outside the scope of this policy, teachers will respond in an appropriate manner so that pupils are fully informed and don’t seek answers online.

As an academy we will be completely transparent with all curriculum resources. We will share all curriculum materials with parents and carers upon request.

Our RSE curriculum, as part of the PACE curriculum at Co-op Florence MacWilliams, is set out as below. We may need to adapt it as and when necessary to remain responsive.

Religious education looks at family, values and morals, and the celebration of marriage in different traditions.

The curriculum for ICT covers e-safety. This includes how to use technology responsibly, respectfully and securely, how to keep personal information private, and where to go for help and support.

The content of relationships education is supported by our anti-bullying policy, equality and diversity policy, and safeguarding policy.

Delivery of RSE

RSE is taught within the PACE Curriculum at Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams. Biological aspects of RSE are taught within the science curriculum including puberty and menstruation. In the PACE curriculum this content is taught by the PACE curriculum teachers who receive training on the delivery of this content.

The RSE content features in half term three and half term five through the ‘Relationships’ and  ‘Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing’ topics.

The PACE curriculum at Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams is designed to deliver the RSE content taking into consideration the current attainment, age, readiness, and cultural backgrounds of our young people and those with English as a second language to ensure that all can fully access the RSE provision.

Where agreed (with the SENDCO) pupils with special educational needs will be supported with careful use of language, and with the support of trained support staff.

RSE is set out in government guidance from the Department for Education available here.

RSE focuses on giving young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds including:

• Families
• Respectful relationships, including friendships
• Online and media
• Being safe
• Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health

These areas of learning are taught within the context of family life, taking care to make sure that there is no stigmatisation of children based on their home circumstances (families can include single parent families, LGBT parents, families headed by grandparents, adoptive parents and foster parents/carers, amongst other structures), along with reflecting sensitively that some children may have a different structure of support around them (for example, looked-after children or young carers).

We will also be mindful of the law and legal requirements, taking care not to condone or encourage illegal political activity, such as violent action against people, criminal damage to property, hate crime, terrorism or the illegal use of drugs.

Use of resources

We will consider whether any resources we plan to use:

• Are aligned with the teaching requirements set out in the statutory RSE guidance
• Would support pupils in applying their knowledge in different contexts and settings
• Are age-appropriate, given the age, developmental stage and background of our pupils
• Are evidence-based and contain robust facts and statistics
• Fit into our curriculum plan
• Are from credible sources
• Are compatible with effective teaching approaches
• Are sensitive to pupils’ experiences and won’t provoke distress

Use of external organisations and materials

We will make sure that an agency and any materials used are appropriate and in line with our legal duties around political impartiality.

The school remains responsible for what is said to pupils. This includes making sure that any speakers, tools and resources used don’t undermine the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

We will:

• Make appropriate checks and engage with external agencies to ensure their approach to teaching RSE is balanced, and check that the resources they intend to use:

• Are age-appropriate
• Are in line with pupils’ developmental stage
• Comply with:

• This policy
• The Teachers’ Standards
• The Equality Act 2010
• The Human Rights Act 1998
• The Education Act 1996

• Only work with external agencies where we have full confidence in the agency, its approach and the resources it uses
• Make sure that any speakers and resources meet the intended outcome of the relevant part of the curriculum
• Review any case study materials and look for feedback from other people the agency has worked with
• Be clear on:

• What they’re going to say
• Their position on the issues to be discussed
• Ask to see in advance any materials that the agency may use
• Know the named individuals who will be there, and follow our usual safeguarding procedures for these people
• Conduct a basic online search and address anything that may be of concern to us, or to parents and carers
• Check the agency’s protocol for taking pictures or using any personal data they might get from a session
• Remind teachers that they can say “no” or, in extreme cases, stop a session
• Make sure that the teacher is in the room during any sessions with external speakers

• Share all external materials with parents and carers
• We won’t, under any circumstances:

• Work with external agencies that take or promote extreme political positions
• Use materials produced by such agencies, even if the material itself is not extreme

Roles and responsibilities

The LGC

The local governing board (LGC) will approve the RSE policy, and hold the headteacher to account for its implementation. The LGC will hold the headteacher to account for the implementation of this policy.

The Headteacher

The Headteacher is responsible for ensuring that RSE is taught consistently across the school, for sharing resources and materials with parents and carers, and for managing requests to withdraw students from non-statutory components of RSE (see section on parent’s right to withdraw).

Staff

Staff are responsible for:

•  Delivering RSE in a sensitive way
•  Modelling positive attitudes to RSE
•  Monitoring progress
•  Responding to the needs of individual pupils
•  Responding appropriately to pupils whose parents/carers wish them to be withdrawn from the [non-statutory/non-science] components of RSE

Staff do not have the right to opt out of teaching RSE. Staff who have concerns about teaching RSE are encouraged to discuss this with the Deputy Headteacher.

Students

Students are expected to engage fully in RSE and, when discussing issues related to RSE, treat others with respect and sensitivity.

Parents’ right to withdraw

Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from the non-statutory components of sex education within RSE up to and until 3 terms before the child turns 16. After this point, if the child wishes to receive sex education rather than being withdrawn, the school will arrange this.

Requests for withdrawal should be put in writing addressed to the Headteacher and should include a reason for the withdrawal as well as any other relevant information.

A copy of withdrawal requests will be placed in the pupil’s educational record. The Headteacher will discuss the request with parents/carers and take appropriate action.

Alternative school work will be given to pupils who are withdrawn from sex education.

Training

Staff are trained on the delivery of RSE as part of their induction to deliver the PACE curriculum and it is included in our continuing professional development calendar.

The Headteacher will also invite visitors from outside the school, such as school nurses or sexual health professionals, to provide support and training to staff teaching RSE.

Monitoring arrangements

The delivery of RSE is monitored by Mr D. Bull - Deputy Headteacher through:

• Central control of lesson resources including booklets and slides.
• Learning walks
• Drop ins
• Student Voice

Students’ development in RSE is monitored by class teachers as part of our internal assessment systems.

This policy will be reviewed by Mr D. Bull annually. At every review, the policy will be approved by the Academy Governing Council.

Appendix 1 - By the end of secondary school pupils should know