Rationale
The UK has by far the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Europe, and the evidence suggests that children are becoming sexually active at an earlier age.
 

Relationships and Sex Education (SRE) is a key aspect of Personal, Social and Health Education at Stone St. Mary’s Church of England Primary School.  As such, it is more than the biology of reproduction, and is taught within the context of caring relationships. The Relationships and Sex Education provided forms a foundation for further work in secondary schools, and the skills and attitudes developed will enable the children to lead healthy lives.

At Stone St. Mary’s Church Of England Primary School we have based our SRE policy on the DfES Guidance document (DfES 0116/2000). In this document SRE is defined as: 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.
This definition supports the Christian ethos of the school, and reflects Diocesan education guidance (attached as Appendix 1)

While we use SRE to inform children about sexual issues, we do this with regard to matters of morality and individual responsibility in a way that allows children to ask and explore moral questions. We do not use SRE as a means of promoting any form of sexual orientation.

 

Aims
The purpose of teaching SRE is to ensure that children learn about issues in a caring and informed way, which dispels myths that they may have acquired.
At Stone St. Mary’s Church of England Primary School we aim:
 

• To ensure that pupils are prepared for puberty

• To develop confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings and relationships, and respect the differences between people;
   

• For pupils to be able to name parts of the body and describe how their bodies work;
   

• For children to know how they can protect themselves and where to ask for help and support;
   

• To empower children to make informed choices about their education and future adult life.
   

• Respect for their own bodies and the importance of sexual activity being within a committed, long term and loving relationship
   

• The importance of family life
   

• Moral questions
   

• Relationship issues
   

• Sexual abuse /exploitation, and where they can seek advice if they are worried about any sexual matters.

The school will work towards these aims in partnership with parents.

Delivering Relationships and Sex Education
Much of SRE is taught to the children in Year 5 and 6, although other SRE and PSHE issues are covered in the previous years (appropriate to children’s age and stage of development) to fully equip the children with the skills and attitudes necessary for them to benefit effectively from sex education. SRE within PSHE supports the school’s Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) programme which is used as the cornerstone of our personal development programme. We also teach some SRE through other subjects (e.g. Science and PE) where we feel that they contribute significantly to a pupil’s knowledge and understanding of their own body and how it is changing and developing.

Most of the teaching of SRE will be done by the class teacher, as s/he will have established a working relationship with the class. The school nurse may also be available to advise and assist the pupils on periods and preparing for puberty.

Cross curricular links
All curriculum areas make a contribution to PSHE through the planned ‘Learning Journeys’. Some subjects make a clear contribution, such as Science and PSHE, while others make a less obvious, but important, contribution.

Parents and Sex & Relationships Education
We appreciate the sensitivity and concerns some parents may feel towards SRE and therefore, we invite parents to discuss the materials we use in school.  We believe that for the children to achieve the desired objectives a positive and united relationship must continue to exist between home and school and we would encourage discussion about this area of the curriculum at home. 
In promoting this objective we:
 

•  Inform parents/carers about the school’s SRE policy and practice;
• Inform parents/carers before key topics are delivered
• Answer any questions that parents/carers may have about SRE of their child;
• Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their children from that part of the SRE programme that is delivered through PSHE (though not from those elements taught through Science). Parents / carers who wish to withdraw their children from this aspect of SRE should discuss this with the headteacher.

 

Differentiation and Special Educational Needs
We recognise that all children will have varied life experiences and a range of feelings and attitudes. Lessons will allow all perceptions to be articulated, and all contributions will be valued and respected.

Teachers may need to use different resources, activities or provide specific support depending on the needs of the pupils. Teaching points need to be conveyed using language that is accessible to the pupils.

 

Equal Opportunities
Stone St. Mary’s Church Of England Primary School is committed to working towards equal opportunities in all areas of school life. We aim to avoid stereotyping and believe that pupils’ religious beliefs and cultural differences should also be respected.

 

Confidentiality:
Teachers conduct SRE lessons in a sensitive manner and with consideration for the need for confidentiality. But should issues of disclosure regarding inappropriate sexual behaviour/ activity arise, the teacher will take the matter seriously and deal with it as a matter of child protection. In  such cases, procedures as laid down in the appropriate school policy will be followed.

Monitoring and Review:
The school curriculum committee of the Governing body monitors the SRE policy on an annual basis. This committee reports its findings and recommendations to the full governing body, as necessary, to update this policy statement. Governors require the Headteacher reports on an annual basis the content and delivery of the SRE programme taught at Stone St. Mary’s Church Of England Primary School.

Appendix 1

Guidance for Sex and Relationship Education
in Church Schools

This document seeks to give guidance on principles which can underlie your church school’s SRE policy and practice. There are a variety of resources available to support the delivery of the content.  Each individual school must decide with its Governing Body which of these resources best fulfils its particular needs the most appropriately for its pupils.

Much of what should be included in an SRE policy and SRE Guidance is required in all schools – but there are certain key principles or statements which a church school may wish to consider.  As with the review of all curriculum areas, it is important to ask:

 

•      Does our  SRE policy and practice reflect the distinctive Christian character of  our church school?
•       Does our teaching on relationships in all areas of the curriculum re-inforce Christian values and     principles and in this way form the basis for SRE teaching and learning?

The DfES guidance states that :

“It is lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development.  It is
about the understanding of 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.  It is not about the promotion of sexual
orientation or sexual activity – this would be inappropriate teaching.”

Within a church school the Christian ethos provides the context within which all personal development takes place.  This means that Christian values and attitudes, with the emphasis on the importance of marriage, the family and stable relationships to build a child’s self-esteem, self-awareness and a sense of moral responsibility, will permeate all the curriculum

Teaching about relationships is key to good SRE and it is in the context of positive and caring relationships that SRE should always be set.  Therefore some important principles might be that:

• Sexual relationships should be seen as the fulfilment of a relationship and not as the basis for a relationship
   
• Sexual relationships between those who are not in loving long-term relationships often do not consider the long term happiness of both those involved (or indeed of either)
   
• Sexual relationships between those who are in loving long-term relationships can provide a context within which both partners learn to love, to be loved, to be valued and appreciated, and to grow in maturity
   
• Sexual relationships between those who are in loving long-term relationships can provide a context within which both partners learn the basic ground rules of mutual respect on which to base good relationships within their wider family and beyond

Christian teaching underlines this by stating that:   Human sexuality is a good and precious gift of God in creation and a  means of His grace, as reflected in the introduction of the service of Christian marriage.  For Christians ‘making love’ in a sexual relationship is a way in which God enables human beings to express their love for each other in the most profound and complete way.  We seek in education to provide a context within which the Christian understanding of the gift of human sexuality and relationships may be positively nurtured

Teaching about marriage within the RE curriculum can be used to further pupils’ understanding of Christian principles.   Support for this is offered in the Diocesan support materials for REact (the Kent Agreed Syllabus).

  

Appendix 2

The key resource will be the Living and Growing DVD
• Teachers need to view the DVD before showing to their class, be familiar with the teacher’s guide and pay strict attention to the minimum age guidelines/timetable (see below).
• Teachers need to think carefully about the children in their class before using these materials. Some children may need to be ‘housed’ elsewhere.
• Teachers need to be understanding of the community/children we serve. No child should be made to feel uncomfortable, especially about the relationship of their parents. However we should uphold the importance of having children within a loving and stable relationship.
• These materials should be used as part of a unit of work linked to PHSE/Science/Learning Journey.
• Delivery should be by the class teacher or a teacher from the phase group (Year 5 and 6 will also be instructed by the School Nurse).
• In line with our policy of informing parents of forthcoming topics, teachers must ensure parents are aware when children will be learning about body parts, puberty, etc.(see attached letters)
• Parents have the right to withdraw their child from PHSE but not Science.

UNIT 1

DIFFERENCES

 

HOW DID I GET HERE?

GROWING UP

UNIT 2 CHANGES

 

UNIT 3 GIRL TALK

BOY TALK

Theme -INVESTIGATE ‘SEX’ IN THE MEDIA)

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX –