Relationship and Sex Education (RSE)
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) at HPRS will promote safe, equal, caring and enjoyable relationships and will discuss real life issues appropriate to the age and stage of the pupil, including friendships, families, consent, relationship abuse, sexual exploitation and safe relationships online. It is important that all children receive this content.
Parents cannot withdraw their child from health education or the relationships education element of RSE. If they do not want their child to take part in some or all of the sex education lessons delivered as part of RSE, they can ask that they are withdrawn (up until 3 school terms before their child turns 16), at which point their child can choose for themselves whether to receive sex education.
If a child is withdrawn from sex education, an alternative lesson will be provided with another member of staff in another learning area.
Intent
HPRS is committed to providing a high quality educational experience for all pupils. Our curriculum determines and underpins the whole ethos of our school which is that we want all pupils to achieve and to do well in all areas. At HPRS, our Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) and RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) is taught through both discreet and cross-curricular lessons but also underpins all activities, educational visits (if and when appropriate), form time and guest speakers/visitors.
It is intended that we will offer a cohesive whole-school approach which enables our pupils to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. Our staff ensure that the lessons and activities are accessible to all pupils, creating suitable resources to support everyone. The intention is to develop the whole child to provide them with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to protect and enhance their wellbeing. Through lessons, pupils will learn how to stay safe and healthy, build and maintain successful relationships and become active citizens, responsibly participating in society around them. Work is carried out on ‘mind-set and attitudes’ to inspire all pupils to achieve and believe in themselves, creating active, confident members of the community. Lessons will provide pupils with the knowledge they need to stay safe and to know when and how they can ask for help.
Implementation
PSHE and RSE is taught in weekly lessons of 40 minutes’ and every day in form time where we hold regular debates via Votes for Schools about a current topic linked to SMSC and British Values. Pupils have the opportunity to vote on the weekly topic, these votes are real and are sent to the relevant leaders/organisations. We then discuss the results which have been gathered from pupils all over the UK.
In years 10 and 11 pupils have PSHE folders to store their work in PSHE/RSE sessions. These allow for assessment for learning opportunities which enable self-evaluation and reflective learning and allow the teachers to evaluate and assess learning. In addition, we are currently entering our pupils for the AQA PSE Award or Certificate This is a recognised qualification but unfortunately the qualification is coming to an end in 2021.
Alongside this our pupils are working towards the Award/Certificate in Lessons in Financial Education (LIFE) which is completed via online learning with the London Institution of Banking and Finance (LIBF) This covers our financial and economic education.
Our PSHE curriculum promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our pupils, preparing them for life in the wider world. At HPRS, pupils are taught:
To develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives now and in the future.
Opportunities to explore, clarify and if necessary challenge their own and others’ values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities.
The skills, language and strategies they need in order to live healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives.
Opportunities to develop positive personal attributes such as resilience, self-confidence, self-esteem, and empathy.
In KS4 we use the EC Publishing PSHE resources and the PSHE Organisation guidelines to inform our curriculum planning. They cover all of the required objectives and fulfil the requirements of the 2020 Statutory Relationships and Health Education through a broad and balanced curriculum.
These topics are based around 3 key themes as identified by the PSHE Association:
- Living in the wider world
- Health and wellbeing
- Relationships
Impact
The aim of the PSHE and RSE curriculum is to have a positive impact on our pupils. We want our pupils to demonstrate and apply the British Values of Democracy, Tolerance, Mutual Respect, Rule of Law and Liberty.
Baseline assessment can be used at the start of a new topic to ensure new learning is relevant. This assessment can be written or through discussion
Teachers assess progress using work and discussions carried out with pupils, this is recorded in a spreadsheet using RAG rating.
Any areas that are rated red or amber are revisited until we feel their understanding is secure.
When pupils complete the LIFE qualification they will receive a certificate to show their progress and achievement.
At HPRS, we are aware that the delivered curriculum must reflect the needs of our pupils. Teachers will identify areas of high importance specific to our local area.
We expect teachers to use the PSHE programme (adapting it where necessary to ensure it suits all pupils’ needs) to equip pupils with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions now and in later life. Through PSHE and RSE, pupils will develop the vocabulary and confidence needed to articulate their thoughts and feelings in a safe, trusting, respectful environment taking what they have learnt to their everyday interactions from the classroom to the wider community.
You can view a copy of our RSE policy below