PERONSAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION (PSHE)
Personal, Social and Health Education is taught throughout our school in a wide range of ways. We follow PSHE Association Planning.
Please see the provision map for more information.
PSHE and RSHE Curriculum Overview
Please follow the link below to find out how our children continue their learning in the junior school:
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School: RSHE (smmj.co.uk)
RELATIONSHIPS, SEX AND HEALTH EDUCATION (RSHE)
‘I HAVE COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL’
(Jn.10.10)
We are involved in Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) precisely because of our Christian beliefs about God and about the human person. The belief in the unique dignity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God underpins the approach to all education in a Catholic school. Our approach to RSE therefore is rooted in the Catholic Church’s teaching of the human person and presented in a positive framework of Christian ideals.
At the heart of the Christian life is the Trinity; Father, Son and Spirit in communion, united in loving relationship and embracing all people and all creation. As a consequence of the Christian belief that we are made in the image and likeness of God, gender and sexuality are seen as God’s gift, reflect God’s beauty, and share in the divine creativity. RSE, therefore, will be placed firmly within the context of relationship as it is there that sexuality grows and develops.
Following the guidance of the Bishops of England and Wales and as advocated by the DFE (and the Welsh Assembly Government) RSE will be firmly embedded in the PSHE/RSHE framework as it is concerned with nurturing human wholeness and integral to the physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, social and intellectual development of pupils. It is centred on Christ’s vision of being human as good news and will be positive and prudent, showing the potential for development, while enabling the dangers and risks involved to be understood and appreciated.
All Relationship, Sex and Health Education RSHE will be in accordance with the Church’s moral teaching. It will emphasise the central importance of marriage and the family whilst acknowledging that all pupils have a fundamental right to have their life respected whatever household they come from. It will also prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.
Please click this link for a brief overview of the RSHE curriculum:
HAVE YOUR SAY ON RSHE
In line with the Department for Education Guidelines 2020, we are required to consult with you when reviewing and renewing our policy for the statutory Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). Your comments are important to us to help us decide how and when to cover the content of the statutory guidance. We devised a questionnaire on Survey Monkey to gather your thoughts and opinions for RSHE and wider Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) topics. This survey closed on Monday 28th November 2022.
Many thanks for your responses to the RHSE questionnaire. Some of you were not aware of our Relationship, Sex and Health Education policy, please find the link below on this page.
It is lovely to hear from the feedback that the majority of you feel comfortable to speak to your children about health and wellbeing, different family relationships and mental health matters.
Please be assured that the content of the RSHE lessons are age and stage appropriate.
In Nursery and Reception, the children explore the wonder of being special and unique.
In Year 1, the children focus on families and growing up in a secure and stable home.
In Year 2, the children focus on how they grow and develop in our diverse community.
Further information can be found on this page. Please contact Mrs Maddocks if you have any questions or concerns.
Please click this link for further information:
Please click this link for information from the DfE:
Please click this link for our RSHE policy:
Rationale
‘We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution.
Each of us is the result of a thought of God.’ Benedict XVI
‘I have come that they might have life and have it to the fullness.’ John 10:10
Aims
St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Infant School aims to provide a suitable programme that follows the statutory need to include RSHE into their curriculum from September 2020 which meets the ethos of its Catholic identity and mission.
The purpose of this Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) policy is to set out the ways in which the school’s provision supports pupils through their spiritual, moral, social, emotional and physical development, and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life growing up in today’s world.
Our School’s mission embraces the spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, moral and social development of children and young people, and through an agreed approach to Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) using the Archdiocesan recommended resource ‘Journey In Love’ 2020 we believe that we can promote the development of the whole child, so that children can grow in virtue, wisdom and stature, understanding both the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing spiritually, as well as moral aspects of relationships within a context of a Christian vision for the purpose of life.
The other aspects of the statutory curriculum intent will be met by using and amending the PSHE Association to develop pupil’s knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and prepared for life and work. We aim to develop skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, teamworking and critical thinking in the context of three core themes: health and wellbeing, relationships (as described above) and living in the wider world. (Also, see appendices at end of document, which incorporates Come and See, DFE Statutory Relationships and Statutory Science)
The Purpose
The aims of Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) at St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Infant School are to:
- Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place.
- Help pupils develop feelings of dignity, self-worth, self-respect, confidence and empathy.
- The importance of health and hygiene.
- Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships.
- Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies.
Statutory Requirements
At St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Infant School, we must provide Relationships Education to all pupils as per section 34 of the Children and Social work act 2017.
In teaching Relationship and Sex Education, we must have regard to Catholic Education Service guidance issued by the Bishops Conference of England and Wales 2017.
The statutory guidance from the Department for Education issued under Section 80A of the Education Act 2002 and section 403 of the Education Act 1996 Appendix A
The statutory guidance from the Department for Education Equality Act 2010.
Policy Development
This policy has been developed in consultation with staff, pupils and parents. The consultation and policy development process involved the following steps:
- Review – the Deputy Headteacher is responsible for RSHE. This policy has been reviewed taking into account the following national guidance:
- Education Act 1996
- Education Act 2002
- Children and Social Work Act 2017
- DfE (2021) ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE)
- DfE (Updated 2021) ‘Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education’
- DfE (2019) ‘School and college security’
As a Catholic school, we have also taken into account local advice from the Archdiocese of Liverpool to follow the guidance from the Catholic Education Service on behalf of the Bishops’ of England and Wales. This is to ensure that our teaching reflects our Catholic identity and mission and to be both age and stage appropriate for our pupils.
- Staff consultation – all school staff are given the opportunity to look at the policy and make recommendations.
- Parent/stakeholder consultation – parents and any interested parties are invited to complete a questionnaire annually. The comments help us to decide how and when the content of the statutory guidance is taught.
- Pupil consultation – we investigated what exactly pupils want from their Relationship Sex and Health Education through pupil voice.
- Ratification – once amendments were made, the policy was shared with governors and ratified.
Definition
Relationship, Sex and Health Education involves a combination of sharing information, and exploring issues underpinned by our Catholic values.
Relationship Sex and Health Education is about the emotional, social and cultural development of pupils, and involves learning about personal relationships, sexual health, sexuality, healthy lifestyles, diversity and personal identity.
Curriculum
We have developed our curriculum with recommendations from the Archdiocesan Education Department to ensure that they meet with Catholic Church teaching.
After consultation with parents Relationship Sex Education will be covered using the Archdiocesan recommended resource ‘Journey In Love’ 2020.
We have considered the age, stage and feelings of pupils and have consulted with parents and staff to ensure we are offering a quality curriculum, which is adequately catered to meet their needs.
We have adapted the PSHE Association Primary Scheme of Work and Primary toolkit and mapped the coverage across year 1 and year 2. The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework is used in Nursery and Reception. From Spring 2022, we will also be using ‘All Are Welcome’ (No Outsiders – Andrew Moffatt) to teach children respect for diversity, commitment to community cohesion through understanding and acceptance of difference and promotion of dialogue to counter fear and hate in society.
If pupils ask questions outside the scope of our curriculum, teachers will respond in an appropriate manner so they are fully informed and do not seek answers online.
Delivery of Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) is taught both discretely and within the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum lessons. Some aspects of the RSHE curriculum may be touched upon in other lessons as it shares links with Religious Education, Science and Physical Education.
Our RSHE will ensure that content is relevant to the age, experience and maturity of pupils.
The new statutory guidance for Relationships education focuses on teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships including:
- Families and people who care for me.
- Caring friendships.
- Respectful relationships.
- Online relationships.
- Being safe.
These areas of learning are taught within the context of ‘family life’ and could include married or single parent families, same sex parents, families headed by grandparents, adoptive parents, foster parents/carers amongst other structures, along with reflecting sensitively that some children may have a support structure around them (for example: looked after children or young carers).
As a school, we promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations. Our school environment uniformly applies values of inclusion and respect to all pupils and their families. All staff are proactive in promoting positive relationships and receive regular training.
Equal Opportunities
All pupils have access to the RSHE curriculum. Where pupils have specific educational needs, arrangements for support from outside agencies and support staff are made to ensure these pupils have an appropriate, differentiated curriculum.
Roles and Responsibility
The Governing Body
The governing body will approve the RSHE policy and hold the headteacher to account for its implementation.
The Headteacher
The headteacher is responsible for ensuring that RSHE is taught consistently across the school and for managing requests to withdraw pupils from the non-statutory element of Relationship and Sex Education in Year 6* (see right of withdrawal) – This will not be required in our school as we teach content up to year 2.
Staff
Staff do not have the right to opt out of teaching RSHE as this forms part of the Teaching Standards. Any staff who have concerns about teaching RSHE are encouraged to discuss this with the headteacher.
Staff are responsible for:
- Delivering RSHE in a sensitive way which complies with Church teaching.
- Modelling positive attitudes to RSHE.
- Monitoring progress.
- Responding to the needs of individual pupils.
- Responding appropriately to pupils whose parents wish them to be withdrawn from the non-statutory components of RSE.
Pupils
Pupils are expected to engage fully in RSHE and, when discussing issues related to RSHE, treat others with dignity, respect and sensitivity
Parents’ right to withdraw
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from the non-statutory component of sex education in Year 6. This is where sexual intercourse is taught discretely as part of the Physical aspect within ‘Journey In Love’ the Archdiocesan recommended resource. This will not be required in our school, as we teach content up to year 2.
Parents do not have the right to withdraw their children from Statutory Relationships Education as set out in the DFE guidance 2020.
Monitoring Arrangements
The delivery of RSHE is monitored by the Deputy Headteacher by undertaking learning walks, staff and pupil consultations, planning and work scrutinies and questionnaires.
Pupils’ development in RSHE is monitored by class teachers as part of our internal informal assessment systems.
This policy will be agreed annually by the governors and reviewed every three years.
Resources
The PSHE Association www.pshe-association.org.uk
Early Years Foundation Stage
Journey In Love 2020
Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
The Underwear PANTS Rule www.nspcc.org.uk
Key Stage One
Journey In Love 2020
CEOP – National Crime Agency Command
The Delivery of RSE
Following advice from the Archdiocese our chosen programme for the delivery for RSE is, ‘A Journey in Love,’ from nursery to Year 2
A Journey in Love
Nursery & Reception - The wonder of being special and unique.
To explore the wonder of being special and unique.
To recognise being a special person in my family. To recognise that we are all different and unique. To celebrate the joy of being a special person in God’s family.
Year 1 - We meet God’s love in our family.
To focus on families and specially growing up in a loving, secure and stable home.
To recognise signs that I am loved in my family. To recognise how I am cared for and kept safe in my family. To celebrate ways that God loves and cares for us.
Year 2 - We meet God’s love in the community.
To describe how we are growing and developing in diverse communities that are God-given.
To recognise the joy and friendship of belonging to a diverse community. To describe ways of being safe in communities. To celebrate ways of meeting God in our communities.
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY - ALL ARE WELCOME
As a Catholic school, we promote the Gospel values of love and peace. We welcome and value everyone in our school, valuing our differences, our uniqueness and we are all equally loved by God.
We aim to ensure that pupils are happy and excited about living and learning in a community full of difference and diversity.
To ensure that our children are taught to live out these values, we are adopting the 'No Outsiders: Everyone Different, Everyone Welcome' story-based approach, through which our children will learn about equality and diversity.
We are all different and ALL ARE WELCOME!
Some comments from our parents:
"Really good idea and brilliant that we can see the books in person and getting ideas ourselves on how to address situations. I ordered a book while at the coffee morning."
"Great way to engage children in learning all about the world today. Lovely books for all ages."
"Excellent idea to teach our children about diversity at a young age."
Please find a summary of the beautiful books we will be using and the learning intention for each one. If you have any questions, please see Mrs Maddocks.