BOURNEMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Relationship & Sex Education

Enabling our young people to grow up healthy, happy & safe

We want all our pupils to grow up healthy, happy, safe, and able to manage the challenges and opportunities of modern Britain.

From September 2020, all our pupils will be taught Relationships, Sex and Health education. Our RSE and Health Education programme aims to support young people to embrace change, feel positive about who they are and enjoy healthy, safe, responsible and fulfilled lives. Our learning objectives, fulfilled through the engagement of students in active learning opportunities, enable students to recognise and manage risk, take increasing responsibility for themselves, their choices and behaviours and make positive contributions to families, schools and communities.

We will deliver the statutory RSE within our whole-school PSHE programme.

Our Aims

The aims of relationships and sex education (RSE) at our school are to: Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place

  • Prepare pupils for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene
  • Help pupils to develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships
  • Help pupils to deal with moral, social and health-related issues that arise in their lives and society
  • Help pupils to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to live confident, healthy and independent lives
  • Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies

Statutory requirements

As a secondary academy school we must provide RSE to all pupils as per section 34 of the Children and Social work act 2017. Schools are also required to comply with the relevant requirements of the Equality Act 2010 with particular relevance here to the fact that schools must not unlawfully discriminate against pupils’ because of their ‘protected’ characteristics.

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

At Bournemouth School for Girls we will teach RSE as set out in this policy.

Policy development

Our approach to RSE and the development of this policy has been created in consultation with staff, pupils, parents and governors to ensure it meets the needs of our community.

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 is concerned with developing personal and social skills, respect for self and others, family, stable loving relationships, feelings, gender roles and decision making.
  • RSE is about the physical, emotional, social, moral and legal dimensions of human sexuality as well as factual teaching about sex, sexuality and sexual health.
  • 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 parents, pupils and staff, taking into account the age, needs and feelings of pupils. If pupils ask questions outside the scope of this policy, teachers will respond in an appropriate manner so they are fully informed and don’t seek answers online.

 

Year GroupAutumn 1Autumn 2Spring 1Spring 2Summer 1Summer 2
7Transition and safety
Transition to secondary school and personal safety in and outside of school, including first aid
Diversity
Diversity, prejudice, and bullying including cyber bullying
Health and puberty
Healthy routines, influences on health, puberty, unwanted contact and FGM
Developing skills and aspiration
Careers, teamwork and enterprise skills. Setting realistic targets.

Challenging career stereotypes and raising aspirations
Building positive relationships
Self-worth, romance and friendships (including online) and relationships boundaries.
Financial decision making
Saving, spending, budgeting and borrowing money and making ethical financial choices
8Emotional wellbeing
Mental health and emotional wellbeing including self-confidence and self-esteem
Digital literacy
Online safety, digital literacy and media reliability
Setting goals
Learning strengths, career options and goal setting as part of the GCSE options process
Understanding relationships
Roles and responsibilities in different relationships
Families and parenting, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and relationship changes
Drugs and alcohol
Alcohol and drug misuse and pressures relating to their use
Identity and relationships
Gender identity, sexual orientation, consent, ‘sexting’, and an introduction to contraception
Stereotyping, discrimination and Prejudice
Discrimination in all its forms, including: racism, religious discrimination, disability discrimination, sexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia
9Peer influence, gangs, knife crime and organised crime
Healthy and unhealthy friendships, assertiveness, gang exploitation. Organised crime.
Respectful relationshipsHealthy lifestyle
Diet, exercise, lifestyle balance and healthy choices
Intimate relationships
Relationships and sex education including consent, contraception, the risks of STIs, and attitudes to pornography
Employability skills
Employability and online presence
10Mental health
Transition to key stage 4 and developing study habits
Mental health and ill health, stigma, safeguarding health, including during periods of transition or change
Healthy relationships
Relationships and sex expectations, myths, pleasure and challenges, including the impact of the media and pornography
Financial decision making
The impact of financial decisions, debt, gambling and the impact of advertising on financial choices
Exploring influences
The influence and impact of drugs, gangs, and the media
Addressing extremism and radicalisation
Communities, belonging and challenging extremism
Work experience
Preparation for and evaluation of work experience and readiness for work
11Next steps
Application processes, and skills for further education and career progression
Building for the future
Promoting self-esteem and coping with stress
Learning and revision skills to maximise potential
Communication in relationships
Personal values, assertive communication in (including in relation to contraception and sexual health) relationship challenges and abuse
Independence
Responsible health choices, and safety in independent contexts
Taking responsibility for health choices
Families
Different families and parental responsibilities, pregnancy, marriage and forced marriage and changing relationships

Delivery of RSE

RSE is taught within the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. Biological aspects of RSE are taught within the science curriculum, and other aspects are included in religious studies,

Pupils may also receive stand-alone sex education sessions delivered by a trained health professional.

Teaching of RSE will be inclusive of difference: gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, culture, age, faith or belief, or other life experience. It will promote equality in relationships and recognise and challenge gender inequality.

RSE will be taught using active learning methods, and will be rigorously planned, assessed and evaluated. Delivery will be adapted as needed to ensure that the content is accessible to all students, including those with SEND.

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 ensure 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, 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).

Management of RSE and Right to Withdraw

For details on how RSE is managed within the school and about the right to withdraw students from aspects of this curriculum, please see the RSE Policy here.