UNITED SCHOOLS FEDERATION

St. Michael’s C. of E. Nursery & Primary School     St. Catherine’s C. of E. VA Nursery & Primary School 

St. Mary’s C. of E. VA Primary School    Marldon C. of E. VA Primary School    Ipplepen Primary School 

Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) Policy

St. Michael’s School is a Church of England Primary School – St. Catherine’s, St. Mary’s and Marldon are Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary Schools and Ipplepen Primary is a community school both for girls and boys. The schools in the USF come from various family backgrounds.  In each year there are a few children identified with special educational needs. There is a wide social mix. The schools are in residential areas and also have children who travel in from outlying villages.  

SRE will be appropriate to the children’s age and experience and will be presented within a moral, family-orientated, Christian framework.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

High quality SRE helps create safe school communities in which pupils can grow, learn and develop positive, healthy behaviour for life. It is essential for the following reasons:

• Children and young people have a right to good quality education, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

• Children and young people want to be prepared for the physical and emotional changes they undergo at puberty.
• SRE plays a vital part of meeting schools’ safeguarding obligations. Ofsted is clear that schools must have a preventative programme that enables to learn about safety and risks in relationships.
• Schools maintain a statutory obligation under the Children Act (2004) to promote their pupils wellbeing, and under the Education Act (1996) to prepare children and young people for the challenges, opportunities and responsibilities of adult life. A comprehensive SRE programme can have a positive impact on pupils’ health and wellbeing and their ability to achieve, and can play a crucial part in meeting these obligations.

Working with parents and pupil withdrawal procedures

The United School’s Federation is committed to working with parents. Under the 1993 Education Act pupils can be withdrawn by their parents, from part of the SRE programme that is outside the compulsory elements of SRE in the National Science Curriculum. Parents wishing to exercise this right are invited to contact the Heads of School who will explore the concerns and the possibilities of adjusting the programme or approach. They will discuss the possible impact that withdrawal may have on the pupil and talk with the parents about the pupil’s possible negative experiences or feelings that may result from exclusions and ways which these can be minimised. Once a pupil has been withdrawn they cannot participate in SRE until the request of withdrawal has been removed.

AIMS OF SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION POLICY

Is a partnership between home and school.

• Ensures children and young people’s views are actively sought to influence lesson planning and teaching

• Starts early and is relevant to pupils at each stage in their development and maturity.
• Is taught by people who are trained and confident in talking about issues such as; healthy and unhealthy relationships, equality, pleasure, respect, abuse, sexuality, gender identity, sex and consent.  
• Includes the acquisition of knowledge, development of life skills and respectful attitudes and values.  
• Has sufficient time to cover a wide range of topics with a strong emphasis on relationships, consent, rights, responsibilities to others, negotiation and communication skills, and accessing services.  
• Helps pupils understand on and off-line safety, consent, violence and exploitation.  

• Is both medically and factually correct, and treats sex as a normal and pleasurable fact of life.  
• Is inclusive of difference, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, culture, age, faith or belief, or other life experiences.  
• Uses active learning methods, and is rigorously planned, assessed and evaluated.  
• Helps pupils understand a range of views and beliefs about relationships and sex in society, including some of the mixed messages about gender, sex and sexuality from different sources, including the media.  
• Teaches pupils about the laws and their right to confidentiality, even if they are under 16, and is linked to school based and community health services and organizations.  

• Promotes equality in relationships, recognizes the challenges, gender inequality and reflects girls’ and boys’ different experiences and needs.  

MORAL AND VALUES FRAMEWORK

The SRE programme will reflect the schools’ over-arching aims and demonstrate and encourage the following values:

• respect for self

• respect for others
• responsibility for our own actions
• responsibility for our family, friends, school and wider community

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The United Schools Federation is committed to working towards equal opportunities in all aspects of school life.  All resources used will support this commitment.

The needs of boys as well as girls

Because girls tend to have greater access to SRE than boys, both through the media (particularly magazines) and the home we will ensure the particular needs of boys, as well as girls, are equally met and will use approaches to actively engage them.   We shall also be proactive in combating sexism and sexist bullying.

Ethnic, cultural and religious diversity

Different ethnic, cultural and religious groups may have different attitudes to SRE.  The school will consult children and parents/carers about their needs, take account of their views and promote respect for, and understanding of, the views of different ethnic and cultural and religious groups.

Varying home backgrounds

We recognize that our children may come from a variety of family situations and home backgrounds.  We shall take care that all children are treated equally regardless of their home circumstances.

Sexuality

Our approach to SRE will have a sensitive, honest and balanced consideration towards sexuality.  We shall actively tackle intolerant language and behaviour.

Special Educational Needs

We will ensure that all young people receive sex and relationship education, and we will offer provision appropriate to the particular needs of all our pupils taking specialist advice where necessary.

CONTENT

The SRE programme we shall be following is: ‘Teaching SRE with Confidence in Primary Schools’ by CWP Resources. This is a comprehensive scheme of work which covers all aspects of SRE for primary age children. We use the programme ‘The Christopher Winter Project’ which combines aspects of ‘Living and Growing’ as a core part of our SRE teaching.

Year 1 and 2; Through Science and PSHE lessons they will be focusing on ‘Growing and Caring for Ourselves’ and ‘Differences’ between boys and girls.  

Year 3 Valuing Differences and Keeping Safe

Lesson 1: Differences: Male and Female

Lesson 2: Personal space

Lesson 3: Family differences

Year 4 Growing Up

Lesson 1: Growing and Changing

Lesson 2: Body changes and Reproduction

Lesson 3: What is Puberty?

Year 5 Puberty

Lesson 1: Talking about puberty

Lesson 2: Male and Female changes

Lesson 3: Puberty and Hygiene

Year 6 Puberty and Reproduction

Lesson 1: Puberty and Reproduction

Lesson 2: Relationships and Reproduction

Lesson 3: Conception and Pregnancy

A full curriculum programme is attached at the end of the policy.  

ORGANISATION

SRE will be overseen by the Head of School in close co-operation with the Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) Co-ordinator.   

Members of staff will deliver the programme.

Single sex groups will be used as appropriate.

Delivery may be through:

• topics
• aspects of science

• occasional assembly times
• planned visits from parents e.g. where there is a new baby  
• pastoral time
• small group work
• SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) activities

• story time
• PSHE lessons

The resources used will be made available for parents to view at an annual parents’ meeting. Individual parents can also view resources by contacting the school direct.  

SPECIFIC ISSUES STATEMENTS

Confidentiality

Pupils will be made aware that legally some information cannot be held in confidence.

Disclosure or suspicion of possible abuse

The USF has a Child Protection policy and procedure for dealing with child sexual abuse based on the Local Authority guidelines and recommendations. This policy is available on request.

Teaching and Outside Agencies

SRE lessons will be taught by class teachers. Outside agencies may be used to support and assist the teachers in the development of the classroom based work. On rare occasions outside agencies may be involved in classroom based work as part of the developmental programme following discussions and negotiation. They will be required to work within the school’s moral framework outlined earlier. Lessons will only have input from anyone other than the class teacher when there is a clear enhancement that they can bring. In this instance these sessions will be jointly planned and run jointly between teaching staff and visitors and the class teacher will be present at all times. The schools procedures for working with external agencies and teaching and learning policy will be followed, including criminal record bureau checks.

Answering difficult questions

Sometimes an individual child will ask an explicit or difficult question in the classroom. Teachers have been informed that they do not have to answer questions of this nature directly; they may be addressed individually later. The governors support individual teachers in using their discretion and skill in these situations but teachers can refer to the Heads of School if they are concerned.

HIV/AIDS policy

The schools follow the procedure outlined by the LA with regard for supporting pupils or

staff infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. See website

http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/cyps/families/hiv_aids/support_for_children_with_hiv_aids.htm 

Complaints Procedures

Any complaints about the SRE Programme should be made to the Head of School who will report to the governors.

DISSEMINATION OF THE POLICY

All staff members and governors will receive a copy of this policy. Copies are available from the administration office on request.  

ASSESSMENT AND RECORDING   

Teachers assess the children’s work in SRE where required by the National Curriculum.

MONITORING AND REVIEW  

A nominated governor has a link role between the school and the governing body.  

The PSHE Coordinator is responsible for:

• monitoring the standards of children’s work and the quality of teaching

• supporting colleagues in the teaching of SRE
• providing information about current developments in the subject  
• providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school  
• giving the Heads of School an annual summary report, evaluating strengths and areas for development in the subject
• arranging visits from any relevant representative involved in supporting PSHE provision.

REVIEW OF THE POLICY

Policy approved by the Governing Body on the 28th March 2019.

The policy will be reviewed annually.

© dcs, Devon Healthy Schools Award, 2006. Permission given for the copying, use of and adaptation of this document by D.C.C schools.

Activity Sheet 24: ‘Puberty pyramid’.