Relationships, Sex and Health Education

From September 2020 Relationship and Sex Education (RSHE) has been statutory in all secondary schools in England. As part of our work to ensure that we are meeting this requirement, we would like to give you some information about what exactly has changed and what we are expected to teach our students.

What is changing?

From 2020, the following subjects become compulsory in applicable schools in England:

Relationship and Sex Education in secondary schools
Health Education in state funded secondary schools

These subjects will support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe, equipping them for life as an adult in British society. Some parts of the new curriculum, as with the current curriculum, are compulsory. These are part of the national curriculum for science.

Why is it changing?

There is research evidence that suggests that Relationship and Sex Education can help students make informed decisions to keep themselves safe when it comes to recognising sexual abuse or using contraception and it can potentially result in delaying the age of their first experience of sexual intercourse (DfE, 2019). You can see this evidence on the following graph created by the Sex Education Forum which analyses the results of the latest Natsal (National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles) survey:

For more information on this, you can visit:

https://www.sexeducationforum.org.uk/sites/default/files/field/attachment/SRE%20-%20the%20evidence%20-%20March%202015.pdf

What is being taught?

Relationship and Sex education is part of the RSHE programme which is primarily delivered in PSHE lessons. At KS3 it deals with the biological study of human reproduction from conception to birth and parent care. The physical and emotional changes associated with growing up and relationships are considered and contraception is dealt with simply and openly.

At KS4 Sex Education is developed with reference to relationships, aspects of health and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Inevitably, some aspects of Sex Education will be met in other subject areas such as Science, English and Religious Education.

Great importance is placed upon responsibility, understanding and sensitivity to others. In line with Department for Education guidelines, we are careful to provide correct information and dispel myths in accordance with the professional discretion of the teacher.

Changes to the right to withdraw

Parents may withdraw students from non-statutory/non-science components of RSE up to three terms before the child turns 16. Requests must be made in writing to the headteacher, who will provide the official withdrawal form.

See the below links to read our PSHE and RSE Policy.

PSHE Policy RSE Policy

This is set out in the Department for Education's (DfE) guidance.