ST ILLTYD’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
RELATIONSHIPS & SEXUALITY EDUCATION POLICY
Document Reference | POL-RSE-001 |
Date Approved | 01/03/2025 |
Review Date | 01/09/2028 |
Approved By | Adele Matthews (Acting Headteacher) |
Introduction and rationale
The objective of relationships and sexuality education (RSE) in St. Illtyd’s Primary School is to help and support pupils through their physical, emotional, moral and spiritual development. Effective RSE is also essential if young people are to make responsible and informed decisions about their lives. A successful programme will help pupils learn to respect themselves and others and move with confidence from childhood through adolescence into adulthood. It should prepare them to develop considered attitudes, values and skills which influence the way they behave.
The Education Act 1996 states that the governing body and head teacher shall take such steps as are reasonably practicable to secure that where sex education is given to any registered pupils at a maintained school, it is given in such a manner as to encourage those pupils to have due regard to moral considerations and the value of family life. Schools should also ensure that pupils learn the nature of marriage and its importance for family life and the bringing up of children, and are protected from teaching and materials which are inappropriate having regard to the age and the religious and cultural background of the pupils concerned. Schools should also make, and keep up to date, a separate written statement of their policy with regard to the provision of sex education, and make copies of the statement available for inspection (at all reasonable times) by parents of registered pupils at the school and provide a copy of the statement free of charge to any such parent who asks for one.
RSE is about understanding the importance of stable and loving personal relationships, respect, care, and the building of successful relationships with friendship groups and the wider community. Where RSE is given, pupils should be taught about the nature and significance of marriage and its importance for family life and bringing up children. Nevertheless, the Welsh Assembly recognises that there are strong and mutually supportive relationships outside of marriage. We live in a diverse society and pupils come from a variety of family backgrounds and that learners will come from a variety of backgrounds.
St. Illtyd’s Primary School actively participates in the Welsh Network of Healthy Schools Scheme (WNHSS). The WNHSS national quality award provides schools with a framework for the development of personal development and relationships. The Sexual Health and Wellbeing action plan for Wales 2010 - 2015 highlights the importance of school based RSE and the role that it plays in a child’s sexual health development and behaviour.
St. Illtyd’s Primary School’s RSE policy has clear links with other school policies including:
Behaviour policy
Anti-bullying policy
Child protection policy
Equal opportunities policy
Aims
At St. Illtyd’s Primary School we aim to develop RSE in the context of a broad and balanced curriculum
Management and Organisation of RSE
It is the head teacher’s and governing body’s responsibility to ensure that the RSE policy is up to date, monitored, consulted upon, effectively implemented and is widely disseminated throughout the whole school community.
The subject leader will be responsible for identifying any training needs of staff, resources, and keeping up to date with developments in the subject area by attending appropriate inset training. Any areas identified by the subject leader for development, must be acted upon by the head teacher and governing body.
RSE in the curriculum focuses on three broad strands:
Relationships and identity: helping learners develop the skills they need to develop healthy, safe, and fulfilling relationships with others and helping them to make sense of their thoughts and feelings.
Sexual health and well-being: helping learners to draw on factual sources regarding their sexual and reproductive health and well-being, allowing them to make informed decisions throughout their lives.
Empowerment, safety and respect: helping to protect learners from all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse and neglect and enabling them to recognise unsafe or harmful relationships and situations, supporting them to recognise when, how and where to seek support and advice
Working with parents/carers and the wider community
At St. Illtyd’s Primary School we will work with parents/carers to build positive and supporting relationships in the relation to the teaching of RSE. To promote this, we will:
Inform parents/carers about contents of the RSE policy, curriculum planning and resources via school newsletters, school prospectus
Consult with parents/carers about the content of the policy and involve them in the reviewing process
Discuss any issues that parents may have in relation to this policy or the delivery of RSE
Legislation
Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is a statutory requirement in the new
Curriculum for Wales framework and is mandatory for all learners.
The Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE): statutory guidance (2022) sets
out statutory guidance in relation to RSE and is published under section 71 of the
Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (the Act); it is designed to assist those
responsible under the Act to design RSE as part of the curriculum. The Curriculum
for Wales – Relationships and Sexuality Education code contains mandatory
requirements for RSE. It sets out the themes and matters that must be encompassed
for learners from 3 to 16 years old.
Guidance and confidentiality issues
Teachers cannot offer pupils unconditional confidentiality. On the rare occasions when a teacher is directly approached by a child, or suspects abuse, the school’s child protection procedures must be followed.
There will also be occasions when it would not be appropriate to answer a pupil’s question either individually, in a small group or class. Pupils will be encouraged to talk about any worries and concerns they have to parents/carers. The scope and range of the RSE programme will always be adhered to.
Monitoring and evaluation
The foundation phase/RSE/PSE curricula will be monitored and evaluated according to school policy. Scrutiny of planning, work samples and lesson observations will help to clarify needs such as resources, staff training, and the delivery of RSE through age-appropriate learning strategies. The subject/team leader will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of opportunities for the pupil’s personal and social development. The subject leader will also identify training needs for relevant staff and dissemination of best practice.
The effectiveness of this policy will be reviewed at the end of the next academic year, when the learning outcomes achieved can be properly evaluated. The effectiveness of the policy will be reported the Governing Body.
Persons Responsible: Mrs C Hughes
Signed: Mrs C Hughes, Mrs A Matthews
Link governor: Mrs K Jones
Date policy agreed: March 2025
Date of review: March 2027