Rationale for Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education

Our pupils are growing up in an increasingly complex world: Advances in technology, whilst presenting many positive and exciting opportunities, pose considerable challenges and risks. Growing up in a diverse community also means that every pupil needs to learn how to show respect and care for every member of the school community regardless of beliefs, background, gender identity or culture. We support pupils to reflect and think about the way values, Rights of the Child (UNCRC), beliefs, attitudes and behaviours affect people’s lives including theirs, that of the community and the wider world.

Everyone faces difficult situations in their lives, and growing up can be hard. At Southmead we want our pupils to develop their resilience, so that they know how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way; we want our pupils to develop knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their well-being and know where to access support when they need it. Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education is lifelong learning and we teach it so that our pupils grow up to become happy, healthy, responsible, safe and successful adults of the future. 

At Southmead we believe children should be provided with a Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education, which will enable all children to:

•  Develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour
• Have the confidence and self-esteem to value themselves and others
• Communicate effectively, and safely when online
• Use age appropriate vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies
• Neither exploit or be exploited
• Use necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to make informed, sensitive decisions in relationships to their own and others’ developing sexuality
• Clarify misconceptions
• Develop resilience
• Ask for help
• Develop an understanding of the law and what the law allows and does not allow, and the wider legal implications of decisions they make

For a copy of our Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education Policy – please click HERE

The Lead member of staff for Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education at Southmead Primary School is Shannon Keates.