Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education
Intent
At St. John’s, personal, social and health education is an embedded part of our broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is at the heart of our school vision. Our aim is to support our children to become healthy, successful, responsible and productive members of society, as well as preparing them for life and work in modern Britain. We want to provide our children with opportunities for them to learn about rights and responsibilities and appreciate what it means to be a member of a diverse society.
Today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. We need our children to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way. Mental wellbeing and children’s happiness is a priority for us. We want to give children the knowledge and capability to take care of themselves and know how to receive support if problems arise. Pupils need the ability to believe that they can achieve goals, both academic and personal; to stick to tasks to achieve those goals; and recover from knocks and challenging periods in their lives.
Implementation
RSE and Health Education at St. John’s will be delivered through the ‘One Life’ scheme of work, which covers three key areas: physical fitness, social fitness and mental fitness.
RSE and Health Education will be taught through weekly lessons and a whole school morning routine. We will cover all aspects of the DFE Statutory guidance categories for Relationships Education and Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing Education for Primary Education. These are as follows:
DFE statutory guidance categories for Relationships Education (Primary Education):
- Families and people who care for me
- Caring friendships
- Respectful relationships
- Online relationships
- Being safe
DFE Statutory guidance categories for Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing (Primary Education):
- Mental wellbeing
- Internet Safety and Harms
- Physical health and fitness
- Healthy eating
- Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- Health and prevention
- Basic first aid
- Changing adolescent body
Throughout the year lessons will incorporate the key areas from the statutory requirements through the following six areas: Me and my Relationships, Valuing Difference, Keeping Myself Safe, Rights and Responsibilities, Being my Best and Growing and Changing.
All aspects of RSE/Health Education will be taught at an age appropriate level in a sensitive way. Parents have been informed of what their child will be taught, when it will be taught and how it will be taught. A Relationships and Health Education Policy was written in July 2020 to outline actions and guidance for the subject.
Impact
By teaching RSE and Health Education through One Life, we will equip our children with positive behaviour, promote positive mental health, wellbeing, resilience and achievement, and will meet the Relationships and Health Education statutory requirements (2020).
There is now a proven link between pupils' health and wellbeing, and their academic progress. Crucial skills and positive attitudes developed through comprehensive Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) at St. John’s will be critical to ensuring our children are effective learners. We recognise how important these skills and attitudes are in unlocking pupils' potential, helping to raise achievement and closing the gap in educational attainment.
One Life provides a whole-school approach to building these essential foundations – crucial for children to achieve their best, academically and socially.