Sex and Relationships Education is firmly rooted within the framework of Personal, Social and Health Education and is fully supported by the leadership team and governors. The broader remit for RSE requires a whole school approach complementing the school’s positive ethos and aims to empower all pupils regardless of sex, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, faith, ability or disability. The fostering of positive relationships, encouraging young people to be emotionally literate and engendering an atmosphere of mutual respect is the responsibility of all staff.
There is a named governor with responsibility for RSE issues. There is also a strong support network built into our whole school pastoral care approach, which enables pupils to access individual guidance, this includes Heads of Years, pastoral support staff, tutors and the school nurse.
Moral and Values Framework
RSE is taught within the following moral and values framework engendering:
- Self-respect
- Respect and tolerance towards others who may have different backgrounds, cultures, feelings, views and sexuality.
- An awareness of the way others feel
- Mutual support and cooperation
- Honesty and openness
- The acceptance of the responsibility for and the consequence of personal actions
- The right of people to hold their own views within the boundaries of respect for the rights of other
- The right not to be abused by or taken advantage of by other people
- The right to accurate information about relationship and sexuality issues
Aims
Our School aims to provide young people with:
- Relationship skills that prepare them for the challenges of the teenage years and into adulthood
- Opportunities to explore their own values and develop their own moral framework
- Opportunities to understand and accept difference and diversity
- An understanding of their own bodies
- The ability to know where to seek help and advice
- High self-esteem, self-awareness and emotional health
- An awareness of the right they have over their own body
- The skills to be assertive
- Good communication skills
- The skills to make positive informed choices (that reduce risk)
- The ability to respect the right of others to hold opinions that differ from their own as long as these views do not impact on the rights of others
- The ability to take responsibility for and accept the consequences of their own actions
- The knowledge to reduce the risks to their own and the health of others
- The ability to understand the risks to health and well-being associated with teenage conception
We aim to provide pupils with information on sexual health, and to promote discussion and thought into the different emotions and values involved in relationships. Through this we aim to enable pupils to develop skills and form positive beliefs, values and attitudes which will enable them to make the right choices for themselves when the time comes. Sex education (including education about HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections) will be provided for all registered pupils and 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. The school aims to deal honestly and sensitively with sexual orientation, gender identity, as well as answer appropriate questions and provide support. Homophobic bullying, as with any other type of bullying, will not be tolerated.
