Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up, relationships, sex, sexuality and sexual health. It should support pupils to gain accurate information, develop skills and form positive beliefs, values and attitudes. It also gives pupils essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful, loving and non-exploitative friendships and relationships, staying safe both on and offline. This enables them to take responsibility for their body, relationships, reproduction, sexual health and wellbeing. (NYCC)

Intent

As part of the Jigsaw PSHE (Personal, Social, Health Education) programme, the units of work aim to give children their entitlement to information about relationships, puberty and human reproduction, appropriate to their ages and stages of development.

The 4 main aims are:

To enable young people to understand and respect their bodies, and be able to cope with the changes puberty brings, without fear or confusion.
To help young people develop positive and healthy relationships appropriate to their age, development etc. (respect for self and others).
To support young people to have positive self-esteem and body image, and to understand the influences and pressures around them.
To empower them to be safe and safeguarded.

This work is created in a matter-of-fact and sensitive manner to allay embarrassment and fear and helps children to cope with change, including puberty, and to learn about families, friendships and healthy relationships.

Implementation

The Jigsaw programme is a spiral and progressive planned scheme and consists of six half-term units of work (Puzzles). Lessons are adapted due to the needs of the children in the class, as well as supplemented with additional elements from the PSHE association.

The Relationships and Changing Me puzzles are taught in the Summer term and some of the key aspects covered in the course of Key Stages 1 and 2 are:

Life cycles
How babies are made
My changing body
Puberty
Growing from young to old
Becoming a teenager
Assertiveness and self-respect
Friendship and family life
Safeguarding
Family stereotypes
Self and body image
Attraction
Relationship skills e.g. conflict resolution
Accepting change
Looking ahead
Moving/transition to secondary school

Impact

By the time our children leave our school, they will have learnt about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up, relationships, sex, human sexuality and sexual health. They will be equipped with the information, skills and values to have safe, fulfilling and enjoyable relationships and to take responsibility for their sexual health and well-being. They will have developed the confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings and relationships and be able to protect themselves, ask for support, and be prepared for puberty.