PSHE and RSE
At Ashleigh we are committed to promoting the health, well-being and safety of our children. We aim to do this through our RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) and PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) programme. We believe RSE and PSHE are crucial in equipping children with the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their health, relationships, and responsibilities, preparing them for life both now and in the future.
In primary schools, Relationships Education and Health Education are statutory parts of RSE & PSHE. Sex education is not statutory at primary level, though many schools opt to teach an optional Year 6 unit to prepare pupils for secondary school with accurate information. Schools using Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE scheme can decide whether to teach the optional Year 6 Sex education unit (covering conception, pregnancy and birth). At Ashleigh we believe Sex Education should be taught as part of our RSE curriculum. The DfE suggests that the transition phase before moving to secondary school supports pupils’ ongoing emotional and physical development effectively. The DfE recommends that all primary schools should have a Sex Education programme tailored to the age and physical and emotional maturity of the pupils. It states that both boys and girls should be prepared for the changes that adolescence brings and – drawing on knowledge of the human life cycle set out in the national curriculum for Science – how a baby is conceived and born.
Parents may request to withdraw their child from the optional, non-statutory Year 6 Sex education unit within Kapow Primary’s RSE & PSHE scheme. Where a child is withdrawn from the optional unit, school will provide suitable alternative education. Kapow Primary offers an optional Year 6 First Aid unit to support this.
Parents do not have the right to withdraw their child from the following statutory components:
- Relationships education.
- Health education.
- Science lessons, including learning about puberty or human reproduction taught through Science.
- Any other PSHE content the school has chosen to include, such as citizenship or financial literacy.
The right to withdraw forms are on the school website and should be filled in in advance of the non-statutory sex education lessons being taught. This letter should be emailed or handed in to the office. The RSE/PSHE lead and a member of senior staff will explore your concerns and discuss these with you. All children whose parents do not complete the right to withdraw documents will attend the non-statutory sessions.
We believe it is important to keep parents and carers informed about what is being taught within our RSE and PSHE curriculum. We understand that it is common for parents and carers to have questions or concerns about RSE and PSHE, including how and when sensitive topics are taught. Our scheme provider, Kapow, provides a parent information page with a section dedicated to frequently asked questions and common queries.
Some topics in RSE & PSHE may feel sensitive for children or families. These can include learning about friendships and conflict, feelings and mental wellbeing, personal boundaries, growing up and puberty, online safety and, for older children, reproduction. In some cases, topics may also feel sensitive for individual children due to personal experiences. Kapow Primary lesson plans highlight potential sensitivities in advance and provide teachers with guidance on how to introduce topics carefully, what language to use and how to respond if children find learning difficult.
For example, learning about:
- Families may be difficult for a child who has experienced bereavement or a family change.
- Healthy eating may feel challenging for a child who struggles with their relationship with food or their body.
- Emotions and behaviour may be sensitive for children who find managing feelings or behaviour difficult.
Teachers are guided to be mindful of these possibilities and to create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment. Sensitive topics are explored through stories, scenarios and fictional characters, rather than focusing on children’ own lives. These characters represent a wide range of backgrounds, family set-ups and personal experiences. By revisiting the same characters over time, children become familiar with their situations. This allows sensitive issues to be explored at a safe distance, while still recognising aspects of themselves or others within the characters. This approach supports the development of empathy, kindness and understanding, without placing pressure on children to share personal information. Clear ground rules are used in RSE & PSHE lessons to ensure discussions are respectful and supportive. Children are reminded to listen to others, use appropriate language and understand that different families, experiences and views exist. Children are never required to share personal details; participation is always optional. This approach helps create a safe classroom environment where children can learn, share ideas and ask questions with confidence.
Should you have any further questions please contact the school office at [email protected]