Policy Name:
|
SEX & RELATIONSHIP EDUCTION POLICY (DRAFT)
|
|
Policy Type
|
Statutory
|
Issue Date
|
09 March 2020
|
To Be Reviewed
|
Biennially – 09 March 2022
|
Approved by Governing Body
|
Staffing and Learning Committee
|
1. Definition of Sex and Relationship Education
Sex and Relationship Education is lifelong learning about physical, sexual, moral and emotional development. It is about the understanding of the importance of stable and loving relationships, respect, love, care and family life. It involves acquiring information, developing skills and forming positive beliefs, values and attitudes.
2. Principles and Values
Southfield School believes that Sex and Relationship Education should:
- Be an integral part of the lifelong learning process, beginning in early childhood and continue into adult life.
- Be an entitlement for all young people.
- Encourage every student to contribute to our community and aims to support each individual as they grow and learn.
- Be set within this wider school context and supports family commitment and love, respect and affection, knowledge and openness. Family is a broad concept; not just one model, e.g. the nuclear family. It includes a variety of types of family structure and acceptance of different approaches.
- Encourage students and teachers to share and respect each other’s views. We are aware of different approaches to sexual orientation: the important values are love, respect and care for each other.
- Generate an atmosphere where questions and discussion on sexual matters can take place without any stigma or embarrassment.
- Recognise that parents and carers are the key people in teaching their children about sex, relationships and growing up. We aim to work in partnership with parents/carers and students.
- Recognise that the wider community has much to offer and we aim to work in partnership with health professionals and other external organisations.
3. Sex and Relationship Education in Southfield School has three main elements:
Attitudes and Values
- learning the importance of values, individual conscience and moral choices;
- learning the value of family life, stable and loving relationships, and marriage;
- learning about the nurture of children;
- learning the value of respect, love and care;
- exploring, considering and understanding moral dilemmas;
- developing critical thinking as part of decision-making;
- challenging myths, misconceptions and false assumptions about normal behaviour.
Personal and Social Skills
- learning to manage emotions and relationships confidently and sensitively;
- developing self-respect and empathy for others;
- learning to make choices with an absence of prejudice;
- developing an appreciation of the consequences of choices made;
- managing conflict;
- empowering students with the skills to be able to avoid inappropriate pressures or advances (both as exploited or exploiter).
Knowledge and Understanding
- learning and understanding physical development at appropriate stages;
- understanding human sexuality, reproduction, sexual health, emotions and relationships;
- learning about contraception and the range of local and national sexual health advice, contraception and support services;
- learning the reasons for delaying sexual activity, and the benefits to be gained from such delay;
- the avoidance of unplanned pregnancy.
4. Aims
The aim of Sex and Relationship Education is to provide balanced factual information about human reproduction, together with consideration of the broader emotional, ethical, religious, and moral dimensions of sexual health. Our programme aims to prepare students for an adult life in which they can:
- 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 and have respect for individual conscience and the skills to judge what kind of relationship they want;
- understand the consequences of their actions and behave responsibly within sexual and pastoral relationships;
- avoid being exploited or exploiting others or being pressured into unwanted or unprotected sex;
- communicate effectively by developing appropriate terminology for sex and relationship issues;
- develop an awareness of their sexuality and understand human sexuality;
- challenge sexism and prejudice, and promote equality and diversity;
- understand the arguments for delaying sexual activity;
- understand the reasons for having protected sex;
- have sufficient information and skills to protect themselves and, where they have one, their partner from uninvited/unwanted conceptions and sexually transmitted infections;
- be aware of sources of help and acquire the skills and confidence to access confidential health advice, support and treatment if necessary;
- know how the law applies to sexual relationships.
5. Organisation and Content of Sex and Relationship Education
Southfield School specifically delivers Sex and Relationship Education through its RS and Science lessons and its PSHEC (Personal, Social, Health, Economic and Careers Education (PSHEC) Programme).
Much of the Sex and Relationship Education takes place as part of our PSHEC programme and focuses on the emotional aspects of development and relationships, as well as learning about how students can keep themselves safe and manage risk.
The science curriculum is delivered by staff in the science department. These lessons are more concerned with the physical aspects of development and reproduction, although the importance of relationships is not forgotten.
In RS students learn about the views of different religion to sex and relationships as well as exploring differing attitudes to sex and relationship issues.
Any Sex and Relationship Education lesson may consider questions or issues that some students will find sensitive. Before embarking on these lessons, ground rules are established which prohibit inappropriate personal information being requested or disclosed by those taking part in the lesson.
When students ask questions, we aim to answer them honestly, within the ground rules established at the start of the sessions. When it is felt that answering a specific question would involve information at a level inappropriate to the development of the rest of the students, the question may be dealt with individually at another time.
6. Inclusion
- Ethnic and Cultural Groups
We intend our policy to be sensitive to the needs of different ethnic groups. We will respond to parental/carer requests and concerns.
- Students with Special Needs
We will ensure that all young people receive sex and relationship education, and we will offer provision appropriate to the particular needs of all our students, taking specialist advice where necessary.
- Sexual Identity and Sexual Orientation
We aim to deal sensitively and honesty with issues of sexual orientation, answer appropriate question and offer support. Young people, whatever their developing sexuality, need to feel that sex and relationship education is relevant to them.
7. Right of Withdrawal of Students from Sex and Relationship Education
Some parents/carers prefer to take the responsibility for aspects of this element of their children’s education. They cannot withdraw their child from the Relationships Education element of Relationships and Sex Education because it is important that all children receive this content; topics such as friendships and how to stay safe.
If parents/carers do not want their child to take part in some or all of the Sex Education lessons delivered at secondary level, they can request that they are withdrawn. The head teacher will consider this request, discuss it with them and will grant permission in all but exceptional circumstances, up until three school terms before the child turns 16. At this age, children can choose to receive Sex Education, if they would like to, and the school should arrange for the child to receive this teaching in one of those three terms (unless there are exceptional circumstances). Parents/carers are encouraged to discuss their decisions with staff at the earliest opportunity. Parents/carers are welcome to review any resources the school uses.
- School Nurse
The school works in partnership with the School Nursing Team of the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust (NHFT). The local School Nursing Team provides a weekly confidential drop-in service on site for students seeking advice relating to all aspects of health, which may cover aspects of health related to sexual activity.
Health professionals are bound by their codes of conduct in a one to one situation with an individual student. However, should there be child protection issues suspected; the school nurse must follow the County`s Safeguarding Procedures which includes sharing this information with the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), (Mr Simon Clark) and is in line with the school’s safeguarding policy.
- Confidentiality
A teacher approached by an individual student for specific advice on contraception or other aspects of sexual behaviour will, wherever possible, encourage the student to seek advice from their parents/carers and, if appropriate, from the relevant health service professional (e.g. the student’s GP or the school nurse).
Where circumstances are such as to lead the teacher to believe that the student has embarked upon or is contemplating a course of conduct which is likely to place them at moral or physical risk or in breach of the law, the teacher must ensure that the student is aware of the implications and is urged to seek advice as above.
In such circumstances the teacher must inform the DSL, who will arrange for the student to be counselled, where appropriate, and, where the student is underage, for appropriate Safeguarding Services and/or the parents or carers to be made aware of the situation.