What are the recommended aspects of RSE?
Primary schools are not required to teach sex education (which goes beyond the existing national curriculum for science). However it is recommended that primary schools have a sex education program in place. This would be age appropriate and consider the physical and emotional maturity of the children. The program we are using is the Medway Relationships and Sex Education that has been suggested by the PSHE Association which is recommended by Department for Education (DfE). . Please check our key documents page to view the content.
The DfE state that:
"Effective sex and relationship education is essential if young people are to make responsible and well informed decisions about their lives. It should not be delivered in isolation. It should be firmly rooted within the framework for PSHE and the National Curriculum... A successful programme, firmly embedded in PSHE, will help young people learn to respect themselves and others and move with confidence from childhood through adolescence into adulthood."
Below you will find a suggested overview of the sex education teaching in Year 2 and Year 6.
What would my child learn in sex education in year 2?
Everybody’s body
Pupils may have been using a variety of different words to name the male and female genitalia/sex parts, but this lesson directly teaches the correct terminology. It is important for younger pupils to know how to name their body parts correctly as this contributes to safeguarding—helping them
to take care of their bodies and keep themselves safe. This is built on later in key stage 2, when pupils learn about puberty and the changes when growing from children to adults. It is suggested that this lesson is taught within the context of other learning about similarities and differences (e.g.
growing and changing, people and animals). This lesson also begins to address the issue of gender stereotypes
What would my child learn in sex education in Year 6?
How babies are made
By year 6, it is likely that pupils will have some idea about how babies are made through sexual intercourse. Although it is possible they may have some misconceptions, very few pupils will still believe myths or make-believe stories. Having an understanding of what is meant by sex is an
important foundation for the RSE they will receive at secondary school. This lesson emphasises that having sexual intercourse or the decision to have a baby is something for when they are much older. It also emphasises the importance of consent in this context. The lesson enables pupils to reflect
on the values and responsibilities within healthy adult relationships and is therefore set clearly within RSE— as part of the wider PSHE education curriculum.
Can I withdraw my child from sex education?
You have the right to withdraw your child/children from sex education. This does not include the aspects that are covered in the science curriculum.
Here is an example of some of the resources we would use when teaching sex education
We use a range of resources when teaching our children. We tailor our resources to suit our children and their needs. When teaching sex education we may use scenarios, ordering and sequencing statements and pictures, fact statements and videos. Please see some examples below and feel free to contact Mr Sunter should you require any further information about resources.
Year 2
Year 6
Childen would use this resource to sequence how a baby is made.
