Co-op Academy Walkden

Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Policy

Approved by:                [Governing Council]

Approved in:                [November 2023 - pending approval]

Review by:                [November 2024]

Person responsible for implementation & monitoring: Mathew Hemmings

Links to other relevant policies:- 

Personal Social SMSC Safeguarding and Education Health

Drugs Education,

Child Protection,

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities,

Equal Opportunities,

Behaviour,

Online & media

Introduction

As a secondary academy school we must provide ‘Relationships education, relationships and sex education’ (RSE) to all pupils as per section 34 of the Children and Social work act 2017.

In teaching RSE, we are required by our funding agreements to have regard to guidance issued by the secretary of state as outlined in section 403 of the Education Act 1996.

At Co-op Academy Walkden we teach RSE as set out in this policy.

Description of the School

Co-op Academy Walkden serves the community of Worsley, South Walkden and Boothstown. The capacity of the school is 1500 children aged between 11 and 16, and they are from a range of backgrounds.

Basic information 

This policy covers our academy’s approach to Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). RSE is taught as part of the planned Personal Development curriculum programme. This programme allows students to access one hour a week of statutory RSE in Years 7-11.

Wider PSHE, focusing on strands of study focused on student health and wellbeing are embedded into PE lessons and are accessed through a discreet team once a fortnight.

This policy was produced by M Hemmings and K Walker through consultation with staff, pupils and governors. Parents and carers will be informed about the policy when updated and it will be available to parents and carers online.

Aims and objectives of RSE

Our academy’s overarching aims and objectives for our pupils are to develop them as individuals, each valued in their own right, promoting a positive self-image for each pupil .

• To help pupils care about other people, to be capable of forming constructive healthy relationships and to accept responsibility for the welfare of others.
• To help pupils to understand that there are morally, ethically and legally acceptable forms of behaviour.
• To deliver factual information relating to safer sex, healthy relationships and contraception advice for life.

Rationale 

Relationships education, relationships and sex education is a statutory aspect of school life and is paramount in the development of young people’s lives. The programme has been developed to address the needs, concerns and anxieties that are brought about by the onset of puberty. It seeks to provide a clear understanding for pupils within a positive and caring environment. It is positive in promoting responsibility for pupils' own behaviour and the consequences of their actions.

It is important to address this area of the curriculum from Year 7 through to Year 11 in order to protect our young people by increasing their awareness of RSE issues. Through the PSHE programme, pupils will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of RSE so they can go on to make informed and positive choices in the future. All pupils have a right to RSE as it promotes healthy relationships and also enables pupils to protect themselves from abuse, unhealthy relationships, unintended pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), female genital mutilation (FGM) and child sexual exploitation (CSE).

Co-op Academy Walkden will ensure the best interests of pupils and young people to be maintained during RSE lessons and will encourage pupils and young people to talk to their parents, carers or a trusted adult about any issues they discuss.

RSE topics that will be covered during PSHE lessons:                                                 While promoting the aims and objectives above, we will ensure that pupils are offered a balanced programme. Pupils will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of their own physical development across the curriculum throughout each year and to look at the different emotional and physical changes that happen during adolescence.  

The RSE programme covers the following topics across the year groups:

Teaching RSE: Roles and Responsibilities

The Governing Board

The Governing Board will approve the RSE policy, and hold the Principal to account for its implementation.

The Principal

The Principal is responsible for ensuring that RSE is taught consistently across the academy, and for managing requests to withdraw pupils from any non-statutory components of RSE (see section 8).

Staff

Staff are responsible for:

• Delivering RSE in a sensitive way
• Modeling positive attitudes to RSE
• Monitoring progress
• Responding to the needs of individual pupils
• Responding appropriately to pupils whose parents wish them to be withdrawn from the non-statutory components of sex education.

Staff do not have the right to opt out of teaching RSE. Staff who have concerns about teaching RSE are encouraged to discuss this with the Assistant Principal: Personal Development.

Pupils

Pupils are expected to engage fully in RSE and, when discussing issues related to RSE, treat others with respect and sensitivity

Delivery

The academy seeks to provide a safe, secure learning environment for RSE that enables pupils and young people to gain accurate knowledge, develop their own values and attitudes, and develop skills to grow into happy confident successful adults. However, PSHE lessons may not be the only place where RSE topics are covered throughout the curriculum. The academy seeks to ensure members of staff are good role models for positive healthy relationships. All staff must be aware that they are allowed to promote discussion regarding healthy relationships and safer sexual practice however, they must not offer one to one counselling regarding contraception or sexual activity.

Pupils will need to feel secure and valued. In order to support this, group agreements are negotiated with and established during the initial lesson. KS3 pupils will be taught inconsistent groups by teachers from a discrete subject area, whereas at KS4 pupils will be taught in PD groups with their PD tutors . The teaching style will support the needs of the pupils taking into consideration school, home life and friends. This will allow the teacher to provide understanding and support for its pupils. Due to the sensitive nature of the issues discussed pupils will be given an opportunity to leave the room if they need to.

Teaching will take into account the ability, age, readiness, and cultural backgrounds of our young people and those with English as a second language to ensure that all can fully access the RSE provision. Where agreed (with the SENDCO) pupils with special educational needs will be supported with careful use of language, working in small groups in a supportive environment.

The academy will support members of staff delivering RSE to access appropriate continued professional development (CPD) delivered by Brook and Salford health services.

Support and Safeguarding

The academy recognises the importance for pupils, young people, families and the workforce of having access to confidential services, including health services to support their physical and emotional needs. Disclosures may occur as part of RSE lessons and staff must follow the school’s safeguarding policy; if staff have any reason to believe a pupil is at risk, they are required to report this to the Designated Safeguarding Officer. At the same time pupils will be offered sensitive and appropriate support.

Parents’ right to withdrawal from RSE

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from some aspects of sex education within statutory RSE. Parents do not have the right to withdraw their children from accessing statutory relationship education.

How will we support pupils withdrawn from RSE? 

If a parent requests that their son or daughter be removed from the ‘sex and relationships education’ (SE), the academy will provide support by ensuring they have an alternative healthy relationships activity to be completed in an alternative location during the PSHE lesson. If a child is withdrawn from SE lessons the staff would be unable to prevent the pupil from asking their peers what they had learnt in the lesson. Changes to the legislation mean that pupils who are approaching 16 (three terms before their 16th birthday) have the right to ‘opt in’ to sex education despite withdrawal from their parents.

Monitoring and Evaluation 

The delivery of RSE is monitored by the PSHE/RSE lead through:

• Lesson observations
• Learning walks
• Student voice

Pupils’ development in RSE is monitored by class teachers as part of our internal assessment systems.

This policy will be reviewed by the Assistant Principal (Personal Development). At every review, the policy will be approved by LGB.

Training

Staff have access to and are offered training on the delivery of RSE as part of their professional development and it is included in our CPD programme.

The PSHE/RSE lead will also invite visitors from outside the academy, such as school nurses or sexual health professionals, to provide support in the delivery of RSE lessons.

Dissemination of the policy 

This policy and the programme of learning are available on the school website and on request to parents, carers, Local Authority (LA) and OFSTED.