Parent Consultation - Relationships, Sex and Health Education at St Luke's
This consultation begins on Monday 17th May 2021 and will close Friday 4th June 2021
Link to Survey: Relationships, Sex and Health Education at St Luke's - Parent Consultation Survey (surveymonkey.co.uk)
Dear Parents/Carers,
As a part of your child’s educational at experience St Luke’s Primary School, we aim to promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive taught programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education that gives children and young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthy, safe, productive and fulfilled lives, both now and in the future.
As you may already be aware, the Department for Education has announced changes to relationships and sex education following nationwide consultation. Due to COVID-19, schools have been able to delay this until Summer 2021. The statutory guidance can be found at:
The new guidance focuses on healthy relationships and keeping children safe in the modern world. It also covers a wide range of topics relating to physical and mental health, wellbeing, safeguarding and healthy relationships. The majority of these topics are already embedded within our school curriculum.
Learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up will give children and young people the information, skills and positive values to have safe, fulfilling relationships and help them take responsibility for their own well-being.
Consequently, from Summer 2021, Relationships, along with Health Education, will be statutory, and form part of the National Curriculum. For Secondary schools Sex Education will also become statutory. However, the DfE continue to recommend that all primary schools should have a Sex Education programme tailored to the age and the physical and emotional maturity of the pupils. Where schools provide Sex Education, parents will have the right to withdraw their child from Sex Education but not from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education or what is taught in the National Curriculum for Science.
This means that we have been reviewing our RSHE (Relationship, Sex and Health Education) curriculum and policy so we can be sure our RSHE provision is appropriate for our pupils based on their:
- Age
- Physical and emotional maturity
- Religious and cultural backgrounds
- Special educational needs and disabilities
Whilst I am sure that there will be differences of opinion about this, we hope that consulting with you will help to inform our schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered, enabling us to reach a general consensus. Consequently, as part of our curriculum review we would appreciate your views on our draft policy for Relationships, Sex and Health Education. What is taught, and how, is ultimately a decision for the school and consultation does not provide a parental veto on curriculum content as schools are legally required to teach the National Curriculum. The right to withdraw children from some lessons is explained within the policy, which is on our website.
As a school community, we are currently in unprecedented times which makes it a little more challenging to consult with you. To help you understand the curriculum requirements, I have placed information on our website which I would encourage you to read. This includes:
- Our proposed draft Policy for Relationships, Sex and Health Education.
- A summary of what all pupils are expected to know by the end of primary school.
- A curriculum map of where and when we propose to teach certain topics.
- A link guidance that outlines statutory requirements.
Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) - A link to some frequently asked questions:
Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education: FAQs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) - A link to an anonymous Consultation Questionnaire:
Relationships, Sex and Health Education at St Luke's - Parent Consultation Survey (surveymonkey.co.uk)
Consultation Questions (on the questionnaire) Link to Survey: Relationships, Sex and Health Education at St Luke's - Parent Consultation Survey (surveymonkey.co.uk)
- Would you like support at home, on how to speak to your child about Relationships, Sex and Health Education?
- Are there any changes or additions that you think should be made to the draft RSHE Policy?
- Are there any changes or additions that you think should be made to the RSHE curriculum outline?
- Thinking about Relationships, Sex and Health education, what do you believe is the most important subject area that should be taught for different age groups/key stages and why?
- Thinking about our proposals for RSHE, do you have any other comments to make?
Your views are very important to us and we will respond to you on the outcome of this survey. Once we have considered all the feedback, the finalised RSHE Policy will be uploaded to the school website.
I hope this letter and the information on the school website goes some way to answer any questions you may have. If you have any queries or concerns regarding the consultation process, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Heather Beechey
PSHE Curriculum Subject Lead