West Leigh Infant School

West Leigh

Infant School

Policy for Sex and Relationships Education

Agreed by staff: Spring 2017

Ratified by Governors: Spring 2017

Review Date: Spring 2019

Document Purpose

This policy reflects the values and philosophy of WestLeighInfant School in relation to the teaching and learning of Sex and Relationships Education. It provides a framework within which all staff, both teaching and non-teaching, work and it gives guidance on planning, teaching and assessment.

At West Leigh Infant School Sex and Relationships Education means that the children are helped to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens.

Context

According to the 2000 DFE guidance, Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) is:

‘…lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development. It is about the understanding of the importance of marriage for family life, stable and loving relationships, respect, love and care. It is also about the teaching of sex, sexuality and sexual health.

It is not about the promotion of sexual orientation or sexual activity’

Under the 1993 Education Act, Governors of maintained primary schools in England and Wales must ensure that where SRE is taught, it is supported by an SRE policy. The 2000 DFE guidance also states that ‘all primary schools have a sex and relationship education programme tailored to the age and the physical and emotional maturity of the children.’

Research evaluations have found that good quality SRE can lead to positive health and behavioural outcomes. SRE that begins at a young age and builds to meet the needs of pupils as they grow older can positively contribute to fulfilling relationships and positive experiences later in life.

National Guidelines

This policy has been produced in response to:

_ DFE Guidance July 2000

Aims

Sex and Relationships Education contributes to building the foundations of PSHE and Citizenship by ensuring that all children:

  • Develop confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings, wants, needs and desires.
  • Are able to form and keep healthy relationships.
  • Are able to name parts of their body and describe how their bodies work.
  • Can protect themselves and ask for support.

Sex and Relationships Education will:

  • Provide information which is easy to understand and relevant and appropriate to the age and maturity of the children.
  • Include the development of communication and social skills.
  • Encourage the exploration and clarification of values and development of positive attitudes.

Inclusion

See whole school equal opportunities policy

Links to other Policies

Because of the nature of SRE there are several policies and initiatives that impact upon the curriculum content. These include Policies

  • PSHE & Citizenship
  • Science
  • Drug Education
  • Child Protection
  • Anti Bullying
  • Equalities
  • Confidentiality
  • RE

Legal Requirements

The object of Sex and Relationships Education is to help and support young people through their physical, emotional, social and moral development.

At West Leigh Infant School Sex and Relationships Education is firmly rooted within the NC framework. It will be taught in the context of healthyrelationships. In addition it will promote children’s self-esteem and emotional well being and help them to form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationships, based on respect for themselves and for others, at home, school, work and in the community.

The requirements for children at Key Stage 1 are set out within:

a) The Primary National Science Curriculum – Key Stage 1. – notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults.

b)The four stands of the PSHE & Citizenship framework.

  • Personal development
  • Health and Safety
  • Relationships
  • Active Citizens

The requirements for children at EYFS :

Children learn about the concept of male and female and about young animals. In ongoing PSHE work, they develop skills to form friendships and think about relationships with others.

The Taught Curriculum

The aim of the taught Sex and Relationships Education Curriculum is to support the children in our care. Our Sex and Relationships Curriculum will be delivered in the following ways.

  • Through classroom investigation, it will take account of the children’s current level of understanding.
  • As part of a spiral programme of personal, social, moral and health education it will build on concepts that the children already know and understand. It will link with work on relationships, communication skills and safety. (Positive Behaviours )
  • By following the published ‘Yasmin and Tom’ Programme (adopted by SBC) to deliver our Sex and Relationships Education.
  • By using language appropriate to their ages and readiness.
  • By focusing on the relevant needs of the young people.
  • By offering accurate information.
  • By ensuring that all children gain access to, and benefit from, the programme of work.

In order for children in our school to be ‘sex and relationships’ educated by the end of KS1: / They need to know and understand / they need to be able to

Key Stage 1

/
  • That animals including humans grow and reproduce.
  • That humans and animals can produce offspring and these grow into adults.
  • The basic rules for keeping themselves safe and healthy.
  • About safe places to play and safe people to be with.
  • The needs of babies and young people.
  • Ways in which they are like and different from others.
  • The names of the main external parts of the human body.
  • Why families are special for caring and sharing.
/
  • Recognise and compare the main external parts of the bodies of humans.
  • Recognise similarities and differences between themselves and others and treat others with sensitivity.
  • Identify and share their feelings with others.
  • Recognise safe and unsafe situations.
  • Identify and be able to talk with someone they trust.
  • Be aware that their feelings and actions have an impact on others.
  • Make a friend, talk with them and share feelings.
  • Use simple rules for dealing with strangers and for resisting pressure when they feel uncomfortable.

Planning

Sex and Relationships Education is taught through the following curriculum contexts:

  • Designated PSHE time
  • Circle Time
  • The Primary National Curriculum
  • EYFS Curriculum.

The Foundation Stage classes follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Sex and Relationships Education is related to the objectives in the Early Learning Goals. It matches the aims of developing a child’s personal, emotional and social development and the development of a child’s knowledge and understanding of the world.

Class Organisation and Teaching Style

A range of class organisation, teaching and learning styles are used to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. There is and emphasis on active learning by including the children in discussions, investigations and problem-solving activities. The children are actively encouraged to participate in a range of activities.

Use of Visitors

The school nurse and Health Visitors may be invited in to help with the deliveryof discussions and activities under the direction of the class teacher.

Differentiation

We are aware that the children attending WLIS will have had different experiences via their family, friends and pre-school contact. For some of our children their prior SRE knowledge may be very limited. Whilst ensuring that all children are given the opportunity to experience the minimum requirements of SRE for their age group, opportunities for differentiation will arise through questioning, group work and open-ended tasks. Sensitivity is demonstrated by staff to the range of experiences, prior knowledge and sometimes the commonly used language or informal words used by our children in their homes and elsewhere e.g. for some body parts. Wherever possible staff ensure that any sexual precociousness or knowledge deemed inappropriate for all children in that age group, is contained and not shared with the whole class by saying “we can talk about that later.”

Safeguarding

WLIS is committed to safeguarding all of its pupils. We believe that knowledge can be a powerful tool whereby, in the case of SRE, could provide the language, dispositions and skills to support and protect children. In some circumstances SRE teaching and learning may give a child the confidence to disclose abuse.

Confidentiality

Please see Confidentiality Policy. While every effort is made to enable constructive dialogue to take place between a child requiring support and WLIS staff, no staff member can agree to offer complete confidentiality. All staff and volunteers who workat WLIS are governed by child protection procedures.

Disclosure

Staff treat any unexpected comments from the children with care and sensitivity and discuss a disclosure immediately with the DCPO. The staff and governors are aware that Sex Education may be a trigger for child protection disclosure. (See Child Protection and Confidentiality Policies for protocol for supporting children who make a disclosure.)

Dealing with Issues that might be Sensitive

We will try not to present any stereotypical or narrow view of what a family is or should be when teaching SRE. We will try to present a broad range of examples of healthy relationships. The staff will keep their own beliefs and opinions aside. Staff are aware of the children's individual situations and sensitive to them, for example, open a statement with "the people in your home". We will not present stereotypical views of a family when teaching SRE.

Any questions or comments will be heard and valued, the children will then be told the teacher needs to have time to think about the question and respond at a later named date. Staff should then discuss with a member of SMT or headteacher and respond accordingly.

Training

All staff are offered training in Safeguarding and Child Protection. The PSHE

Coordinator attends local network meetings and shares good practice with all members of staff.

Assessment

Teachers assess the children’s work in Sex and Relationships Education by making informal judgements as they observe them during lessons. There are clear expectations of what the pupils know, understand and will be able to do at the end of Key Stage 1.

Resources

A variety of resources are available in school. The PSHE Co-ordinator is responsible for maintaining resources and monitoring their use. New resources are purchased from the budget each year.

Working with Parents

Our school seeks to work in partnership with parents to provide effective SRE.Parents need to know that the school’s SRE programme will complement and support their role as parents and that they can be actively involved in the determination of the school’s policy.

West Leigh is committed to working with parents. Under the Education Act 1993 pupils can be withdrawn by their parents from that part of sex education that is outside the compulsory elements of sex education contained in the science National Curriculum. Parents wanting to exercise this right are invited to see the Headteacher.

Review and Evaluation

This policy will be subject to regular review in consultation with all staff, governors and parents on a biennial basis.

Sex and Relationships Policy Spring 2017 2 yearly