THE HEATH A STEM CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL

SRE Policy

F26.1

School Mission Statement:
A college for the 21st Century.
A centre of excellence where everyone has aspirations to learn, progress and achieve.
A co-operative, innovative, dynamic community with a clear sense of purpose and pride in promoting personalised learning for all.

Introductory Statement

The school’s Policy on Sex and Relationship Education follows the framework of the LA’s Policy – this states that Sex and Relationship Education is much more than the teaching of biological facts. It is about relating to other people and respecting the rights and feelings of others regardless of sexuality, disability, ethnicity or faith. It is also about protecting oneself from abuse and exploitation through the identification of ‘risky’ behaviours. It prepares young people to cope with the physical and emotional challenges of growing up. It imparts knowledge, develops personal skills and challenges attitudes allowing young people to manage their relationships in a responsible and healthy manner. It should be embedded within a Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) programme.

Defining Sex and Relationship Education:

It 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 – this would be inappropriate teaching.

DfES Sex and Relationship Education Guidance 2000

Broad Guidelines

The school will:

  • Seek to develop a Policy, which responds to the needs of its young people as well as to the understanding and expectation of its wider community.
  • At all times respond to the legal obligations of the Governing Body.
  • Seek ways in which to help parents to develop their own understanding and awareness of the issues.
  • Provide training and support for staff
  • Establish links with external agencies
  • Ensure that the Policy complements other relevant school policies

THE HEATH A STEM CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL

SRE Policy

Guidance to Inform the Policy

This Policy has been written and informed by the following documentation:

  • DfES Sex and Relationship Education Guidance 2000
  • The revised National Curriculum 2000 for Science
  • The PSHE and Citizenship Framework 2000
  • The Halton Healthy School Standard 2002
  • The Social Exclusion report on Teenage Pregnancy 1999
  • DfES Social Inclusion: Student Support 10/99 and 11/99

Aims

The school sex and relationship programme encourages students to have regard to moral considerations and the value of family life. Our Sex and Relationship Education Programme will present the facts in an objective, balanced and sensitive manner, set within a clear framework of values and an awareness of the law on sexual behaviour.

The school supports the aims of DfES guidance for Sex and Relationship Education:

We aim to prepare young people 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 respect for individual conscience and the skills to judge what kind of relationships they want
  • Understand the consequences of their actions and behave responsibly within sexual and personal relationships,
  • Identify risks and understand situations which increase their vulnerability,
  • Understand the arguments for delaying sexual activity;
  • Understand the reasons for having protected sex;
  • Understand human sexuality;
  • Avoid being exploited or exploiting others;
  • Avoid being pressured into unwanted or unprotected sex;
  • Communicate effectively;
  • Have sufficient information and skills to protect themselves and, where they have one, their partner from unintended/unwanted conceptions and sexually transmitted infections including HIV;
  • Access confidential sexual health advice, support and if necessary treatment; and
  • Know how the law applies to sexual relationships.
  • Understand how persons’ ethnicity and/or faith can influence their beliefs with regards to relationships and sex.

THE HEATH A STEM CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL

SRE Policy

Curriculum Delivery

The Sex and Relationship Education Programme is firmly embedded in the PSHE programme and is supported by the delivery of National Curriculum Science and through work in Religious Education.

Schemes of learning are based on the national curriculum framework for PSHE, Science and Religious Education. Schemes of work have been developed which are progressive and respond to student need.

The spiral structure of the scheme of learning is designed meet the needs of students with respect to their age and maturity. They offer a variety of teaching and learning styles and include PLTS and SEAL objectives in line with the whole school teaching and learning policy.

In schools curriculum provision supports our Equal Opportunities Policy and acknowledges that all young people have a right to Sex and Relationship Education to support the fulfilment of their responsibility to make well informed decisions about sexual activity and relationships.

The programme recognises cultural and religious diversity and develops appropriate programmes to meet needs in consultation with parents/carers. The school values cultural and religious diversity.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

Assessment of students’ progress is through student self-assessment and teacher assessment. Student progress files are used in the school and personal target setting is carried out in negotiation with students. The recording of student progress in this area of the curriculum is part of the wider PSHE assessment Protocol.

The Sex and Relationship Education Programme

Sex and Relationship Education is provided primarily through the Learn for Life programme in the school and supported through the PSHE curriculum. The Science and Religious Education programme also supports this area.

Organisation

1) Coordinator E Rowlands and D McNamara

2) Teachers Form Tutors and Progress Coordinators. School Nurse (plus area

nurses). Senior staff and parties committed to development

of the work. Dedicated SRE delivery team for Learn for Life programme.

3) Training External courses

Teacher to Teacher

Inset

THE HEATH A STEM CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL

Sex Education Policy

Confidentiality, Disclosure and Sensitive Issues

When a young person makes a disclosure to a member of staff, the member of staff must make it clear to the young person that they can offer no guarantee of confidentiality. The young person should always be told what information is going to be passed on and to whom. Efforts should be made to explain to them that whoever is told will be on a need to know basis and within this that the young person’s welfare is paramount.

Reference must be made to the Child Protection Team in the event of any disclosure. (Follow Child Protection Policy guidelines)

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Senior Manager responsible for this area will take overall responsibility for the monitoring of the planned provision for Sex and Relationship Education throughout the school. Evaluation of the subject areas contributing to this programme will be carried out by the departments responsible for the programme’s implementation and will be carried out through student and teacher evaluation sheets. This will inform future planning.

Resource Issues

The school has a bank of resources for Sex and Relationship Education as part of the general provision for PSHE. Resources have been identified for the various key stages and are available for staff. Further materials can be borrowed from Health Promotion and the LA resource bank. A resource catalogue is available.

Partnership with Parents

The school supports the work of parents through its planned programme for Sex and Relationship Education and consults parents about the school’s provision for Sex and Relationship Education.

The school works with parents with development of this Policy in the following ways:

.

The SRE policy and learning outcomes for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 are available to parents on request.

The school recognises and acknowledges the parental/carers right to withdrawal from the programme provided by the school, except those parts included in the statutory National Curriculum. The school will make alternative arrangements in such cases and make available to parents the DfES standard pack of information for parents who withdraw their children from Sex and Relationship Education.

Working with Outside Agencies

The school actively co-operates with outside agencies to support and enhance its teaching programme. Advice and support is carefully planned to integrate with the school programme. The school has a protocol for the use of outside agencies. The school also promotes appropriate websites that provide relevant information and guidance for students.

THE HEATH A STEM CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL

Sex Education Policy

Staff Training and Development

The school will make available to staff details of training opportunities that are available. Details can be obtained from the Sex and Relationship Education Co-ordinator. Staff training and development will be responsive to identified need through school improvement audit.

The Halton Healthy School Standard

The school holds the Healthy School award. This work forms part of the School framework.

Supporting Teenage Mothers/Fathers/Re-integration

The school has had cases of teenage pregnancy and dealt with them sensitively and supportively.

Where a disclosure regarding pregnancy is made to a member of staff then confidentiality procedures must be adhered to and the Child Protection Officer or a team member informed.

The Child Protection team will follow the recommendations made in the Fraser Guidelines 1985 (Gillick Competency). This means that they need to be sure that the young person is deemed competent to make decisions. The Child Protection Officer / Team will strongly advise that the students inform their parents or guardian as soon as possible and will support the student in doing so.

In a situation where the child is not deemed competent then the pregnancy will be dealt with as a child protection issue. This will also apply where the student is considered at risk due to lack of healthcare.

The school supports teenage mothers/fathers in their learning and will provide for their educational needs. Students are encouraged to attend as long as medically advisable and individual study programmes are designed to meet the individual students’ needs. The school will monitor student progress and plan for the students’ re-integration through a support and re-integrating plan.

Dissemination of the policy

The Policy will be made available to parents on request and will be disseminated to staff and .

Name of Link Governor: Mrs A Parry