RSE Consultation Letter
Dear Parents and Carers
As a part of the curriculum at The Ridge Primary School, we aim to promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive taught programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education. This has been carefully designed to give 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 (DfE) has announced changes to Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education following nationwide consultation. These changes came into effect from September 2020 and all schools will be required to comply with the updated requirements. However due to the pandemic, schools have been able to delay this until the summer term 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. Learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up gives 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 September 2020, 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 their pupils. Where schools do provide sex education at key stages 1 and 2, parents have the right to withdraw their child from sex education but not from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education or what is taught in the Science National curriculum.
We have been reviewing our RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) and Health Education policy and curriculum so we can be sure our RSE provision is appropriate for our pupils based on their:
- Age
- Physical and emotional maturity
- Religious and cultural backgrounds
- Special educational needs and disabilities
Our revised policy has been reviewed by the school governors and we are now consulting with parents and carers to help to inform our schools' decisions on when and how certain content is covered. As part of our curriculum review we would appreciate your views on our draft policy for Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). Your views are important and will be genuinely reflected on. However it is important to note that 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.
To support the consultation please see the links below to
- Our proposed policy for Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education
- DfE guidance that outlines statutory requirements.
- Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education FAQs
- A link to a Consultation Questionnaire
Please complete the questionnaire by Tuesday 30th March 2021. We will let you know the outcome of this process later early term. Once we have considered all the feedback, the finalised Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education Policy will be uploaded to the school's website.
I hope this letter and information on the school website goes some way to answer any questions you may have. If you have any queries or concerns regarding the Relationship and Sex Education Policy or the consultation process, please do not hesitate to contact myself or our PSHE Subject Lead, Mrs. Melia.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs D. A. Hudson
