Sex & Relationship Education (SRE) Policy

Transcription

1 The Revel C of E (Aided) Primary School Sex & Relationship Education (SRE) Policy Date of Approval 21/04/2015 Signed by Chair of Governors... S Hart Signed by Headteacher... J McDonald Review Frequency 3 years Date of next Review Autumn 2017

2 Details of the policy Date of Policy review: March 2015 Date of next review: Autumn 2017 The Revel C of E Primary School SRE Policy Who the review will involve: e.g. school staff, pupils, parents, governors, school nurse Senior member of staff responsible for overseeing that this policy is implemented and regularly reviewed: by PSHE Co-ordinator Development and dissemination process This policy was formulated by a working party consisting of the Head teacher, PSHE Co-ordinator, Science Co-ordinator, School Nurse, Chair of Governors and members of the RSFA. The policy was informed by consultation discussions with pupils during circle time and School Council meetings. The policy will be communicated to all relevant partner agencies and visitors and available to all staff. During the review process a summary of the policy was made available to parents in the school foyer. The Context and Relationship to Other School Policies PSHE policy - The school delivers the non-statutory elements of SRE in the PSHE curriculum Science policy - The school delivers the statutory elements of SRE in the Science Curriculum Child protection and Safeguarding policy - In the event of a disclosure or concerns about a pupil at risk of harm, see the school's policy on Child Protection Confidentiality policy - Teachers and visitors are expected to work within the boundaries of the school's policy on Confidentiality SEN/Equality statement - For further guidance on the provision for young people with SEN, see the Equality statement and SEN policy Using outside visitors in school policy - The school uses the school nurse/other visitors to contribute to the SRE programme in school. This policy outlines the responsibilities for both the visitor and the school Code of Conduct- Sex and relationships guidance fits into the wider pastoral role of school staff, as advice and guidance may be sought outside of SRE lessons Anti-bullying - The school's policy on anti-bullying is important as it highlights the safe and caring environment the school actively promote to support teaching and learning in the school Aims of the Policy This policy aims to: Clarify what schools are required to do by law Give guidance on some of the issues involved in delivering an SRE curriculum Identify the importance of delivering SRE as part of the PSHE curriculum Emphasise the importance of working in partnership with parents and the wider community Address some of the issues for schools concerning confidentiality Ensure SRE is delivered through a whole-school approach of Spring Fever Enable staff to work effectively with young people on all personal relationship and sexual health issues Local and National Guidance Documents that have been used in the creation of this policy are acknowledged below:

3 Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (DfEE,2000) Quality Standards for Sex and Relationships Education (Warwickshire LEA 2002) Sex and Relationships Education for Primary Age Children (Sex Education Forum Fact sheet, 2002) How this Policy Links to Local and National Priorities Strong delivery of SRE/PSHE by schools was recently found to be one of the main factors for reducing teenage pregnancy and improving sexual health. Key features included; systematic delivery of SRE/PSHE in primary and secondary schools; a strong focus on achieving National Healthy School Status and the use of the DFES SRE Guidance (issued in 2000) as a driver for training and support in schools, including planned programmes of training for Governors. The Children Act 1989 This places a duty on professionals working with young people to talk about sex and relationships with young people in order to help them acquire knowledge and information about their bodies, sex and sexual health and to develop relevant skills. Introduction Effective Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) in primary schools can help children build happier, healthier relationships now and in their adult lives and can also contribute to reducing teenage pregnancy (National Children s Bureau, 2006) SRE is a lifelong learning process of acquiring information; developing skills and forming positive beliefs and attitudes about sex, sexuality, relationships and feelings (Sex Education Forum 1999). The 1996 Education Act consolidates all relevant previous legislation and states that all schools must provide an up to date policy that describes the content and organisation of SRE provided outside the National Curriculum Science Order. The DfEE Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (2000) support this legislation and recommends that all schools should have a sex and relationship education programme tailored to the age and physical and emotional maturity of the pupils. Effective SRE is key in supporting young people through their physical, emotional and moral development, enabling them to make informed life choices confidently, and furthering their respect for themselves and others as they move through life. Objectives of Sex and Relationships Education The objectives of sex and relationship education in The Revel C of E School are to: Help support young people through physical, emotional and moral development at all ages Provide pupils with accurate information through Spring Fever and help them develop the skills to understand difference and respect for themselves and others from Reception to Year six Promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our pupils Teach young people the facts about human sexuality, encouraging them to mature and respect themselves Inform children and young people about relationships, love, care and the responsibilities of parenthood Ensure young people understand how the law applies to sexual relationships Desired Outcomes for Sex and Relationships Education The desired outcomes for sex and relationship education in The Revel C of E School are to: Develop confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings and relationships with pupils Enable young people to make responsible and well-informed decisions about their lives

4 Prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life Inform children about puberty before they experience the on-set of physical change Ensure children's on-going emotional and physical development is supported through their transition year before moving to secondary school through an open question session in year six Develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour Reduce the incidence of teenage conceptions Provide young people with the skills to avoid being pressured into risk-taking behaviours To make children aware of the dangers of on line activities Management and Co-ordination There is an identified member of staff who seeks advice from the school nurses and Respect Yourself Campaign in the implementation of the SRE curriculum within our school. Class teachers are now trained and implementing SRE in their classrooms. The Head Teacher, Mrs Hopper, Mrs Sharp and Mrs Francioso (T.A.) are the members of staff responsible for child protection issues within school; they are clear on all procedures and progressive steps in dealing when incidents arise. Staffing and Staff Development Staff need to feel confident about teaching SRE. Every year training time is given for the teaching of Spring Fever. The school nursing team is also available to support teachers in this role. The personal attitudes and beliefs of teachers will not influence their delivery of the SRE curriculum within the PSHE framework. Curriculum Organisation Planning and Delivery SRE is lifelong learning about physical, emotional and moral 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 (DFEE 2000) The PSHE curriculum has 3 elements: Attitudes and Values - respect, stability, love/care, decision-making, considering moral dilemmas, conscience, nurturing Personal and Social skills - managing emotions, confidence, self-respect, actions and consequences, managing conflict Knowledge and Understanding - physical development, human sexuality, reproduction, contraception, delaying sexual activity, avoiding sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy The teaching methods used are suited to the ages and abilities of the pupils taught and allow for opportunities to discuss issues on a one to one or group basis. Monitoring, Evaluation and Review Following OFSTED recommendations (2002), the monitoring and evaluation of SRE is carried out thoroughly using a range of evidence. Pupils learning and progress within SRE is recorded to ensure they receive their full entitlement to education. The SRE Curriculum and its delivery will be monitored by the PSHE Co-ordinator with the support of the Science Co-ordinator and School Nurse using the following methods: Lesson observations and feedback to teachers Looking at samples of pupils' work Teachers making regular comments on the scheme of work/lesson plans

5 Monitoring curriculum plans weekly, mid-term and termly, with feedback to teachers Feedback from curriculum co-ordinators, heads of year, class teachers and pupils about what has been covered SRE/PSHE as a regular agenda item at governor curriculum meetings PSHE co-ordinator interviewing pupils on a yearly basis Parental evaluations and feedback after Spring Fever week The implementation of Spring Fever throughout the school Approaches to evaluation include: Questionnaires at the end of units or as part of an end of year review Feedback from pupils and teachers about particular aspects of the SRE curriculum, e.g. external contributors, theatre-in-education, peer education Comparison with the baseline of pupils' existing knowledge, understanding and skills This will enable any training needs to be identified and ensure the programme remains relevant to the needs of the pupils. Spring Fever Agreement The school nurse and class teachers will develop a set of ground rules to create a safe environment in which no-one feels embarrassed or anxious about unintended or unexpected questions or comments from pupils. These rules are used in every PSHE lesson and reinforced daily during Spring Fever week. Examples of ground rules the school promote includes: No-one will have to answer a personal question No-one will be forced to take part in a discussion Only the correct names for body parts will be used Meanings of words will be explained in a sensible and factual way Distancing Techniques The class teacher will avoid embarrassment and protect pupils privacy by always depersonalising discussions. For example role play will be used to help pupils act out situations. Case studies with invented characters, appropriate videos and visits to theatre in education groups will all help pupils discuss sensitive issues and develop their decision-making skills in a safe environment. A questions box is available to help children ask questions they may be embarrassed by. Dealing with questions Teachers will establish clear parameters of what is appropriate and inappropriate in a whole class setting. Below are guidelines the school encourages: If a question is too personal, the teacher will remind the pupil of the ground rules. If the pupil needs further support, the teacher can refer to her or him to the appropriate person, such as a school counsellor, school nurse, helpline, or an outside agency or service If a teacher doesn't know the answer to a question, the teacher will acknowledge this, and suggest that the pupil or teacher or both together research the question If a question is too explicit, feels too old for a pupil, is inappropriate for the whole class, or raises concerns about sexual abuse, the teacher will acknowledge it and promise to attend to it later on an individual basis. To maintain trust and respect the teacher must remember to talk with the pupil later and if concerned that a pupil is at risk of sexual abuse, they will follow the school's child protection procedures.

6 How Our School Responds to Sensitive Issues Puberty Sex and relationship education is established within a context of PSHE, so as pupils reach puberty they will know and understand that they will change and develop, and will have confidence in managing the physical and emotional changes. Menstruation The onset of menstruation can be alarming for girls if they are not prepared. As with puberty, the school programme of SRE will include preparation for menstruation and information for both girls and boys. The school will also make adequate and sensitive preparation to help girls cope with menstruation and with requests for sanitary protection. Safer sex, HIV/AIDS and STDs These areas follow our sex education programme when the children begin secondary education. Partnerships The school liaises closely with parents to reassure them of the content of the SRE programme, the context within which it is taught, and to support them in their teaching of SRE ensuring they feel confident engaging in discussions about the subject with their children. The school will help support parents in: Helping their children learn the correct names of the body Talking with their children about feelings and relationships Answering questions about growing up, having babies, feeling attraction sexuality, sex, relationships and sexual health with age appropriate material Parents have the option to opt their children out of SRE lessons in our school The school will also consult parents regularly on the content of the sex and relationship education and invite new parents to Spring Fever parent meeting. Other agencies supporting the school s SRE curriculum are: health professionals, school nurse, healthy living network all of which are aware of this policy and the SRE programme and work in-line with it. Outside visitors work within the framework outlined in the Using outside visitors in school policy. Equality of Opportunity All pupils regardless of their developing sexuality are entitled to an SRE curriculum which is relevant to their age group and sensitive to their needs. Teachers should be aware that for some children the SRE they receive at school will be the main, and sometimes the only source of sex education, particularly for children from some ethnic communities. Special Educational Needs and Learning Difficulties The Revel C of E School has a duty to ensure that children with SEN and learning difficulties are properly included in sex and relationship education. Sex and relationship education will help all pupils understand their physical and emotional development and enable them to make positive decisions in their lives. Some parents and carers of children with SEN may find it difficult to accept their children s developing sexuality. Some pupils will be more confused about what is acceptable public behaviour. These children will be given more help to develop skills to reduce the risks of being abused and exploited, and to learn what sorts of behaviour are, and are not, acceptable. The Revel C of E School will ensure that pupils with SEN receive sex and relationship education. Teachers may need to be more explicit and plan work in different ways in order to meet the individual needs of children with SEN or learning difficulties. Our school will take care not to marginalise sex and relationship education. Pupils with SEN will not be withdrawn from PSHE&C so that they can catch up on National Curriculum subjects.

7 Confidentiality and Handling Disclosures Teachers, pupils and parents should be aware of the boundaries regarding confidentiality within the curriculum. Teachers cannot offer or guarantee absolute confidentiality, but should ensure pupils are informed of sources of confidential help, e.g. school nurse, counsellor, GP, advice services. Only in the most exceptional circumstances, when it is considered in the best interests of the young person, will information be handled without parental knowledge. Where younger pupils are involved this will be if there are grounds for serious concern and child protection issues should be addressed. Normally, the Head teacher would make this decision. Disclosures Disclosures from pupils may take place at an inappropriate place or time. If this happens, the teacher will talk again individually to the pupil before the end of the school day. The teacher may be able to discuss the issue with an appropriate colleague without giving the name of the pupil. If not, the teacher will follow the school s confidentiality policy. In the rare case where a child of primary age discloses information they are sexually active, this becomes an issue of child protection and the named member of staff for child protection should be informed. Pupils must be made aware that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed and that they will be informed of all actions relating to their disclosure. Health professionals are bound by their own codes of conduct to maintain confidentiality. When working within a classroom they are also bound by the school s policies. Outside the classroom situation, they can exercise their own professional judgement maintaining the pupil s best interests at all times. Child Protection Children cannot learn effectively if they are concerned or frightened about being abused or being victims of violence in their own home. They have a right to expect schools to provide a safe and secure environment. Any fears or worries they bring into the classroom should not go unnoticed by staff. Teachers need to be aware that effective sex and relationship education, which brings an understanding of what is, and is not, acceptable in a relationship, can lead to disclosure of a child protection issue. If a member of school s staff suspects that a child is a victim of, or they have reason to believe that he/she is at risk of abuse, they should be aware of the procedures for reporting their concerns and to whom they should do so. Our senior member of staff with designated responsibility for child protection is the Head Teacher. If a member of staff is accused of abuse, the procedures outlined in the school s child protection and safe guarding policy will be followed. Sources of Support School Nursing team