The following information was circulated last year and we received some feedback from families which was greatly appreciated.
However, as discussed in the last Oakham Newsletter at Easter, we wish to give our families another opportunity to preview the key outcomes and knowledge of the Relationship & Health (RHE) element of our PSHE curriculum.
Therefore on Wednesday 8th June 2022, we will be hosting an informal RHE drop-in session for parents & carers 2:30-4pm in the school hall.
We have also re-opened the online consultation document if you wish to offer any feedback or are unable to attend on that day (please use the link at the bottom of this page).
As part of your child’s educational experience at Oakham Primary School, we aim to promote personal well-being and development through a comprehensively 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.
Following nationwide consultation, The Department for Education has made changes to Relationships and Health Education (RHE) which came into effect from September 2020 and all schools are required to comply with the updated requirements.
In light of the guidance, we have reviewed our PSHE (including RHE) curriculum and policy so we can be sure our provision is appropriate for our pupils based on their:
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, well-being, safeguarding and healthy relationships. 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.
Pupils should be taught about the society in which they are growing up. These subjects are designed to foster respect for others and for difference, and educate pupils about healthy relationships.
RHE should meet the needs of all pupils, whatever their developing sexuality or identity – this should include age-appropriate teaching about different types of relationships in the context of the law. In our school, children will be taught about the many different types of family in our modern society and all our planned learning will be taught in an age appropriate way.
Teaching the correct names of our external body parts is an important aspect of sex education, appropriate for young children, and it need not be done with stigma or embarrassment.
From a safeguarding point of view, it is vitally important for young children to know what their body parts are called. No one wants to introduce fear and worry for young children where it was not previously felt, but it is equally important to build confidence and ‘a voice’ so that all children can lead healthy and safe lives.
As part of the established KS2 Science curriculum, we already teach the life cycle of reproduction in animals, including humans. How our bodies grow and change from birth to old age, and the different challenges this brings for all of us, is an important part of a KS2 primary curriculum with body changes and puberty already featuring in the current Year Five and Six curriculum.
RHE at Oakham Primary School, does not encourage sexual experimentation, the taking away of a child’s innocence, over-ruling the wishes or rights of parents or imposing ideas onto young people. RHE is not about the promotion of sexual orientation or sexual activity – this would be inappropriate teaching.
It is important for our pupils and our schools to ensure students can reflect upon their own beliefs, values and ideas in an age and developmentally appropriate way and to develop an understanding of other’s ideas, beliefs and values.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools were given additional time to implement and to consult with families around the curriculum that they will be using in school and launch the RHE elements of the new curriculum in this academic year; 2021-2022.
We have also decided that the RHE lessons (not including a Y6 Sexual Intercourse lesson) will be taught in the summer term of each year as by then, children will have established secure relationships with the staff in their year groups. Please see the PSHE & RHE overviews for full coverage of these units.
Statutory guidance advises that parents and carers continue to have the right to withdraw their children from sessions apart from content covered in the National Curriculum for Science. Where a parent wishes to withdraw their child, this should be communicated with the school.
Please note, the school leadership team and governors have decided that WE ARE NOT teaching any optional areas or those elements that parents/carers have the right to withdraw children from, as explained above.
As a school community, we are committed to working in partnership with parents and carers and value your opinions regarding the education of your children.
As I am sure you will appreciate, the present climate makes it a little more challenging to consult with you, so in order for you to have an understanding of the curriculum requirements, we have placed information on our website which I would encourage you to read.
This includes:
As part of our curriculum review, we would appreciate your views on:
It is important to note that the RHE elements in each year group take up a small part of an extensive and enriching PSHE curriculum. However, prior to the teaching of the RHE sessions in Summer 2022 (during the last half-term) we believe it is important to offer an informal drop in-session for parents and carers.
This drop-in session will give you the opportunity to speak to staff and enable you to view all of the resources used across school as we are unable to publish these on our website, due to copyright law.
Please take some time to view the policy, curriculum overviews and DfE guidance before completing our questionnaire where we would invite you to share any comments you may have. Thank you for taking the time to read this information and I look forward to your feedback.
Mr N.Skett
Headteacher