Kents Hill Park’s Personal, Health, Social and Relationships Education (PHSRE) curriculum plays an important role in supporting young people to develop into confident, independent and forward-thinking adults. As part of this, we deliver Relationships Education, Health Education and Sex Education to pupils at Kents Hill Park School.
Relationships Education, Health Education and Sex Education are important to help and support children through their physical, emotional and moral development. It helps children grow up able to enjoy the positive benefits of loving, rewarding and responsible relationships. It makes sure they are informed and comfortable with their bodies, that they understand the changes during puberty and that they are healthy and are physically and emotionally safe. This forms a vital link to safeguarding.
Relationships and Health Education are both compulsory in all primary schools in England. For primary aged children this includes curriculum content under two headings (DfE, 2019):
Relationships Education
- Families and people who care for me
- Caring friendships
- Respectful relationships
- Online relationships
- Being safe
Health Education
- Mental wellbeing
- Internet safety and harms
- Physical health and fitness
- Healthy eating
- Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- Health and prevention
- Basic first aid
- Changing adolescent body
Relationships Education
The Department for Education has introduced statutory Relationships Education in primary schools to ‘put in place the building blocks needed for positive and safe relationships, including with family, friends and online’ (DfE, 2019). This includes exploring and being respectful of different family types, positive friendships, how to treat each other with kindness and recognising the difference between online and offline friendships. Much of what is covered in Relationships Education was already being taught as part of our weekly PHSRE lessons and this guidance has built on our curriculum offer.
As the basis of our Relationships Education planning, we use the ‘PHSE Education Planning Toolkit’, focusing on ‘Core Theme 2 – Relationships’. This has been produced by the PSHE Association, who are the leading body supporting schools with PHSRE and RSE teaching:
PHSE Education Planning Toolkit
Medway Primary RSE planning and resources are also used to complement the PHSE Association relationships planning:
Medway Primary RSE Overview
Medway RSE Planning Year 1/2
Medway RSE Planning Year 3
Medway RSE Planning Year 4/5
Please note, the lessons listed in all of the above resources only form an outline plan. We do not use all of the lessons provided and teachers will adapt the lessons / use different resources /change the order of the lessons as they see fit. Some lessons may fall in different year groups. Class teachers will share their learning overviews for PHSRE as part of their topic overviews at the beginning of each half term so that parents and carers are aware of the content covered.
Health Education
‘Health Education aims to give your child the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, to recognise issues in themselves and others, and to seek support as early as possible when issues arise’ (DfE, 2019). It includes learning about our mental and physical health and ‘the changing adolescent body’ to equip children to understand and cope with puberty. Health Education is statutory, which means all children must take part.
For puberty lessons, we will be using the Medway Primary RSE planning and lesson guides (see below).
Medway Primary RSE Overview
Medway RSE Planning Year 1/2
Medway RSE Planning Year 3
Medway RSE Planning Year 4/5
Medway RSE Planning Year 6
Please note, teachers may choose to adapt/use different resources/change the order of these lesson plans.
Class teachers will share their learning overviews for PHSRE as part of their topic overviews at the beginning of each half term so that parents and carers are aware of the content covered.
Sex Education
Under the National Curriculum, the basics of sex education fall within the Science Curriculum. The statutory content of the Science curriculum requires schools to teach all children about human development and reproduction.
For lessons that go beyond the statutory curriculum content, we will be using the Medway Primary RSE resources and planning for our Sex Education lessons:
Medway Primary RSE Overview
Medway Planning RSE Year 2 – Lesson 3 – Everybody’s Body
Medway Planning RSE Year 6 – Lesson 4 – How a Baby is Made
Please note, teachers may choose to adapt/use different resources/change the order of these lesson plans.
Parents and carers will be notified a half term in advance of Sex Education lesson delivery.
The Right to Withdraw from Sex Education
Kents Hill Park School has worked within the Department for Education’s Relationships Education, Health Education and Sex Education statutory guidelines to ensure a sensitive and balanced approach. Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from specific lessons, as set out below.
Under the National Curriculum, the basics of Sex Education fall within the Science Curriculum. The statutory content of the Science curriculum requires schools to teach all children about human development and reproduction. For lessons that go beyond the statutory curriculum content, we will be using the Medway Primary RSE resources and planning for our Sex Education lessons.
Parents/carers cannot withdraw their child from any other lessons in the statutory Science curriculum or Relationships and Health Education in all Primary year groups.
Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from the Year 2 and Year 6 Sex Education lessons:
Medway Planning RSE Year 2 – Lesson 3 – Everybody’s Body
Medway Planning RSE Year 6 – Lesson 4 – How Babies Are Made
Should you be considering withdrawing your child from the Sex Education lessons listed above, requests must be put in writing and addressed for the attention of the Headteacher. Upon receiving a written request, the Headteacher will consider this request and discuss it with the parent/carer.
Any withdrawn pupil would be appropriately supervised and provided with PSHRE based learning opportunities.
Medway Primary RSE planning and resources
Medway Primary RSE planning and resources are used to complement the PHSE Association relationships planning:
Medway Primary RSE Overview
Medway Planning RSE Years 1/2
Medway Planning RSE Year 3
Medway Planning RSE Years 4/5
Medway Planning RSE Year 6
Please note, the lessons listed in all of the above resources only form an outline plan. We do not use all of the lessons provided and teachers will adapt the lessons/use different resources/change the order of the lessons as they see fit. Some lessons may fall in different year groups. Class teachers will share their learning overviews for PHSRE as part of their topic overviews at the beginning of each half term so that parents and carers are aware of the content covered.