Relationships & Sexuality Education (RSE)
Policy 2022
Date first implemented
September 2022
Date of last amendment
Date of next review
2024
School
Ysgol Glan Aber
Date policy approved
This policy was approved by the School’s Governing Body on: October 2022
Review frequency
This policy will be reviewed October 2023 by the head teacher, staff and governors, or if any amendments occur in legislation or in consideration of changes in working practices which may stem from incidents or allegations.
Review date
Chair of Governors Declaration
Kevin Jones
Head teacher Declaration
Paul Noon
Accessible Formats
This document is available in English and Welsh in Microsoft Word and pdf formats in Arial font size 12 as standard. Other accessible formats including large print, Braille, BSL DVD, easy-read, audio and electronic formats, and other languages can be made available upon request. To request a copy of this document in an accessible format contact 01352 711995
1. Statement by the Governing Body
By adopting this policy, the governing body of Ysgol Glan Aber recognises its responsibility for ensuring the policy is implemented effectively, that Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is adequately resourced, staffed and delivered using a cross-curricular approach and ensures that the school fulfils its legal obligations.
This policy will be reviewed by the governing body on an annual basis to ensure the policy is in alignment with the latest Welsh Government guidance and statutory regulations.
RSE has a positive and empowering role in learners’ education and plays a vital role in supporting learners to form and maintain a range of relationships, all based on mutual trust and respect which is the foundation of RSE. These relationships are critical to the development of emotional well-being, resilience and empathy. An understanding of sexuality with an emphasis on rights, health, equality and equity empowers learners to understand themselves, take responsibility for their own decisions and behaviours, and form relationships that are fully inclusive, reflecting diversity and promoting respect.
The Welsh Government RSE Code contains the mandatory requirements. The teaching and learning within our whole school RSE programme encompass the mandatory elements outlined within the Code.
Our school has therefore planned and developed a comprehensive, inclusive, developmentally appropriate whole school teaching and learning programme for RSE which conforms with the Code. This policy details our whole school approach to RSE.
Our RSE will support learners to develop the knowledge, skills and values to understand how relationships and sexuality shape their own lives and the lives of others. Learners will be equipped and empowered to seek support on issues relating to RSE and to advocate for themselves and others.
The school will ensure that RSE is embedded in the school’s values, rights and moral framework e.g. by showing respect for all learners, staff and the wider community, by celebrating differences, building healthy relationships and inclusion of sexual diversity.
This policy encompasses the school’s approach to RSE. It has been approved by the Senior Management Team through consultation with all stakeholders.
This policy is in alignment with the latest Guidance from Welsh Government:
UK Government:
This policy is created in conjunction with other policies, including: Safeguarding
3. Right to Withdraw
RSE is a mandatory requirement in the Curriculum for Wales 2022 for all learners from age 3 to 16 years, and there is no parental right to withdraw learners from any part of RSE.
Our RSE curriculum will be taught through cross-curricular themes and it will be interlinked within all Areas of Learning and Experience as appropriate. This will allow learners to make connections between their learning in RSE and the wider curriculum, understanding historical, cultural, geographic, physical, political, social and technological perspectives and influences on RSE issues.
The mandatory content of the RSE Code is set within three broad and interlinked learning strands, namely:
The learning strands of teaching and learning are set in three broad developmental phases as follows:
Our RSE lead teacher is Michelle Hughes The RSE Lead teacher will communicate with all primary and secondary cluster schools to ensure effective progression from Phase one, two and three and is developmentally appropriate with all our learners.
The planning, teaching, evaluating and monitoring of the school’s RSE programme is undertaken by teachers and the Lead RSE in our school.
To ensure that our whole school RSE curriculum is developmentally appropriate we consider a range of factors including learners’:
We consider how best to meet the needs of learners whose additional needs means that their understanding of sexual health and well-being may not match their chronological age.
All our staff, including ancillary staff, physiotherapists, nurses and carers are aware of the school’s approach to RSE when working with learners with additional learning needs.
At Ysgol Glan Aber we discuss RSE in the context of children’s rights as protected by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
The rights below underpin and shape our RSE curriculum and school policy:
Everyone who works with children at our school should always do what is best for each learner, as part of our Whole School Approach to RSE (Article 3).
In order to support learners to realise the four purposes within the Curriculum for Wales, learner voice is central in developing our RSE curriculum.
To ensure our RSE curriculum meets the needs of our Learners we provide opportunities for them to comment on the school’s RSE policy, schemes of work and lesson content by undertaking consultation activities with stakeholders.
We continuously consult with our learners at the end of lessons, activities and programmes in order to ensure appropriateness of our provision and that the resources and outside agencies used are relevant, developmentally appropriate, inclusive and sensitive for learners’ needs. We will act upon any recommended amendments as appropriate.
6. RSE Provision
The RSE Curriculum will be taught through the Health and Well-being AoLE and cross-cutting themes and will incorporate all five statements of what matters. The teaching of topics will be in line with requirements outlined in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the RSE Code.
Our whole school RSE provision is detailed within a scheme of work (SoW) document and it is available. This document specifies how we manage, organise and embed RSE throughout our whole school curriculum in alignment with the progression steps within the Curriculum for Wales and the phases within the RSE Code. The resources used are selected for their suitability and are reviewed for their effectiveness following their use by teachers and the lead RSE member of staff.
Ysgol Glan Aber will ensure a safe learning environment for teachers, staff and learners by establishing and agreeing to the school’s class agreements/rules. The class agreements are noted within the whole school mapping schemes of work document.
Learners will be made aware of confidentiality matters and that any safeguarding disclosures will not be kept and will be shared in accordance with our school’s safeguarding procedures.
Within our RSE provision learners will be informed of appropriate health and wellbeing support services and how to access them.
7.1 Answering learners’ questions
Learners will have opportunities to ask confidential/anonymous questions when appropriate by using an anonymous question box. We view questions as a positive sign that learners are engaged with what is being taught and feel able to express natural curiosities about themselves, their bodies and relationships with others.
Questions will be answered sensitively and in a developmentally appropriate manner for learners.
Our staff will not be expected to answer all questions if they believe some to be inappropriate. They will not be expected to answer any personal questions about themselves and they will not ask learners direct personal questions that could make either party vulnerable.
Ysgol Glan Aber fully supports the Welsh Government Period Dignity Strategic Action Plan (draft published for consultation Oct 2021), which aims to end the stigma and shame associated with periods.
We will support the plan by ensuring the following:
In order to enhance and enrich our RSE provision, the teaching will occasionally be supported by external agencies e.g. School Community Police Officers (SCPOs)
These agencies will be carefully selected and the lead RSE will check:
Our school recognise that Professional learning is a key requirement for high-quality RSE. The school will facilitate that all teaching and associated members of staff receive appropriate RSE training in order to ensure our whole school RSE programme is effective, includes cross curricular elements, is developmentally appropriate and meets the needs of our learners.
Our school’s RSE Lead will support all teaching and associated members of staff to access professional learning opportunities which will assist to develop their confidence, knowledge and skills in RSE.
Ysgol Glan Aber recognises that parents/carers are crucial to the success of the RSE programme. The school therefore provides information about what is delivered and provides opportunities for parents/carers to comment on policy and practice through verbal and written communication.The RSE policy is available to view on the school’s website.
Parents/carers are welcome to make arrangements to visit the school if they wish to view and discuss the materials and resources used in the RSE lessons.
At Ysgol Glan Aber all staff follow the Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2022. The Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) at our school is Mr. Paul Noon
Our RSE curriculum supports learners to be able to build their knowledge and understanding of how to recognise harmful sexual behaviours, discrimination, abusive relationships, and violence and develop an understanding of consent. Learners may disclose information to school staff that cannot remain confidential. When this occurs, our staff will follow the guidelines below:
11. Equality and Diversity
As an employer and provider of services Ysgol Glan Aber will not unlawfully discriminate on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or on the grounds of Welsh Language.
All learners, their parents and carers, volunteers, staff and school governors are valued and will be treated with dignity and respect. Ysgol Glan Aber will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation.
In order to make sensitive and well informed professional judgments about a learner’s needs and a parent’s capacity to respond to their child’s needs, it is important that school staff are sensitive to differing family patterns, and lifestyles and to child rearing patterns that vary across different racial, ethnic and cultural groups.
We will work across our school community to ensure our commitment to equality and fairness is shared and take steps to ensure that our school is accessible, welcoming and inclusive.
12. Monitoring and Evaluation
The Head teacher and Governing Body have ultimate responsibility for the implementation of the RSE policy. Opportunities will be provided which will enable learners’ to participate and evaluate what they have learnt according to their age, needs and ability. Parents will be invited to feedback their ideas for improvements on a regular basis both verbally and through questionnaires. The policy will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Teach Health 4 Kids (2022): Exemplar Relationships and Sexuality Education Policy for Primary Schools
Social Care Wales (2022) Wales Safeguarding Procedures
https://safeguarding.wales/
Welsh Government (2021) Period Dignity Strategic Action Plan
https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/pdf-versions/2021/10/3/1634684470/period-dignity-strategic-action-plan.pdf
Gwent Healthy Schools: Gwent RSE Model Policy 2022 DRAFT
Ceredigion Healthy Schools: Ceredigion Schools RSE Policy 2022
Policy 2022
Date first implemented
September 2022
Date of last amendment
Date of next review
2024
School
Ysgol Glan Aber
Date policy approved
This policy was approved by the School’s Governing Body on: October 2022
Review frequency
This policy will be reviewed October 2023 by the head teacher, staff and governors, or if any amendments occur in legislation or in consideration of changes in working practices which may stem from incidents or allegations.
Review date
Chair of Governors Declaration
Kevin Jones
Head teacher Declaration
Paul Noon
Accessible Formats
This document is available in English and Welsh in Microsoft Word and pdf formats in Arial font size 12 as standard. Other accessible formats including large print, Braille, BSL DVD, easy-read, audio and electronic formats, and other languages can be made available upon request. To request a copy of this document in an accessible format contact 01352 711995
1. Statement by the Governing Body
By adopting this policy, the governing body of Ysgol Glan Aber recognises its responsibility for ensuring the policy is implemented effectively, that Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is adequately resourced, staffed and delivered using a cross-curricular approach and ensures that the school fulfils its legal obligations.
This policy will be reviewed by the governing body on an annual basis to ensure the policy is in alignment with the latest Welsh Government guidance and statutory regulations.
- Introduction
RSE has a positive and empowering role in learners’ education and plays a vital role in supporting learners to form and maintain a range of relationships, all based on mutual trust and respect which is the foundation of RSE. These relationships are critical to the development of emotional well-being, resilience and empathy. An understanding of sexuality with an emphasis on rights, health, equality and equity empowers learners to understand themselves, take responsibility for their own decisions and behaviours, and form relationships that are fully inclusive, reflecting diversity and promoting respect.
The Welsh Government RSE Code contains the mandatory requirements. The teaching and learning within our whole school RSE programme encompass the mandatory elements outlined within the Code.
Our school has therefore planned and developed a comprehensive, inclusive, developmentally appropriate whole school teaching and learning programme for RSE which conforms with the Code. This policy details our whole school approach to RSE.
Our RSE will support learners to develop the knowledge, skills and values to understand how relationships and sexuality shape their own lives and the lives of others. Learners will be equipped and empowered to seek support on issues relating to RSE and to advocate for themselves and others.
The school will ensure that RSE is embedded in the school’s values, rights and moral framework e.g. by showing respect for all learners, staff and the wider community, by celebrating differences, building healthy relationships and inclusion of sexual diversity.
This policy encompasses the school’s approach to RSE. It has been approved by the Senior Management Team through consultation with all stakeholders.
This policy is in alignment with the latest Guidance from Welsh Government:
UK Government:
This policy is created in conjunction with other policies, including: Safeguarding
3. Right to Withdraw
RSE is a mandatory requirement in the Curriculum for Wales 2022 for all learners from age 3 to 16 years, and there is no parental right to withdraw learners from any part of RSE.
- Curriculum Design
Our RSE curriculum will be taught through cross-curricular themes and it will be interlinked within all Areas of Learning and Experience as appropriate. This will allow learners to make connections between their learning in RSE and the wider curriculum, understanding historical, cultural, geographic, physical, political, social and technological perspectives and influences on RSE issues.
The mandatory content of the RSE Code is set within three broad and interlinked learning strands, namely:
- Relationships and identity - this strand focuses on:
- the range of relationships that human beings have throughout their lives
- how identity can be shaped by our relationships and sexuality
- the importance of human rights in securing healthy, safe and fulfilling relationships in an inclusive society.
- Sexual health and well-being - this strand focuses on:
- learning about how living things grow, reproduce and have a life cycle
- developing an understanding of the human body, including people’s feelings about their bodies and how these can be represented
- the health issues related to relationships and sexuality
- an understanding of how sexuality and sexual health affects our well-being.
- Empowerment, safety and respect - this strand focuses on:
- learners’ rights to safety and protection and freedom from harm and discrimination
- how and where to seek information, help and support
- how to support and advocate for the rights, fair treatment and respect of all.
The learning strands of teaching and learning are set in three broad developmental phases as follows:
- Phase 1: from age 3
- Phase 2: from age 7
- Phase 3: from age 11
Our RSE lead teacher is Michelle Hughes The RSE Lead teacher will communicate with all primary and secondary cluster schools to ensure effective progression from Phase one, two and three and is developmentally appropriate with all our learners.
The planning, teaching, evaluating and monitoring of the school’s RSE programme is undertaken by teachers and the Lead RSE in our school.
To ensure that our whole school RSE curriculum is developmentally appropriate we consider a range of factors including learners’:
- age, knowledge and maturity
- additional learning needs
- social, physical, emotional and cognitive development and needs
- needs of similar ages may differ.
We consider how best to meet the needs of learners whose additional needs means that their understanding of sexual health and well-being may not match their chronological age.
All our staff, including ancillary staff, physiotherapists, nurses and carers are aware of the school’s approach to RSE when working with learners with additional learning needs.
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
At Ysgol Glan Aber we discuss RSE in the context of children’s rights as protected by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
The rights below underpin and shape our RSE curriculum and school policy:
- non-discrimination (Article 2)
- be heard and involved in decision-making (Article 12)
- freedom of expression (Article 13)
- follow your own religion (Article 14)
- have privacy (Article 16)
- access information to make informed decisions (Article 17)
- not be harmed and should be looked after and kept safe (Article 19)
- experience the highest attainable health, access to health facilities, and preventative health care (Article 24)
- education that prepares children to understand others (Article 29)
- protection from sexual abuse and exploitation (Article 34)
- get special help if they have been abused (Article 39)
Everyone who works with children at our school should always do what is best for each learner, as part of our Whole School Approach to RSE (Article 3).
- Consultation with Learners
In order to support learners to realise the four purposes within the Curriculum for Wales, learner voice is central in developing our RSE curriculum.
To ensure our RSE curriculum meets the needs of our Learners we provide opportunities for them to comment on the school’s RSE policy, schemes of work and lesson content by undertaking consultation activities with stakeholders.
We continuously consult with our learners at the end of lessons, activities and programmes in order to ensure appropriateness of our provision and that the resources and outside agencies used are relevant, developmentally appropriate, inclusive and sensitive for learners’ needs. We will act upon any recommended amendments as appropriate.
6. RSE Provision
The RSE Curriculum will be taught through the Health and Well-being AoLE and cross-cutting themes and will incorporate all five statements of what matters. The teaching of topics will be in line with requirements outlined in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the RSE Code.
Our whole school RSE provision is detailed within a scheme of work (SoW) document and it is available. This document specifies how we manage, organise and embed RSE throughout our whole school curriculum in alignment with the progression steps within the Curriculum for Wales and the phases within the RSE Code. The resources used are selected for their suitability and are reviewed for their effectiveness following their use by teachers and the lead RSE member of staff.
- Safe Learning Environment
Ysgol Glan Aber will ensure a safe learning environment for teachers, staff and learners by establishing and agreeing to the school’s class agreements/rules. The class agreements are noted within the whole school mapping schemes of work document.
Learners will be made aware of confidentiality matters and that any safeguarding disclosures will not be kept and will be shared in accordance with our school’s safeguarding procedures.
Within our RSE provision learners will be informed of appropriate health and wellbeing support services and how to access them.
7.1 Answering learners’ questions
Learners will have opportunities to ask confidential/anonymous questions when appropriate by using an anonymous question box. We view questions as a positive sign that learners are engaged with what is being taught and feel able to express natural curiosities about themselves, their bodies and relationships with others.
Questions will be answered sensitively and in a developmentally appropriate manner for learners.
Our staff will not be expected to answer all questions if they believe some to be inappropriate. They will not be expected to answer any personal questions about themselves and they will not ask learners direct personal questions that could make either party vulnerable.
- Period Dignity
Ysgol Glan Aber fully supports the Welsh Government Period Dignity Strategic Action Plan (draft published for consultation Oct 2021), which aims to end the stigma and shame associated with periods.
We will support the plan by ensuring the following:
- Provision of free period products, including environmentally friendly resources that learners can access from the staff toilet.
- A robust RSE curriculum that covers the menstrual cycle and periods
- A safe and suitable environment for applying/changing products
- Provision of sanitary bins in learner toilets to support the safe and environmental disposal of products
- Clear communication to learners/parents/carers informing them of the available free products on site, and how they can access them.
- Working with Specialist External Agencies
In order to enhance and enrich our RSE provision, the teaching will occasionally be supported by external agencies e.g. School Community Police Officers (SCPOs)
These agencies will be carefully selected and the lead RSE will check:
- They are adequately trained to speak with young people.
- They work/are registered with a reputable organisation/charity.
- Their contribution coincides with the aims and objectives of the curriculum.
- The validity of their Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) status.
- All resources/presentations that will be used.
- They have been made aware of any additional needs that some learners may have.
- They have been made aware that a member of the school staff will be present throughout the lesson/activity/presentation.
- Staff Professional Development
Our school recognise that Professional learning is a key requirement for high-quality RSE. The school will facilitate that all teaching and associated members of staff receive appropriate RSE training in order to ensure our whole school RSE programme is effective, includes cross curricular elements, is developmentally appropriate and meets the needs of our learners.
Our school’s RSE Lead will support all teaching and associated members of staff to access professional learning opportunities which will assist to develop their confidence, knowledge and skills in RSE.
- Partnerships with Parents / Carers and Local Community
Ysgol Glan Aber recognises that parents/carers are crucial to the success of the RSE programme. The school therefore provides information about what is delivered and provides opportunities for parents/carers to comment on policy and practice through verbal and written communication.The RSE policy is available to view on the school’s website.
Parents/carers are welcome to make arrangements to visit the school if they wish to view and discuss the materials and resources used in the RSE lessons.
- Safeguarding and Confidentiality
At Ysgol Glan Aber all staff follow the Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2022. The Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) at our school is Mr. Paul Noon
Our RSE curriculum supports learners to be able to build their knowledge and understanding of how to recognise harmful sexual behaviours, discrimination, abusive relationships, and violence and develop an understanding of consent. Learners may disclose information to school staff that cannot remain confidential. When this occurs, our staff will follow the guidelines below:
- Remind learners that staff cannot offer unconditional confidentiality.
- Inform learners first if staff are going to break confidentiality.
- Where appropriate, encourage learners to talk about any worries and concerns they have with parents/carers.
- Ensure learners are supported adequately by an appropriate member of staff.
- Always follow our Safeguarding Policy if there are child protection concerns.
11. Equality and Diversity
As an employer and provider of services Ysgol Glan Aber will not unlawfully discriminate on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or on the grounds of Welsh Language.
All learners, their parents and carers, volunteers, staff and school governors are valued and will be treated with dignity and respect. Ysgol Glan Aber will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation.
In order to make sensitive and well informed professional judgments about a learner’s needs and a parent’s capacity to respond to their child’s needs, it is important that school staff are sensitive to differing family patterns, and lifestyles and to child rearing patterns that vary across different racial, ethnic and cultural groups.
We will work across our school community to ensure our commitment to equality and fairness is shared and take steps to ensure that our school is accessible, welcoming and inclusive.
12. Monitoring and Evaluation
The Head teacher and Governing Body have ultimate responsibility for the implementation of the RSE policy. Opportunities will be provided which will enable learners’ to participate and evaluate what they have learnt according to their age, needs and ability. Parents will be invited to feedback their ideas for improvements on a regular basis both verbally and through questionnaires. The policy will be reviewed on an annual basis.
- References
Teach Health 4 Kids (2022): Exemplar Relationships and Sexuality Education Policy for Primary Schools
Social Care Wales (2022) Wales Safeguarding Procedures
https://safeguarding.wales/
Welsh Government (2021) Period Dignity Strategic Action Plan
https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/pdf-versions/2021/10/3/1634684470/period-dignity-strategic-action-plan.pdf
Gwent Healthy Schools: Gwent RSE Model Policy 2022 DRAFT
Ceredigion Healthy Schools: Ceredigion Schools RSE Policy 2022