Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

We want all of our learners at Orchardside to grow up healthy, happy, safe, and able to manage the challenges and opportunities of modern Britain. This is a vision we share with the Department for Education. That is why, from September 2020, all secondary age children will be taught an updated subject within the national curriculum called Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). This subject has been designed to equip our young people with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships as well as preparing them for a successful adult life. The world for all young people looks very different from the way it did twenty years ago when this curriculum was last updated – these changes bring the content into the 21st century, so that it is relevant for all our young people.

Orchardside is working with the Department for Education to be an ‘early adopter’ of this curriculum. Being an early adopter means being a positive voice for the reforms and ‘beginning the RSHE journey’ from September 2019. This is one year before the new legislation and guidance takes effect. We are beginning the journey by co-producing our RSHE policy with our parents and carers and planning for a fully developed curriculum by September 2020. We will deliver the curriculum in a subject we call Enrichment and also during Tutor Time. We will have flexibility to teach the content in a way that is age and developmentally appropriate and sensitive to the needs and religious background of our young people. Our proposed curriculum map for 2019/20 is available on our website.

Relationships and Sex Education will build on the teaching at primary. It aims to give our young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds. Orchardside will cover content on what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like and what makes a good friend, colleague and successful marriage or committed relationship. At the appropriate time, the focus will move to developing intimate relationships, to equip our young people with knowledge they need to make safe, informed and healthy choices as they progress through adult life.

By the end of secondary school, pupils will have been taught content on:

• families

• respectful relationships, including friendships

• online media

• being safe

• intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health

Health Education aims to give our young people 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.

By the end of secondary school, pupils will have been taught content on:

• 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

Clear communication will be amongst our key guiding principles. We will be taking an open and transparent approach by involving our parents and other key stakeholders as much as possible.

If you have any questions please look at the RSHE draft guidance from the Department for Education or our RSHE guide for parents on our website. Alternatively you can email our Headteacher at celeste.fay@orchardside.school