Relationship and Sex education is an important part of your child's education.  We undertook a consultation process last year (2021) with our community and from that wrote our RSE policy.  Below is a summary of the topics covered from Y1 to Y6. 

There are certain key elements of RSE that are statutory, these are highlighted in our Policy. These include Relationship education and the areas of reproduction that are included in the Science National Curriculum programmes of study.

If parents and carers have any concerns please consult Mrs Pincher our PSHE/SRE coordinator.

The national curriculum for science also includes subject content in related areas, such as the main external body parts, the human body as it grows from birth to old age (including puberty) and reproduction in some plants and animals.  

Key Stage 1

Yr 1  

My special people - focuses on early learning about healthy, happy relationships, special people in their own lives, friendship, family and what it means to care for each other.  

Growing up: the human life cycle- Pupils begin to understand how we grow and change as we get older. Pupils compare the differences between a baby and a child—what they look like and what they can do. The focus is on becoming independent; how we look after ourselves and each other as we grow, and some of the feelings that accompany the process of growing up.  

Yr2

Everybody’s body - Pupils may have been using a variety of different words to name the male and female genitalia/ sex parts, but this unit directly teaches the correct terminology. It is important for younger pupils to know how to name their body parts correctly as this contributes to safeguarding—helping them to take care of their bodies and keep themselves safe. This unit also begins to address the issue of gender stereotypes.  

Key Stage 2

Yr3  

What makes a good friend? This focuses on special people and extends their learning about their close networks and friendships. The focus is on the qualities of being a good friend and the importance of friendship in all our lives. This lesson will help to develop pupils’ understanding of positive, healthy relationships. 

Yr4

Falling out with friends - Sometimes, even good friends have disagreements or ‘fall out’ – it is important that pupils learn that there are ways to manage this if it happens to them. Pupils should understand that a quarrel does not always mean the end of a friendship and that there are things they can do that might help to mend or strengthen their friendship.  

Yr 4 & revisited in Y5/6 where necessary

Puberty - During the unit, children learn about external and internal changes that happen to the human body, this includes menstruation and wet dreams.  They will be taught importance of personal hygiene during puberty, and to consider some of the questions young people may have about the physical changes at puberty.  They will also learn about the emotional changes that may take place during puberty and outlines some of the changes that may occur in friendships and other relationships. It teaches pupils where and how to get help and support.  

Yr5 

Reproduction - Animals including Humans - The target of this unit, as stated by the statutory Primary Science Curriculum is to ‘describe the changes as humans develop to old age’. The puberty talk given by the previous class teacher has formed the basis of this unit and will be built upon, in addition to examining a human’s life cycle. We will also be learning more about a foetus’s development and pregnancy. Lessons will be completed on the following areas:  

• This session will consider how we develop and how our needs change as we grow (foetus, baby, toddler, child, adolescent, adult, old age). 
• Human life cycle
• The changes they have already experienced 
• This session will look at the children’s own growth and the changes that they can see with the use of photos. (baby to the age of 10, growth)
• Puberty (physical changes) 
• This will essentially recap that which was covered in the growing up session and will allow the children to consider the advice that could be given to other children going through puberty.
• We may read a book called ‘Hair in Funny Places’ by Babette Cole (Amazon £6.55) which looks at the physical and emotional changes caused by our hormones and changing feelings towards boys and girls. 
• Puberty (emotional changes - PSHE) 
• This will go into greater detail and will consider various situations, which the children will discuss or act out how they would handle it. 
• Pregnancy 
• This session will compare the period of gestation of different animals. The children will learn about fertilisation and consider the similarities and differences between them and their siblings and discuss why this might be. It will consider what a woman should do while pregnant to ensure the WELLBEING of Mom and baby and how a woman’s body adapts for pregnancy and labour. 
• We will look at pictures and watch videos of a foetus in the womb and sonograms. 
• We will talk to children about the sperm meeting the egg and how following this, cells begin to divide, causing a baby to grow. 
• We will read a book called ‘Where Willy Went’ about a sperm cell and the development of a baby, by Nicholas Allan. 
• We will also use a book called ‘The World is Full of Babies’ by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom and ‘The Usborne Flip-Flap Body Book’ which includes a section on ‘How are babies made?’. 

Living Things and their Habitats -The target of this unit, as stated by the Primary Science Curriculum is to ‘describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals’. The guidance for this unit then goes on to suggest that ‘Pupils should find out about different types of reproduction, including ... sexual reproduction in animals.’ 

The majority of lessons in this unit will focus on plants and animals with one session on mammals, reproduction and their life cycles. This lesson will be taught as part of the ‘Animals including Humans’ unit alongside the pregnancy session, covering fertilisation and the growth of a baby. 

Yr6 

Puberty - re-cap and review previous learning. During the unit change and becoming independent pupils’ think about puberty and the concept of change throughout our lives. It explores in more detail, some of the feelings associated with change. It helps pupils to consider changes that might occur alongside puberty, including moving to secondary school and the new roles and responsibilities that this might bring.  

Positive, healthy relationships - Increasing pupils’ understanding of what is meant by a positive, healthy and loving relationship is an important part of safeguarding their health and wellbeing. This lesson looks at different kinds of relationships, and the values, expectations and responsibilities within healthy, positive relationships. The lesson also explores some ways that changing relationships can be managed—ensuring behaviour is respectful, even when things do change.  

How babies are made - By Year 6, it is likely that pupils will have some idea about how babies are made through sexual intercourse. Although it is possible they may have some misconceptions, very few pupils will still believe myths or make-believe stories. Having an understanding of what is meant by sex is an important foundation for the RSE they will receive at secondary school. This lesson emphasises that having sexual intercourse or the decision to have a baby is something for when they are much older. It also emphasises the importance of consent in this context. The lesson enables pupils to reflect on the values and responsibilities within healthy adult relationships and is therefore set clearly within RSE— as part of the wider PSHE education curriculum.  

 Children will revise previous learning on growing up and the human life cycle. However, in these lessons we will answer the question What is sex? This is when a penis enters the vagina and may result in pregnancy, it happens between 2 consenting people over the age of 16.  In this lesson an image will be shown illustrating sex - cartoon image of the cross section of a penis inside a vagina only.  

The video below shares details of our why, what and how we teach RSE.