Sex Education Policy

Revision/Review History

Version Date Comments Review Date
10 Spring 2015 Approved and issued (no amendments) Spring 2017
9 April 2013 Amended, approved and issued Spring 2015
8 May 2011 Amended, approved and issued Spring 2013
7 May 2010 Amended, approved and issued May 2011
6 May 2009 Amended, approved and issued May 2010
5 May 2008 Amended, approved and issued June 2009
4 June 2007 Approved and issued June 2008
3 October 2006 Approved and issued October 2007
2 October 2005 Approved and issued October 2006
1 September 2005 First draft
  1. Rationale
    • 1.1 The school’s Sex Education Policy is based on the DCSF guidance document Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (ref DfEE 0116/2000). In this document, sex education is defined as ‘learning about physical, moral and emotional development’.
    • 1.2 It is about understanding the importance of family life, stable and loving relationships, respect, love and care. It is also about the teaching of sex, sexuality, and sexual health.’ Sex education is part of the Personal, Social and Health & Citizenship Education curriculum in our school. While we use sex education to inform children about sexual issues, we do this with regard to matters of individual responsibility, and in a way that allows children to ask and explore questions. We do not use sex education as a means of promoting any form of sexual orientation.
  1. Aims and Objectives
  • 2.1 We teach children about:
    • the physical development of their bodies as they grow into adults;
    • the way humans reproduce in Years 5 & 6;
    • respect for their own bodies and the importance of sexual activity as part of a committed, long-term and loving relationship;
    • relationship issues;
    • respect for the views of other people;
    • sex abuse and what they should do if they are worried about any sexual matters.
  1. Context
  • 3.1 While sex education in our school means that we give children information about sexual behaviour, we do this with an awareness of the moral code and values which underpin all our work in school. In particular, we teach sex education in the belief that:
    • sex education should be taught in the context of family life and loving stable relationships;
    • sex education is part of a wider social, personal, spiritual and moral education process;
    • children should be taught to have respect for their own bodies;
    • children should learn about their responsibilities to others, and be aware of the consequences of sexual activity;
    • it is important to build positive relationships with others, involving trust and respect;
    • children need to learn the importance of self-control.
  1. Organisation
  • 4.1   We teach sex education through different aspects of the curriculum.While we carry out the main sex education teaching in our personal, social and health education (PSHCE) SRE curriculum, we also teach some sex education through other subject areas (for example, science and PE), where we feel that they contribute significantly to a child’s knowledge and understanding of his or her own body, and how it is changing and developing.
  • 4.2 In PSHCE we teach children about relationships, and we encourage children to discuss issues.
  • 4.3 In science lessons we follow the guidance material in the national scheme of work for science. At Key Stage 1 we teach children about how animals, including humans, move, feed, grow and reproduce, and we also teach them about the main parts of the body. Children learn to appreciate the differences between people and how to show respect for each other. In key Stage 2 we teach about life processes and the main stages of the human cycle in greater depth.
  • 4.4 In Year 5/6 we place a particular emphasis on health education, as many children experience puberty at this age and we explain to them about the parts of the body and how these work. A team will work together to deliver this aspect of the curriculum. This will include the School Nurse, class teachers and the Headteacher/PSHCE Co-ordinator. Parents will be informed beforehand when a series of lessons delivered by the School Nurse and teachers will take place.
  1. Parents/Carers
  • 5.1   The school is well aware that the primary role in children’s sex education lies with parents/carers and aims to build a positive and supporting relationship. To promote this objective the school will:
    • inform parents/carers about the school’s sex education policy and practice;
    • offer parent/carers the opportunity to see resources/DVD beforehand;
    • answer any questions that parents/carers may have about the sex education of their child;
    • take seriously any issue that parents raise with teachers or governors about this policy or the arrangements for sex education in the school;
    • inform parents/carers prior to sex education lessons about the best practice, so that the teaching in school supports the key messages that parents/carers give to children at home. We believe that children will benefit from being given consistent messages about their changing body and their increasing responsibilities.
  • 5.2 Parents/Carers have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of the sex education programme. This can be discussed beforehand with the Headteacher, so it is clear which aspects of the programme they do not wish their child to participate in.

The school always complies with the wishes of parents/carers in this regard. Any pupil not involved will be given work in another classroom and supervised.

  1. Confidentiality

Teachers and the school nurse conduct sex education lessons in a sensitive manner, and in confidence, however, if a child makes a reference to an issue which might be constructed as abuse, both will take the matter seriously and deal with it as a child protection/safeguarding issue. It will be reported to the Safeguarding Lead and recorded in the safeguarding file as per school safeguarding procedures. It will then be dealt with by the Headteacher in accordance to safeguarding procedures.

  1. Monitoring and Review

The Curriculum Committee of the governing body will monitor the Sex Education Policy and report findings or recommendations to the full governing body. The Curriculum Committee gives serious consideration to any comments from parents/carers about the sex education programme and makes a record of all such comments.

Sex Education Policy Version 10 Spring 2015