Relationship and Sex Education

At The Featherstone Academy we believe that RSE is vital for the personal, social and emotional development of our pupils. It equips children and young people with the information, skills and values they need to have safe, respectful and enjoyable relationships and empowers them to take responsibility for their sexual health and well-being.

DFE Guidance for Secondary Schools

RSE is learning accurate and appropriate lifelong learning about physical, sexual, moral and emotional development. RSE equips young people with essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful and non-exploitative relationships and staying safe both on and offline. It involves acquiring information, knowing the law, developing skills and forming positive beliefs, values and attitudes.

The term relationships and sex education (RSE) – is used in this policy to stress that our approach goes beyond provision of biological information to also focus on clarifying attitudes and values, and developing self-esteem and the skills to manage and maintain relationships.

Our RSE programme aims to prepare students for an adult life in which they can:

Develop awareness of the physical self, how it functions and how changes occur over time.
Develop practical strategies for self-management of body actions such as menstruation, puberty and related physical changes.
Develop awareness of emotions and how they relate to behaviour of self and others.
Develop understanding of how physical changes can affect emotional responses (female & male hormonal changes) and to help pupils to self-manage these.
Develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour; have the confidence and self-esteem to value themselves and others and respect for individual conscience and the skills to judge what kind of relationship they want.
Develop awareness of the differing nature and levels of relationships and the codes of conduct relating to them.
Develop an awareness of different ‘life choices’ with regard to transitions from school and home in relation to the development of relationships as part of a wider context.
Develop awareness of codes of conduct governing sexual expression & sexuality, particularly in relation to understanding the concepts and implications of ‘public’ & ‘private’ behaviours.
Help pupils to develop strategies for ‘keeping safe’ and for protecting themselves against exploitation or abuse.
Have an understanding of the physical aspects of reproduction, contraception and sexual health as appropriate to age and cognitive ability of the individual pupil.
Communicate effectively by developing appropriate terminology for sex and relationship issues.
Develop awareness of themselves including their core beliefs and values, sexuality and opinions.
Be aware of sources of help and acquire the skills and confidence to access confidential health advice, support and treatment if necessary
Know how the law applies to a range of topic including alcohol, drugs, sex and consent.
To develop an understanding of how social networks/media portray body image and sexuality.
To develop knowledge of responses to peer pressure and peer on peer abuse.