Updated and reviewed by the Directors' Curriculum & Progress Committee: 7 November 2017
Approved by the Board of Directors: 28 November 2017
Background
SRE is about the emotional, social and cultural development of pupils, and involves learning about relationships, sexual health, sexuality, healthy lifestyles, diversity and personal identity. SRE involves a combination of sharing information, and exploring issues and values. SRE is not about the promotion of sexual activity.
As a Church of England academy, we are required by our funding agreements to have regard to guidance issued by the secretary of state as outlined in section 403 of the Education Act 1996. Please see the School’s funding agreement and articles of association for further information. At Bishop Luffa School, we teach SRE as set out in this policy, which also is based on the “Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) Policy Guidance for Church of England Schools” published by the Diocese of Chichester in May 2011.
This policy reflects the Christian ethos of Bishop Luffa School – the Christian beliefs, values and attitudes of the school community with an emphasis on the importance of marriage, the family and stable relationships to build a child’s self-esteem, self-awareness and a sense of moral responsibility. The policy also reflects the school’s vision as a church school which permeates the life and work of the school.
1. Aims
The aims of sex and relationship education at our school are to:
- Reflect the Christian ethos of the School
- Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place
- Prepare pupils for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene
- Help pupils develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy
- Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships
- Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies
2. The three main elements of our Sex and Relationships Education Policy
i. Attitudes and values
- Learning the importance of values, individual conscience and moral considerations
- Learning the value of family life, marriage, and stable and loving relationships for the nurture of children
- Learning the value of respect, love and care
- Exploring, considering and understanding moral dilemmas
- Developing critical thinking as part of decision-making
ii. Personal and Social skills
- Learning to manage emotions and relationships confidently and sensitively
- Developing self-respect and empathy for others
- Learning to make choices based on an understanding of difference and with an absence of prejudice
- Developing an appreciation of the consequences of choices made
- Managing conflict
- Learning how to recognise and avoid exploitation and abuse
iii. Knowledge and understanding
- Learning and understanding physical development at appropriate stages
- Understanding human sexuality, reproduction, sexual health, emotions and relationships
- Learning about contraception and the range of local and national sexual health advice, contraception and support services
- Learning the reasons for delaying sexual activity, and the benefits to be gained from such delay
- The avoidance of an unplanned pregnancy
3. Staff Training
Staff are trained on the delivery of SRE as part of their induction and it is included in our continuing professional development calendar. We also invite occasional visitors from outside the school, such as school nurses or sexual health professionals, to provide support and training to staff teaching SRE.
4. The Teaching and Learning of the SRE programme
| Year 7 | Science |
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| P4C |
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| Year 8 | P4C |
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| Year 9 | P4C |
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| Year 10 | RE |
GCSE Unit on Issues of relationships including focus on:
GCSE Unit on Issues of Life and Death, including focus on Abortion (in liaison with Options crisis pregnancy centre who usually visit all Year 10 RE classes) GCSE Unit on Issues of Human rights including focus on Prejudice and Discrimination |
| Science |
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| P4C |
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| Year 11 | RE |
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| Science |
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| P4C |
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| Year 12 | P4C |
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| Year 13 | P4C |
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NB: Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of the SRE provided by the school, except for those statutory parts included in the National Curriculum. If parents/carers want to exercise this right, they should discuss this with their child’s Head of House and take appropriate action. A copy of withdrawal requests will be placed in the pupil’s educational record. We will make alternative arrangements for the child in such cases.
5. Roles and responsibilities
The Board of Directors
The Directors’ Curriculum and Progress Committee will recommend the SRE policy’s ratification by the Board of Directors, and hold the Headteacher to account for its implementation.
The Headteacher
The Headteacher is responsible for:
- Ensuring that SRE is taught consistently across the school, in line with the Aims (see section 1)
- Managing requests to withdraw pupils from non-statutory components of SRE (see Section 5)
Staff
Staff are responsible for:
- Delivering SRE in a sensitive way, in line with the Aims (see section 1)
- Modelling positive attitudes to SRE in line with the Christian Ethos of the school
- Monitoring progress
- Responding to the needs of individual pupils
- Responding appropriately to pupils whose parents wish them to be withdrawn from the non-statutory components of SRE
A dedicated team of staff is appointed to teach the P4C programme, who monitor pupils’ development in understanding. The team is led by the member of staff in charge of P4C who monitors the delivery of SRE.
Staff teaching in other areas (Science and RE) do not have the right to opt out of teaching SRE. Staff who have concerns about teaching SRE are encouraged to discuss this with the Headteacher.
Pupils
Pupils are expected to engage fully in SRE and, when discussing issues related to SRE, treat others with respect and sensitivity.
Updated and reviewed by the Directors’ Curriculum & Progress Committee on 7 November 2017
Approved by the Board of Directors on 28 November 2017