Relationship, Sex and Health Education

What does Relationship Sex and Health Education (RSHE) cover?

Relationships Education in primary schools will cover ‘Families and people who care for me’, ‘Caring friendships’, ‘Respectful relationships’, ‘Online relationships’, and ‘Being safe’.

The new guidance states that by the end of primary school all children should know: ‘how to report concerns or abuse, and the vocabulary and confidence needed to do so’.

The new guidance states that Relationships Education should promote equal, safe and enjoyable relationships and be taught in a way which fosters LGBT and gender equality, in line with the Equalities Act 2010.

The Sex Education Forum define Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) as learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up, relationships, sex, human sexuality and sexual health. It should equip children and young people with the information, skills and positive values to have safe, fulfilling relationships, to enjoy their sexuality and to take responsibility for their sexual health and well-being.

"The right to education includes the right to sexual education, which is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realising other human rights, such as the right to health, the right to information and sexual and reproductive rights."

Report to the UN General Assembly - July 2010 | Item 69, paragraph 1

The vast majority of the RSE Curriculum is essential, however, there are some elements which parents/guardians have a right to opt out of. Please read this letter for further details:

RSE opt out letter for parents

Dear Parents/Carers,   

At Lickhill Primary School we use Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE, as our scheme of work to teach PSHE (Personal, Social, Health Education). The programme consists of 6 half-term units, each with 6 lessons. We call these Jigsaw ‘Puzzles’. (Being Me in My World, Celebrating Difference, Dreams and Goals, Healthy Me, Relationships and Changing Me).  

In the second half of the Summer Term we will be teaching the ‘Changing Me’ Puzzle. This helps children learn to cope positively with all sorts of change. In Key Stage 2 they will learn about puberty in this Puzzle.  In Key Stage 1 we introduce scientific terminology for body parts, including genitalia, partly for safeguarding reasons and partly to lay the foundations for learning about puberty later.  

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the statutory requirements placed on schools, and what we plan to teach when for this topic in PSHE this term.   

The government statutory guidance gives parents the right to request to withdraw their child from Sex Education, and this letter explains more about what Sex Education is and how you can find out more about this if you wish to.  

Health, Relationship and Sex Education   

Health and Relationship Education is statutory in all primary schools, and it is recommended that all primary schools have a Sex Education programme that is tailored to the age of the pupils.   

The Health and Relationship curriculum content is woven throughout the entire programme of Jigsaw, with a specific focus within the ‘Healthy Me’ and ‘Relationships’ Puzzles.  

In the Early Years and Key Stage 1, the focus is on life cycles, valuing our own bodies and learning some vocabulary for the external body parts, that we might use if we needed to talk to an adult such as a nurse or a doctor.  

In Key Stage 2,there is a particular focus on the Health Education element of puberty in (including menstruation) and the changes that happen inside and outside the body. This is taught in a way that helps pupils feel prepared for the main changes that happen before puberty starts, and to encourage them to talk to an adult at home or at school if they have any questions.  

The right to withdraw  

As parents you have the right to withdraw your child from the non-statutory elements of our teaching. These will be the lessons on human reproduction. You are unable to withdraw your child from any lessons within Relationship or Health Education (this includes puberty and menstruation). If you do wish to withdraw your child from the human reproduction lessons, please contact Mrs Lloyd so we can discuss the implications this.   

What will my child be taught about puberty and human reproduction?  

The Jigsaw unit ‘Changing Me’ is taught in the Summer Term and contains 6 pieces (lessons). Each year group will be taught appropriate to their age and developmental stage. This content will be taught by the class/year teachers. We will not teach beyond the remit of the year group. If questions are asked that the teacher feels are inappropriate or are beyond the content for that year group, the teacher may ask the child to ask their parent/carer, or the teacher may acknowledge the question and explain that we will learn about that aspect at another time.   

The table below only covers the lessons (pieces) that relate to life cycles, the human body, puberty, and human reproduction.  The lessons (pieces) in Years 4,5 and 6 that parents can withdraw their children from are highlighted in bold font.                            

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Year group 

Piece (lesson) Number and Name  

Learning Intentions relating to Puberty and Human Reproduction 

Ages 4-5 

Reception  

 Piece 1- My Body 

I can name parts of the body.

Piece 3 – Growing Up 

 I understand that we all grow from babies to adults.

Ages 5-6 Year 1 

Piece 1 

Life Cycles 

I am starting to understand the life cycles of animals and humans

I understand that changes happen as we grow and that this is OK

Piece 2 

Changing Me 

I can tell you some things about me that have changed and some things about me that have stayed the same

I know that changes are OK and that sometimes they

Piece 3 My Changing Body 

I can tell you how my body has changed since I was a baby

I understand that growing up is natural and that everybody grows at different rates

Piece 4  

Boys’ and Girls’ Bodies  

 I can identify the parts of the body that make boys different to girls and can use the correct names for these: penis, testicles, vagina, vulva, anus

I respect my body and understand which parts are private

Ages 6-7 Year 2 

Piece 1 

Life Cycles in Nature 

I can recognise cycles of life in nature

I understand there are some changes that are outside my control and can recognise how I feel about this

Piece 2 Growing from Young to Old 

I can tell you about the natural process of growing from young to old and understand that this is not in my control

I can identify people I respect who are older than me

Piece 3 

The Changing Me 

I can recognise how my body has changed since I was a baby and where I am on the continuum from young to old

I feel proud about becoming more independent

Piece 4  

Boys’ and Girls’ Bodies 

I can recognise the physical differences between boys and girls, use the correct names for parts of the body (penis, testicles, vulva, anus, breast, nipples) and appreciate that some parts of the body are private

I can tell you what they like/don’t like about being a boy/girl

Ages 7-8 Year 3 

Piece 1  

How Babies Grow  

I understand that in animals and humans lots of changes happen from birth to fully grown, and that usually it is the female who has the baby

I can express how I feel when they see babies or baby animals

Piece 2  

Babies  

I understand how babies grow and develop in the mother’s uterus and understand what a baby needs to live and grow (New vocab – uterus /womb)

I can express how I might feel if they had a new baby in their family

Piece 3  

Outside Body Changes  

I understand that boys’ and girls’ bodies need to change so that when they grow up their bodies can make babies

I can identify how boys’ and girls’ bodies change on the outside during this growing up process (introduce term puberty)

Piece 4  

Inside Body Changes  

I can identify how boys’ and girls’ bodies change on the inside during the growing up process and why these changes are necessary so that their bodies can make babies when they grow up (introduce vocab sperm, ovaries, egg, Ovum/ Ova, womb/uterus, vagina and period)

I can recognise how I feel about these changes happening to me and know how to cope with these feelings  

Note – this lesson briefly introduces the term ‘period’ and explains what a period is in simple terms.   

This lesson does not attempt any explanation of how the sperm and egg come together. If a child asks the question we will explain that the male and female decide when this happens and we will learn more about it at another time.

Ages 8-9 

Year 4 

Piece 1 

Unique Me 

I understand that some of my personal characteristics have come from my birth parents and that this happens because I am made from the joining of their egg and sperm.

I appreciate that I am a truly unique human being

Piece 2  

Having A Baby

Parents have the right to withdraw children from this session as it is classed as human reproduction. 

I can correctly label the internal and external parts of male and female bodies that are necessary for making a baby and explain in simple terms how this happens

I understand that having a baby is a personal choice and express how they feel about having children when they are adults

Note: This is a simple introduction to sexual intercourse with the teacher using a script which includes ‘an especially close and loving embrace which allows the sperm to be released through the penis into the vagina.’.

Piece 3  

Puberty and Menstruation 

I can describe how a girl’s body changes in order for her to be able to have babies when she is an adult, and that menstruation (having periods) is a natural part of this

I have strategies to help me cope with the physical and emotional changes I will experience during puberty  

Note – teachers will also recap the puberty learning for both girls and boys from year 3 and revisit some of the content if required.

Age 9-10 

Year 5 

Piece 2  

Puberty for Girls 

I can explain how girls’ bodies change during puberty and understand the importance of looking after themselves physically and emotionally

I understand that puberty is a natural process that happens to everybody and that it will be OK for me

Piece 3  

Puberty for Boys 

I can describe how boys’ and girls’ bodies change during puberty

I can express how I feel about the changes that will happen to me during puberty

Piece 4 

Conception 

Parents have the right to withdraw children from this session as it is classed as human reproduction. 

I understand that sexual intercourse can lead to conception and that is how babies are usually made. I also understand that sometimes people need IVF to help them have a baby

I appreciate how amazing it is that human bodies can reproduce in these ways

Age 10-11 Year 6 

Piece 2  

Puberty  

I can explain how girls’ and boys’ bodies change during puberty and understand the importance of looking after yourself physically and emotionally

I can express how I feel about the changes that will happen to me during puberty

Piece 3  

Babies – Conception to Birth 

Parents have the right to withdraw children from this session as it is classed as human reproduction. 

 I can describe how a baby develops from conception through the nine months of pregnancy, and how it is born

I recognise how I feel when I reflect on the development and birth of a baby

Piece 4  

Attraction 

I understand how being physically attracted to someone changes the nature of the relationship

I can express how they feel about the growing independence of becoming a teenager and their confidence that they can cope with this

We are eager to work in partnership with parents so please get in touch if you would like to discuss this further.

Please be aware that your child may ask you questions about what they have learnt. There is a leaflet attached to this email which gives tips on how to talk to your child about puberty and human reproduction. There is also the Usborne series of growing up books  

(https://usborne.com/gb/books/series/growing -up) that you might find useful.   

We hope that the information we have provided is useful in understanding what your child will be learning this term.  

If you have any further questions, please contact the school office. 

Jigsaw content overview

How does Jigsaw cover the RSHE curriculum?

Pupils Should Know...

How Jigsaw provides the solution

Families and people who care for me

that families are important for children growing up because they can give love, security and stability.
the characteristics of healthy family life, commitment to each other, including in times of difficulty, protection and care for children and other family members, the importance of spending time together and sharing each other’s lives.
that others’ families, either in school or in the wider world, sometimes look different from their family, but that they should respect those differences and know that other children’s families are also characterised by love and care.

that stable, caring relationships, which may be of different types, are at the heart of happy families, and are important for children’s security as they grow up.
that marriage represents a formal and legally recognised commitment of two people to each other which is intended to be lifelong (Marriage in England and Wales is available to both opposite sex and same sex couples. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 extended marriage to same sex couples in England and Wales. The ceremony through which a couple get married may be civil or religious).
how to recognise if family relationships are making them feel unhappy or unsafe, and how to seek help or advice from others if needed.
about different types of bullying (including cyberbullying), the impact of bullying, responsibilities of bystanders (primarily reporting bullying to an adult) and how to get help.
what a stereotype is, and how stereotypes can be unfair, negative or destructive.
the importance of permission-seeking and giving in relationships with friends, peers and adults.

All of these aspects are covered in lessons within the Puzzles

Relationships
Changing Me
Celebrating Difference
Being Me in My World

Online Relationships

that people sometimes behave differently online, including by pretending to be someone they are not.
that the same principles apply to online relationships as to face-to-face relationships, including the importance of respect for others online including when we are anonymous.
the rules and principles for keeping safe online, how to recognise risks, harmful content and contact, and how to report them.
how to critically consider their online friendships and sources of information including awareness of the risks associated with people they have never met.
how information and data is shared and used online.

All of these aspects are covered in lessons within the Puzzles

Relationships
Changing Me
Celebrating Difference

Being Safe

what sorts of boundaries are appropriate in friendships with peers and others (including in a digital context).
about the concept of privacy and the implications of it for both children and adults; including that it is not always right to keep secrets if they relate to being safe.
that each person’s body belongs to them, and the differences between appropriate and inappropriate or unsafe physical, and other, contact.
how to respond safely and appropriately to adults they may encounter (in all contexts, including online) whom they do not know.
how to recognise and report feelings of being unsafe or feeling bad about any adult.
how to ask for advice or help for themselves or others, and to keep trying until they are heard,
how to report concerns or abuse, and the vocabulary and confidence needed to do so.
where to get advice e.g. family, school and/or other sources.

All of these aspects are covered in lessons within the Puzzles

Relationships
Changing Me
Celebrating Difference

If you have any further questions about our RSE offer, please email the school office.

Relationship, Sex and Health Education

RSE opt out letter for parents

Jigsaw content overview

How does Jigsaw cover the RSHE curriculum?

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