Sex Education Policy
Rationale
Sex Education is part of a wider role of health promotion, and is part of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. As part of its promotion of health, this school accepts the nine components of Health education set out in the LEA Health Education Guidelines; namely, Substance Use and Misuse (Drugs); Sex Education, Family Life Education, Safety, Health Related Exercise, Food and Nutrition, Personal Hygiene, Environmental Aspects and Psychological Aspects.Sex Education is concerned not only with biological facts and hygiene; it has moral, legal, cultural and ethnic dimensions. It does involve knowledge about how the human body functions, but it also involves feelings about love, sexuality and responsibility towards oneself and others. It should enable children to feel confident about relationships and to assert themselves as individuals, helping them to cope with emotions and feelings as well as physical changes. Back to top
Purposes
? To provide reassurance that body changes, physical and emotional are normal and acceptable.? To counter myths and misinformation - to examine opinions and encourage discussion.
? To inform children of the changes that male and female bodies undergo during puberty.
? To inform children what happens when sexual intercourse takes place.
? To explain that sexual intercourse can lead to pregnancy.
? To emphasise the role of sex within a stable loving relationship where care and respect are paramount.
? To encourage awareness, respect and responsibility to oneself and others. Back to top
Guidelines
Sex Education will;? Be developmental and appropriate to the age and stage of the child. Common starting levels cannot be assumed.
? Put forward factual knowledge and encourage the exploration of facts.
? Examine opinions and concepts and encourage discussion. Back to top
Methods
Sex Education uses the same range of good practice in teaching and learning as other areas of the curriculum. These include information given in whole or part class groups, Sex Education uses the same range of good practice in teaching and learning as other areas of the curriculum. These include information given in whole or part class groups, large and small group discussion, the use of videos, artefacts, and other audio visual aids, visiting speakers, visits out of school, individual reading, writing and investigation. Materials and methods will be differentiated wherever possible, to allow for effective learning by pupils of varying abilities. There will be a clear emphasis on the skill development of pupils, to enable them to make healthy choices. It will be delivered where practical through other areas of the curriculum, mainly Science and PSHE.All teachers are involved in Sex Education as part of their general teaching responsibilities, but it is managed and co-ordinated by a specific member of staff (co-ordinator) Back to top
A sequence for teaching Sex Education -
Reception/Year One? People in my life - how we help each other.
? My moods - feeling happy and sad.
? Friendships
? Keeping safe - good and bad touch, dangers and saying no.
? My body and other people?s bodies - similarities and differences.
? The beginning of life and growth - me, animals, plants.
Year Two
? Naming external parts of the body. What is inside the body?
? Changes as we grow, ageing, how we know things are alive or dead, old or young.
? Different types of families.
? Feelings - love and jealousy. What makes me happy?
? Getting along with others - listening, sharing. What we like or dislike about other people.
? Keeping safe.
? Caring for myself - hygiene, sleep, exercise. Keeping my body healthy.
Year Three/Year Four
? Feelings - what makes me happy, sad, embarrassed, scared?
? Difficult situations - bullying, teasing.
? How babies begin, how they are born, how they grow.
? Keeping our bodies healthy - exercise and diet.
? Friendships - who our friends are, how we make and lose friends.
? Making decisions - influences and peer pressure.
? Keeping safe.
Year Five/ Year Six
? Body changes - what are they and why are they happening?
? Feelings about the future - changing schools, adolescence.
? Families and how they behave - what members expect of each other.
? Expressing feelings and how we do this - being assertive, not bullying.
? Differences and similarities in people.
? Messages about health and sexuality from television, films, books and newspapers.
? Decision making and risk taking. Back to top
Resources
The Sex Education units will be taught as follows: Unit One of ?Living and Growing? (Channel 4) to Year 2 every summer term. Unit 2 to Years 3 and 4 every 2 years, and Unit 3 to Years 5 and 6 every 2 years, ensuring that every child is taught age appropriate material, and that progression is achieved.Boys and girls will watch the programmes together, and discuss them either together or in single sex groups as appropriate. There will be a separate session for the older girls with our School Health Sister dealing with menstruation. We shall attempt to deal with questions in a sensitive, open and frank way. Questions concerning homosexuality, sexually transmitted diseases and contraception will be answered if raised by the pupils.
Before the programmes are seen by the children parents will have the opportunity to view them and comment on the content. Parents wishing to withdraw their children from Sex Education will be encouraged to discuss with the class teacher the impact the withdrawal may have on their child.
Policy reviewed by co-ordinator June 2004 Back to top