Why teach Sex Education? The Government believes that all pupils should be offered the opportunity of receiving a comprehensive, well planned programme of Sex Education during their school careers, in fulfilment of the requirement of the statutory provisions set out in the Government document ‘Education Act 1993: Sex Education in Schools’. The school curriculum should be one which :­ a. promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and b. prepares such pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. Furthermore, certain aspects of Sex Education are a statutory requirement as part of the National curriculum Science Order. This states that pupils be taught :­ At Key Stage 1 ( 5 – 7 years ) ∙​
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identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the human body and say which part of the body is associated with each sense ∙​
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find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air) ∙​
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notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults At Key Stage 2 (7 – 11 years ) ∙​
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identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition, and that they cannot make their own food; they get nutrition from what they eat ∙​
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describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals. ∙​
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describe the changes as humans develop to old age. ∙​
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recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function ∙​
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recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to their parents Moreover the National Curriculum now incorporates a Framework for Personal, Social and Health Education. This has several strands to it, one of which is Sex Education. A good school Sex Education Policy will :­ ● Provide a secure framework for staff to work in. ● Make a public statement of the values the school is committed to and which will inform the Sex Education programme. ● Give information to parents about the programme so that they are aware of what will take place and will be aware of opportunities for involvement and consultation. ● Provide guidance for all staff (teaching and non­teaching) and outside visitors. ● Indicate a schools interpretation of all relevant legislation and practice issues. ● Ensures that everyone is clear who is responsible for what and the time scale for implementation. Aims of Our Programme We feel that the main aims of Sex Education within the Primary School are :­ ● To provide children with the opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding, explore attitudes and values, in a secure and comfortable atmosphere that enables questions and issues to be explored without embarrassment. ● To help children develop the skills they need to build their confidence. ● To encourage the children to think for themselves, make their own decisions and begin to take responsibility for their own actions. Our Objectives ● To stress the value of family life. ● To develop caring attitudes. ● To develop communication skills. ● To encourage children to share their thoughts and ideas. ● To give the children some experience of decision making. ● To help the children to understand and accept the differences and changes that are part of life. Moral and Values Framework The Sex Education programme will reflect the school ethos and demonstrate and encourage the following values :­ ● Respect for self. ● Respect for others. ● Responsibility for their own actions. ● Responsibility for their family, friends, school and wider community. Content Headings for School Sex Education The content of the Sex Education programme in school will meet the requirements of the statutory orders for Science and fit the Framework for Personal, Social and Health Education. Equal Opportunities It is important that children are given a broad, fair and balanced view of the world we live in. (see equal opportunities policy) Organisation of School Education Much of the Sex Education Programme will be taught in the broader context of the teaching of Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (P.S.H.C.E.) as part of a pupil’s life skills and preparation for adulthood. Children may work as individuals, in groups and in classes. Sometimes larger units such as year groups may be used, for example, as an audience to listen to a guest speaker, such as the School Nurse. Any controversial topics, which arise during the teaching of the programme, will be handled with sensitivity. Monitoring of the implementation of the document will be undertaken by the science Co­ordinator and Health Education Co­ordinator. The suitability and effectiveness of the policy shall be reviewed regularly, and how well the policy links with that of our main link High School when applicable. Resources Resources are stored centrally and in classrooms where appropriate. Specific Issues Statements As the area for Sex Education can be very sensitive, a number of issues may arise which will need to be addressed. Children may wish to speak to a teacher in private about a matter that is concerning them. Any issues raised will be dealt with in accordance with the Child Protection Policy. Any concerns about Child Sexual Abuse will be reported to the Child Protection Officer and the Headteacher and the guidelines set out by the L.E.A. will be adhered to. It is within the rights of the parent or guardian to withdraw their child from the Sex Education Programme. If this occurs the child will be accommodated within another class and provided with suitable work to do. If a parent or guardian wishes to make a complaint, the school will follow the L.E.A. grievance procedure. Use of Outside Speakers Health professionals are involved in the delivery of Sex Education and are co­ ordinated by the P.S.H.C.E. Co­ordinator and class teachers. Where outside speakers are involved, their contribution will be properly planned as part of an overall programme and will complement other teaching. The tone and substance of any input will match the age and maturity of the pupils involved. Teaching staff are always present when visitors are speaking. Parents are informed about the Programme of Study. An invitation is extended to any parent who wishes to discuss any issue. Parents are encouraged to come to school to help teach – by showing their bumps when pregnant, bringing in a new baby or in other ways. Dissemination of Policy A copy of this policy will be delivered to all the Governors and staff at Westcliff and is available for inspection from the school office. Debbie Kirkpatrick PSHCE co­ordinator Spring 2016