Relationships and Sex Education at Wolvercote Primary

‘The aim of RSE is to give young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds, not just intimate relationships. It should enable them to know what a healthy relationship looks like and what makes a good friend, a good colleague and a successful marriage or other type of committed relationship.  It should also cover contraception, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex (and not applying pressure). It should teach what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in relationships.’

(DfE Guidance, p25)

At Wolvercote, we take a positive and affirmative approach to ensure that RSE is inclusive of, and helpful to, all children and all cultures. It is based upon the knowledge of, and sensitivity towards, the needs of individual children and groups taking account of maturity, gender, culture and special educational needs and disability (SEND). If children are to have good relationships, they need to understand their own feelings and motivations, their attitudes and beliefs and the impact they have on others. They need to respect other people’s beliefs and to respect similarities and differences so long as these differences do not impact on the rights of others. The school will provide an environment which is safe, supportive and respectful. 

To meet the aims outlined in the DfE Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education Guidance, we will equip our children to build positive relationships online and offline. We seek to ensure our curriculum gives children the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will help them to:

• value their health, wellbeing and dignity
•  build self-esteem and self-worth
• accept and value their personal identity and the personal identities of others
•  understand and make sense of the real-life issues they are experiencing in the world around them
•  manage and explore difficult feelings and emotions
• consider how their choices affect their own wellbeing and that of others
• develop as informed and responsible citizens
• understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.

High quality, comprehensive RSE does not encourage early sexual experimentation but in fact builds young people’s confidence and self-esteem and helps them understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity.

Evidence shows¹ that effective RSE plays a role in behaviour change, including reducing unprotected or unwanted sex and reducing harmful behaviour, including sexual harassment and sexual violence.