Our RSHE provision is part of our Life Skills Curriculum and is covered primarily through our core theme of ‘relationships’. There are also specific references within our other core theme of ‘Health and Wellbeing’ and wider links to our final core theme of ‘Living in the Wider World’. These core themes have been taken from the PSHCE Association guidance and adapted with a specific reference to Telford and Wrekin Safeguarding Partnership who have identified the following three areas within our local community:

1. Exploitation
2. Neglect
3. Domestic Violence and Abuse

The aim of RSHE is to provide balanced information about human reproduction, together with consideration of the broader emotional, ethical, religious, and moral dimensions of sexual health.

Our Life Skills programme meets the statutory requirements for curriculum coverage and aims to prepare all students for an adult life in which they can:

• develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour.
• have the confidence and self-esteem to value themselves and others and respect for individual conscience and the skills to judge what kind of relationship they want.
• understand the consequences of their actions and behave responsibly within sexual and non-sexual relationships.
• avoid being exploited or exploiting others or being pressured into unwanted or unprotected sex including violence in teenage relationships.
• understand the true meaning of consent.
• understand that sexually explicit material e.g. Pornography presents a distorted picture of sexual behaviour.
• communicate effectively by developing appropriate terminology/language for sex and relationship issues.
• develop awareness of their evolving sexuality and understand human sexuality; gender identity, challenge sexism and prejudice, which is inclusive of all young people.
• understand the arguments for delaying sexual activity.
• understand the reasons for having protected sex.
• have sufficient information and skills to protect themselves in a variety of situations including from exploitation, abuse and violence and uninvited/unwanted conceptions and sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
• be aware of sources of help for all young people and acquire the skills and confidence to access confidential health advice, support and treatment if necessary.
• know how the law applies to sexual relationships enthusiastic consent, sexting and e-safety.

Students will learn the about the value of relationships as a key component of society. The curriculum in place recognises the diversity of the Academy and is careful to recognise and include all students especially those with protected characteristics and Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities. Its links directly to our Equality Statement.

The curriculum is designed to ensure that content is delivered in an age-appropriate way, that it progressively builds upon components of knowledge and gives students the greatest chance of students knowing more, being able to do more and remembering more. There is synergy with the intent of our curriculum as a whole and with the aims of our overall Personal Development /Life Skills programme.

We use the learning intentions recommended by the PSHCE Association to ensure full curriculum coverage but also to ensure that learning is suitable for the age and stage of all learners.

Our Tutor Time programme has a ‘PSHCE enhance’ component which means we can extend learning, support retrieval practice and respond to local and national events.

Our assembly programme also supports our overall values and aims.

The curriculum is developed with the direct involvement of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and SENDCo.

All students are entitled to receive RSE regardless of ability, gender, race, religious belief or grouping, based on the statutory expectation that all school should provide age appropriate RSE programme. DfE Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory Guidance (2019).

You can find more about our curriculum via our RSE Policy which has received input from staff, parents and Governors.