Dear Parents/Carers,

As a part of your child’s educational experience at Little Eaton Primary School, we aim to promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive taught programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education that gives children and young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthy, safe, productive and fulfilled lives, both now and in the future.

As you may already be aware, the Department for Education has announced changes to relationships and sex education following nationwide consultation. These changes came into effect from September 2020 and all schools will be required to comply with the updated requirements. Due to COVID 19 schools have been able to delay this until the summer term 2021. The statutory guidance can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education

The new guidance focuses on healthy relationships and keeping children safe in the modern world. It also covers a wide range of topics relating to physical and mental health, wellbeing, safeguarding and healthy relationships.

Learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up will give children and young people the information, skills and positive values to have safe, fulfilling relationships and help them take responsibility for their own well-being.

Therefore, we have been reviewing our RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) curriculum and policy so we can be sure our RSE provision is appropriate for our pupils based on their:

• Age
• Physical and emotional maturity
• Religious and cultural backgrounds
• Special educational needs and disabilities

As school community, we are currently in unprecedented times which makes it a little more challenging to consult with you. To help you understand the curriculum requirements, I have placed information on our website, in the form of a PowerPoint which I would encourage you to read.

This can be found below:

Useful Weblinks

https://www.lifeconnections.ie/post/5-dos-and-donts-of-conversations-with-your-children-resources

https://www.bigtalkeducation.co.uk/parents/how-to-talk-about-sex/

https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/talking-to-your-child-about-online-sexual-harassment-a-guide-for-parents/

Information for NSPCC 'PANTS' initiative

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/pants-underwear-rule/

Information for NSPCC Speak Out/Stay Safe initiative

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/services/speak-out-stay-safe

We follow the Twinkl PSHE scheme of work which covers all statutory requirements and provides a progressive, spiralling and age appropriate outline. The scheme can be adapted to ensure that specific needs are met within each cohort.

At Little Eaton Primary School we use a number of interventions to support our children's wellbeing, such as; positive play, lego therapy, colour therapy, talk time, safety bear and speech and language therapy. We have two nurture rooms where some of the interventions take place, it is also an area where a child can have quiet time with a supporting adult.

We work with external agencies and have provided online assemblies from the NSPCC Speak Out, Stay Safe initiative, supporting children to recognise different forms of abuse and how to respond should they feel they are worried about anything.

Year 5 will receive an assembly this week on becoming an 'Anti-Stigma/Wellbeing Ambassador' in the new academic year. Application forms will be given to those who are interested in applying to become an ambassador.

We use the NSPCC 'Talk PANTS' website in order to keep children safe from sexual abuse.  

As from September 2022 we began to use floor books to document our learning in PSHE. This is a great way to monitor coverage and progression and places more emphasis on discussion and practical learning rather than written outcomes. The examples given are those from Year 1, where the initiative was trialled.