The School is committed to the teaching of Relationship Education. It will be taught as part of our Child Protection Programme.

be developmental and be 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; encourage awareness, respect and responsibility for oneself and others.

Concepts such as love, joy, anger, fear, hate, trust, respect, feelings and responses are difficult to describe but need to be explored.

Like other areas of health education, sex education is concerned not only with cognitive development but affective development.

People in my life - what they do for me and what I do for them.

My moods - feeling happy, sad.

Friendships.

Loss and mourning - a person, a pet.

Keeping safe - dangers I might come up against and saying no.

My body and other people’s bodies - similarities and differences.

The beginning of life - me, animals and plants.

Growth in people, animals and plants.

Ageing - how we know things are alive, dead, young or old.

Changes as we grow.

Different types of families.

Feelings in the family - love, jealousy.

What helps people to get along with each other - listening, sharing.

What makes me happy.

What I like or don’t like about other people.

What other people like or don’t like about me.

Keeping safe.

Caring for myself - hygiene, sleep, exercise.

People who help me to care for myself.

Inside my body - the functions of different parts.

Feelings - things which make me happy, sad, embarrassed, scared.

Difficult situations - teasing and bullying.

How new life begins; its birth and growth.

Family trees, where appropriate.

Keeping healthy, exercise and diet.

Friendships - who our friends are; making and losing friends.

Making decisions - influences on me and peer group pressure.

Keeping safe.

Lifestyles in the class and community - differences in others and how we feel about differences.

Decision making and risk taking.

Feelings about the future - changing schools, adolescence.

Families and how they behave - what members expect of each other.

Celebrations of birth, puberty, marriage and death in different cultures.

Expressing feelings and how we do this - being assertive and not bullying.

Differences and similarities in people.

Gender - what it is and what words describe it.

Body changes in me and others - why they are happening.

Things that go into my body that help and things that harm.

Messages about health and gender from television, films, books and newspapers.

Year Seven children will, in addition, have a programme of study based on the Health Education programme and supported by health professionals. Boys and girls will be split up for separate classes with the health professional, if required. We shall attempt to deal with questions in a sensitive, open, frank and matter of fact way. Parents may exempt children from these classes by letter.