Teaching Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is an essential part of your child’s curriculum as they move through school. At Highlees our main aim is to provide an effective, age-appropriate PSHE and RSHE education that meets the needs of all our pupils within an inclusive and supportive learning environment. We are completely committed to giving your children the skills, knowledge and values necessary, so they can be successful to live and learn safely in the modern world.

RSHE at Highlees, will be taught using the PSHE Jigsaw Scheme that enables pupils to build on their prior learning by revisiting some themes to further develop knowledge, values and skills in an age appropriate way.  Some of these themes are repeated as children move through the school to enable a deeper exploration of the related issues.

The Jigsaw programme that we follow at Highlees, helps us develop our understanding of ours and others emotions, social skills and awareness, thoughtfulness and spiritual development in a cohesive, comprehensive and creative way. Every class from EYFS to Year 6 have lessons that promotes these very important aspects of their learning. The lessons are supported by video clips, PowerPoint presentations and class discussions, which are carried out in a sensible, caring and nurturing environment. Please look at the attached PowerPoint document (with audio) — 'The Parent Overview of RSHE at Highlees Primary' — for more information.

The whole school follows the same theme every half-term pitched at the appropriate level for the classes age and maturity. These themes are:-

Being Me in My World – Autumn 1

Celebrating Difference – Autumn 2

Dreams and Goals – Spring 1

Healthy Me – Spring 2

Relationships – Summer 1

Changing Me (RSHE Unit) – Summer 2

The vast majority of RSHE is compulsory. There is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education or Health Education. Parents and carers are only able to request that their child is excused from Sex Education, taught outside the national curriculum for science.

If a parent wishes for their child to be excused from some or all of the non-statutory Sex Education, they should discuss this with Mr Venables, making it clear which aspects of the programme they do not wish their child to participate in.