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Charles Darwin School

The Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) programme

Charles Darwin School (CDS) Programme

The CDS RSE Curriculum is delivered in Relationships and Sex (RSE) education lessons within: -

  1. The personal development programme (RSE curriculum shown below)
  2. The drama curriculum
  3. The tutorial programme
  4. The assembly and visiting speaker/organisation programme

In the year 2021-2022 CDS piloted the RE:SET project with the Arts charity Tender to become a Healthy Relationship Champion school. This status is held for three years.

Our 2023 Ofsted visit noted how our students were aware of the key features of the RSE curriculum and across the school, having embedded this curriculum we have seen decreased reports of harassment.

Our students have asked for more input from specialist external visitors.

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

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.

This will help pupils understand the positive effects that good relationships have on their mental wellbeing, identify when relationships are not right and understand how such situations can be managed.

Effective RSE does not encourage early sexual experimentation. It should teach young people to understand human sexuality and to respect themselves and others. It enables young people to mature, build their confidence and self-esteem and understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity. Effective RSE also supports people, throughout life, to develop safe, fulfilling and healthy sexual relationships at the appropriate time.

The aim of the programme is to equip Charles Darwin Students with the information needed to help students 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. Later in school life it will also cover contraception, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex and also not applying pressure. It should teach what acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in relationships is.

The overall aim is to help students understand the positive effects that good relationships have on mental wellbeing, identify when relationships are not right and understand how such situations can be managed.

We teach inclusively and professionally as laid out in part 2 of the teaching standards:

Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by: 

  • treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
  • having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others
  • not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
  • ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.

In each RSE session the resources will make reference to previous learning, in order to revisit and extend student understanding, building from existing schemata using age appropriate scenarios.

RSE Curriculum 2023-2024

 

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

 

Intent:

Develop knowledge of the qualities of positive relationships from KS2.

-Focus on friendships and family

 

Intent:

Revisit the qualities of positive friendships

Develop knowledge of consent and boundaries from Y7

Begin to understand the positive and negative impacts of unhealthy relationships on individuals.

 

Intent:

Revisit boundaries, consent and the law in relationships.

Apply knowledge of characteristics of positive relationships to new scenarios

Evaluate behaviours and develop knowledge of  appropriate actions to avoid or help the negative impact of unhealthy relationships

Intent:

Develop age appropriate real life examples of RSE.

Lesson 1

To identify different types of relationships

To explore family relationships and commitment

 

 

Explore family Diversity and parenting

 

Drop Session:

The effect of alcohol addiction on relationships

Lesson 2

To describe positive friendship attributes.

To explore trust, respect, honesty, kindness, generosity, boundaries, privacy AND consent and consider how they impact on feelings.

 

To explore challenges and responsibilities in a family.

The impact of our relationships: To explore healthy and unhealthy relationships and their impact on well-being.
To develop strategies to manage conflict.

Drop Session:
Exploring song lyrics and communication skills in relationships.

Lesson 3

To explore what abusive situations are and consider what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like.

 

Managing disputes in family relationships.

To explore what abusive situations look like online and how to get help.

 

 

Drop session: stalking

Lesson 4

To explore communication skills.

Boundaries and consent.

To explore boundaries in relationships and the impact of boundary crossing.

To practice giving and hearing consent. To reflect on the impact of non- consensual actions.

 

To consider the impact of the online world on our mental health and practice reaching out for help.

 

 

Lesson 5

To identify a range of strong emotions and how to help overcome difficult feelings*particularly online.

Relationships and social media. To describe the impact of a stable family and the impact of social media on perceptions.

To manage unhealthy communication in group chats.

 

 

Lesson 6

To summarise and review learning and identify next steps in RSE

Body Image and self esteem.

 

To summarise and review learning and identify next steps in RSE.

To consider perceptions of romantic relationships.

 

RSE Curriculum 2022-2023

 

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

 

Intent:

Develop knowledge of the qualities of positive relationships from KS2.

-Focus on friendships and family.

 

Intent:

Revisit the qualities of positive friendships.

Develop knowledge of consent and boundaries from Y7.

Begin to understand the positive and negative impacts of unhealthy relationships on individuals.

 

Intent:

Revisit boundaries, consent and the law in relationships.

Apply knowledge of characteristics of positive relationships to new scenarios.

Evaluate behaviours and develop knowledge of appropriate actions to avoid or help the negative impact of unhealthy relationships

Lesson 1

To describe positive friendship attributes.

To identify healthy and unhealthy friendship behaviours.

To describe the impact of these behaviours on relationships.

 

Breck Bednar: To evaluate online relationships.

 

Lesson 2

To identify different types of relationships.

To explore how consent can be given.

 

To practice giving and hearing consent.

 

To reflect on the impact of non- consensual actions.

 

To develop knowledge of equality and the law in relationships.

Lesson 3

To explore equality and the law in relationships.

 

To identify different types of relationships.

To describe the impact of stable relationships.

 

To explore unhealthy relationships and their impact on well-being.
To develop strategies to manage conflict.

Lesson 4

To develop knowledge of consent and strategies to manage conflict.

To explore boundaries in relationships and the impact of boundary crossing.

 

To identify and manage harmful behaviours in family relationships.

 

Lesson 5

To develop knowledge of healthy boundaries and strategies to maintain these.

*particularly online

To describe and explain the impact of positive interactions on relationships.

 

To identify and manage harmful behaviours in relationships.

 

Lesson 6

To summarise and review learning and identify next steps in RSE.

To explore the purpose of family and its impact on wellbeing.

 

To summarise and review learning and identify next steps in RSE.

Lesson 7

n/a

To explore body image, the importance of self-respect and self-worth and how we can have positive and healthy friendships, in person and online.

n/a

Lesson 8

n/a

To summarise and review learning and identify next steps in RSE.

n/a