Relationships and Sex Education – Secondary

High-quality RSE helps young people develop the knowledge, confidence, and decision-making skills needed to stay safe and thrive.

Effective RSE is delivered through a planned, age-appropriate curriculum that builds knowledge and skills over time. Learning should be sequenced across year groups, allowing pupils to revisit key themes and develop their understanding as they mature.

Secondary schools are required to have a policy on RSE. Schools must consult parents in developing and reviewing their policy. Schools should ensure that the policy meets the needs of pupils and parents/carers and reflects the community they serve. The policy must be made available to parents/carers on the school’s website. Maintained schools in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough may contact the PSHE Service via email on [email protected] for a policy model and support.

Schools should also consult with parents/carers about the definition of Sex Education, taking into account the requirements of other statutory areas e.g. Science. Schools should ensure that that the right to withdraw their child from sex education is clearly communicated.

Guidance on teaching Relationships Education for Primary and Secondary Schools 

PSHE Education lesson plans

Key principles for answering students’ questions include:

• Acknowledge the question and give the message that it is okay to ask.
• Avoid leaving the child with the impression that we are flustered, as this will reduce the likelihood of them asking questions in the future.
• Check out the context of the child’s question before answering
• Buy some time, but then make sure you get back to the child.
• Check the child understands
• Ask for guidance from a colleague.

Ensure that sharing personal information by adults, pupils or their families is discouraged. Where the question indicates the need for pastoral support, the conversation should be deferred to a time outside the teaching session and other colleagues may be involved. Where a question or comment from a pupil in the classroom indicates the possibility of abuse, coercion or exploitation, teachers must pass this information to their DSL in line with Safeguarding policy.

RSE in secondary will cover a range of topics, including topics related to abusive behaviour. While teaching children how to stay safe, including online, teachers should be clear that being a victim of abuse is never the fault of the child or young person.

Different forms of abuse should be addressed sensitively and clearly at appropriate ages.

For pupils who are experiencing or have experienced unhealthy or unsafe relationships, including at home, schools have an important role as a place of consistency and safety where pupils can find support.

Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance

The HPV Education Pack has been co-produced by young people and researchers from the University of Bristol and London school of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. It is aimed at year 8 students before they have the vaccine but could support other years too. It includes lesson plans, video and activity resources and meets statutory Health Education requirements to ensure students know about:

• personal hygiene,
• germs including bacteria,
• viruses, how they spread
• treatment and prevention of infection
• antibiotics
• the facts and science relating to immunisation and vaccination.

The resource pack may be particularly useful for areas of low uptake.

HPV Vaccine Resource pack