Dear Parents and Carers,

We are committed to providing a high-quality, inclusive and age-appropriate Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum that supports the wellbeing, safety and personal development of all our pupils.

The Department for Education (DfE) has set out updates to statutory RSHE guidance, which are scheduled to take effect from September 2026. As part of this, we are reviewing and refining our school’s RSHE Policy to ensure it continues to meet all statutory requirements, reflects best practice and aligns with our values as a Church School, while also fulfilling our responsibilities around safeguarding, equality and child protection.

 

Our Approach

We currently deliver RSHE and PSHE through the nationally recognised Coram Life Education – SCARF programme, which provides a structured, evidence-based framework for teaching children about:

• Health and wellbeing
• Relationships
• Safety (including online safety)
• Personal development

This programme supports us in offering a broad and balanced curriculum, rooted in our Christian ethos, while ensuring full compliance with DfE statutory guidance.

We also continue to work alongside organisations such as the NSPCC to support the delivery of important content around safer relationships and online safety, helping children understand how to stay safe and seek help when needed.

 

What Is Changing?

The upcoming 2026 updates to RSHE guidance aim to:

• Strengthen safeguarding elements, particularly around online safety and harmful content
• Ensure clearer guidance on age-appropriate teaching of sensitive topics
• Reinforce teaching about healthy relationships, consent and respect
• Provide greater clarity for schools on how to deliver RSHE in line with parental expectations and legal duties

As a school, we will ensure that all content is taught in a sensitive, age-appropriate way, supporting children’s understanding while respecting their developmental stage.

In line with the National Curriculum for Science, we will continue to teach the biological aspects of human reproduction in an objective and factual manner.

 

What Is Statutory and What Is Optional?

• Statutory (mandatory) content includes:
  • Relationships Education (for all primary pupils)
  • Health Education
  • Certain elements of sex education covered within the science curriculum (e.g. human reproduction)
• Non-statutory (optional) content:
  • Some additional aspects of sex education beyond the science curriculum
  • Schools may choose to include this to support children’s understanding, but parents have rights regarding this (see below)

 

Parental Consultation and Your Voice

We value your input and would like to invite you to take part in our consultation process.

You can:

Complete our feedback form via Microsoft Forms: Please contact the office for this link.
View examples of the RSHE curriculum and lesson materials (including SCARF planning) which are available in school.
Speak with staff – Mrs Truett and other staff members will be available to meet and discuss, content, concerns or queries. Please call to make an appointment or alternatively attend our open consultation drop-in sessions:
 

Monday 9am 6^th July – School Hall

Thursday 2.30pm 16^th July – School Hall

 

We welcome your thoughts on:

• The content being taught
• How topics are introduced
• Any areas you feel are particularly important

 

The students’ voice

We also believe it is important to include the voice of our pupils in shaping their learning. In an age-appropriate way, we will seek children’s views to ensure they feel listened to, valued, and connected to their RSHE curriculum. This helps us to tailor our approach so that content is relevant, engaging, and supportive of their needs, while maintaining appropriate boundaries and safeguarding considerations.

 

Our Approach and Right to Withdraw

As a school, we deliver statutory RSHE content, alongside the biological aspects of human development as set out in the National Curriculum for Science. This is taught in a way that is carefully considered to be age-appropriate and reflective of the values and needs of our school community.

If, following an assessed need within a particular cohort, we feel it would be beneficial to explore aspects of non-statutory content, we will always communicate this with parents and carers in advance, ensuring transparency and the opportunity for discussion.

Right to Withdraw
Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of the non-statutory sex education delivered as part of RSHE.

However:

• There is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education or Health Education
• There is no right to withdraw from statutory science content, including the biological aspects of reproduction

 

Working Together

We believe that strong partnerships between school and home are essential in helping children grow into safe, healthy and respectful individuals. Your feedback will help us ensure our RSHE provision meets the needs of our community while fulfilling our legal and safeguarding responsibilities. This consultation will continue until 31^st July.

Thank you for your continued support.

Warm regards,

 

Mrs Truett

Headteacher