As of September 2020, Relationships and Health Education for Key Stage 1 & 2 and; Relationships, Health and Sex Education for Key Stage 3 have become a statutory part of the school curriculum. Although Collingwood School and Media Arts College has always included the teaching of RSE in Science and PSHE lessons, this change from non-statutory to statutory has led to some slight alterations in our policy and organisation of our curriculum.

In the Summer term 2021, primary students will be taught Relationships and Health Education (RHE), with some elements of sex education appropriate to their understanding and needs. Secondary students will be taught Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE).

The PSHE and RHSE curriculum in primary will be delivered by class tutors, with additional drop down days scheduled to address more sensitive topics. The science lead, Mrs McCarthy and PSHE lead, Ms McStea, will be planning and running the drop down days.

Due to the fact that some lesson content may be considered sensitive and that you may wish to have conversations with your children regarding the content prior to their lessons, there is an information leaflet that breaks down the program into weekly themes. You can access the program and school policy in the Downloads section below. 

Our planning, delivery and approach have taken into account the specific needs of our pupils. We follow the Jigsaw Program for PSHE and RHSE, which provides up to date guidance and resources and allows for flexibility within year groups. The resources are child friendly, clear and accessible.

The DFE guidance states that “the sex education program will be tailored to the age and the physical and emotional maturity of the pupils. It should ensure that both boys and girls are prepared for the changes that adolescence brings”.

Years 11, 12 and 13 will be accessing the curriculum later in the summer term in the form of a week-long suspended timetable, this will allow staff to bridge the gaps in their learning and prepare them for moving towards adulthood. They will be provided with a safe space to ask questions and discuss worries. We will be running workshops with support from outside partners.