Sex Education
Chelmer Valley High School - Policy for Sex Education
Aims
• To enable students to develop a personal moral code.
• To increase students' understanding about the physical, emotional and social aspects of human relationships.
• To develop attitudes of tolerance towards the religious, cultural and moral values of others in relation to family organisation and sex-related issues.
• To complement the parental role in educating students on sexual matters.
• To ensure students are confident regarding their growing maturity and personal health.
• To foster in students a sense of individual responsibility towards their community and society.
Objectives
• To provide current information about physical human growth, development and reproduction.
• To provide information about the laws relating to sexual behaviour.
• To provide information about health-related issues, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.
• To provide relevant information about agencies offering help on sexual and health issues.
• To provide opportunities for understanding the nature of relationships and responsible attitudes towards them.
• To promote awareness of gender stereotyping and the problems this poses.
• To promote sensitive and responsible behaviour in personal and social relationships.
• To provide the sex education policy to parents and advise them of their right to withdraw their child.
Implementation
The biological aspects of reproduction are taught to all students during Science lessons at Key Stage 3 and 4 according to National Curriculum requirements. Alongside this, The Essex Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) program provides the cornerstone for the delivery of Sex Education.
Resources will be supplied from bodies as recommended by Essex County Council and the local Health Promotion body.
Delivery of the sex education programme will be to all year groups by tutors, teachers and qualified personnel including Health Authority staff and outside agencies, where appropriate, during PSHE lessons, Science lessons and assemblies.
Tutors are asked to deliver SRE to their tutor groups as the close relationship tutors have with their form is helpful. In instances where the tutor does not feel comfortable with teaching the lesson content, they can be supported by healthcare professionals during the lesson, or have the option of opting-out to be replaced by volunteer teachers. Staff training will be offered to all staff delivering sex education.
Sex education will be taught in context, suitable to the age and development of the students according to the schemes of work and National Curriculum requirements.
Management and Co-ordination
The Student Safety and Welfare Coordinator has the responsibility of planning and coordinating the programme content.
Tutors and teaching staff have a responsibility to deliver the agreed schemes of work, using appropriate resources which are regularly evaluated, both by staff and by students using monitoring sheets. This evaluation will form the basis of future planning and provision. New opportunities for methods of delivery will be actively sought. Students will have input into the curriculum following responses to monitoring and evaluations.
Related issues
Confidentiality
• Both staff and students must respect the privacy of others.
• Ground rules during SRE lessons state that no personal questions or remarks should be made to teachers or students.
• Where appropriate students should be advised to discuss issues with parents and qualified professional agencies.
• The giving of contraceptive advice to individual students is inappropriate to a teacher's professional responsibilities. Students can receive advise and information about contraception from the School Nurse.
• In circumstances where a teacher feels a student's conduct could be placing them at moral or physical risk or in breach of the law, the teacher will ensure they make the student aware of that risk and where they can receive advice. The member of the Senior Management Team responsible will be informed. In these circumstances, students should be aware the disclosure may need to be passed on to another responsible authority.
• In cases of suspected child abuse, the Named Person will be informed and procedures followed according to Southend, Essex & Thurrock procedures.
Parental Rights
• Parents have the right to withdraw their students from the SRE element of sex education only on written application to the school.
• A letter will be issued detailing the programme of study every academic year, giving parents the opportunity to discuss issues arising with the Student Safety and Welfare Coordinator, Mr Michael Hyde.
• The biological aspects taught during Science lessons as part of the National Curriculum are compulsory.
Support
• Support for any member of the school community, infected or affected by HIV or other sexually transmitted infections, will be in accordance with current Health & Safety at Work regulations, with guidance from health professionals.
• Relevant documents on file include PSHE Schemes of Work, Government and Local Authority guidelines and National Curriculum documents.
