Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) 2026

We want all children at Bearpark Primary School to grow up healthy, happy, safe and confident, and to be well prepared for the opportunities and challenges of life in modern Britain. Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) plays an important role in supporting children to achieve this.

RSHE is a statutory part of the primary curriculum and equips children with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to:

• Build positive, respectful relationships
• Look after their physical and mental wellbeing
• Keep themselves safe, including online
• Make informed and responsible choices as they grow

The world our children are growing up in is very different from that of previous generations. RSHE has been updated to reflect modern life, ensuring learning is relevant, age-appropriate and supportive of children’s personal development.

RSHE is….

friendships, self-confidence, consent, respect, different families, online safety, keeping safe, communication skills, growing and changing, feelings and emotions, taking care of ourselves and others, healthy relationships

Communication with parents and carers in regard to RSHE is vital in ensuring your child receives high quality RSHE. We want to support all parents and carers to have conversations at home about relationships and sex education and Health Education (Physical and Mental Well-being). We recognise that as parents you are the prime educators.

What RSHE Includes

RSHE covers a wide range of learning that helps children understand themselves, others and the world around them, including:

• Friendships and relationships
• Respect, manners, kindness and consent
• Self-confidence and emotional wellbeing
• Feelings and emotions
• Different types of families
• Communication skills
• Online safety and keeping safe
• Growing and changing- puberty
• Taking care of ourselves and others
• Healthy relationships
• Coping with loss
• Healthy bodies and minds
• Safety
• Personal space and privacy
• Physical health and fitness
• Drugs, alcohol, tobacco and vaping
• Basic first aid

At Bearpark Primary, we deliver the content in a way that is age and developmentally appropriate and sensitive to the needs and religious background of our pupils.

Consultation with Parents and Carers              Our Policy RSHE Policy

(We will be consulting with parents/carers in March 2026 and will share the findings here)

We consult with parents and carers to ensure our RSHE provision meets the needs of our school community.

In the latest questionnaire 2024:

• 81% of parents/carers were aware that RSHE is a statutory part of the curriculum
• 90% knew that primary schools are required to teach sex education and that parents have the right to request withdrawal
• 96% stated they did not require additional support regarding RSHE

One parent requested clearer information about what is taught in each year group. This information is available below.

Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

Strong communication with parents and carers is essential to the successful delivery of RSHE. We recognise and value that parents and carers are the prime educators of their children, particularly in matters relating to relationships and health.

We aim to:

• Keep parents informed about what is taught and when
• Support parents to have meaningful conversations at home
• Respond openly to questions or concerns

Parents have the right to request that their child is withdrawn from sex education (not relationships or health education). Any such requests will be discussed sensitively with school leaders.

IMPLEMENTATION 2026

Statutory Guidance from September 2026

Relationships_education_relationships_and_sex_education__RSE__and_health_education__for_intro_1_September_2026_

What will children learn in RSHE?

Children learn about Relationships, Sex and Health at home, from siblings, you tube, family members, films, playing in the community and overhearing older friends.

In school, we teach RSHE in an age-appropriate way.  PSHCE MTP LTP 2026-8

How is it taught?

RSHE is taught through our PSHCE curriculum and is carefully planned to ensure progression and coverage across the school. There are topics which overlap with Science, PE and Computing. There are often times when incidents arise and these can be used as a teaching point.

How do we keep children safe, including online?

Please read our safeguarding policy. Safeguarding Policy – Sept 25

We use the NSPCC Pants assembly and workshops (Autumn 2025) https://www.nspcc.org.uk/advice-for-families/pants-underwear-rule/

We use the NSPCC Speak Out Stay Safe Programme (Autumn 2025) https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/services/speak-out-stay-safe

Safer Internet Day

We have an online safety policy Online Safety Policy September 2025

Emotional Wellbeing Support

We have trained staff supporting emotional check-ins

We have a EWEL counsellor in school every week, working with groups and individuals

Health Support

Use this link to access health support and advice from the school nursing team and health visitor https://hdftchildrenshealthservice.co.uk/ourservice/growing-healthy-0-25-durham/

• Pregnancy and transition into parenthood
• Infant feeding/ specialist breast feeding support
• Growth and nutrition
• Healthy eating
• Dental health
• Development
• Behaviour
• Accident prevention
• Safe sleeping
• Speech and language development
• Immunisations
• Common childhood illness/infection
• Safeguarding
• Postnatal depression and emotional wellbeing
• Parenting

Pride in EDI

Throughout the year, we aim to embed and normalise the protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act 2010 within our everyday school life. This is reflected through lessons, assemblies, school events, newsletters and wider school culture.

The protected characteristics include:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender
• Gender identity
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation