Defining Relationship and Health Education (RHE)

The Department for Education guidance on Relationships Education states that “children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way”. Relationship Education is about the development of the pupil’s knowledge and understanding of her or him as a sexual being, about what it means to be fully human, called to live in right relationships with self and others and being enabled to make moral decisions in conscience.  In primary schools the focus should be on “teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other children and with adults.” This would include the topics of families and the people of who care for me, caring friendships, respectful relationships, online relationships and being safe. 

The DfE guidance on Health Education  states that the aim of teaching pupils about physical health and mental wellbeing is to give them the information that they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. It should enable them to recognise what is normal and what is an issue in themselves and others and, when issues arise, know how to seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources.

Statutory Curriculum Requirements

We are legally required to teach those aspects of RHE which are statutory parts of National Curriculum Science. However, the reasons for our inclusion of RHE go further.

I have come that you might have life and have it to the full’ (Jn.10.10)

 

We are involved in RHE precisely because of our Christian beliefs about God and about the human person. The belief in the unique dignity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God underpins the approach to all education in a Catholic school. Our approach to RHE therefore is rooted in the Catholic Church’s teaching of the human person and presented in a positive framework of Christian ideals.

 

At the heart of the Christian life is the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit in communion, united in loving relationship and embracing all people and all creation. As a consequence of the Christian belief that we are made in the image and likeness of God, gender and sexuality are seen as God’s gift, reflect God’s beauty, and share in the divine creativity. Relationships Education therefore, will be placed firmly within the context of relationship as it is there that sexuality grows and develops.

 

Following the guidance of the Bishops of England and Wales and as advocated by the DfE,  RHE is firmly embedded in the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) framework as it is concerned with nurturing human wholeness and integral to the physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, social and intellectual development of pupils. It is centred on Christ’s vision of being human as good news and will be positive and prudent, showing the potential for development, while enabling the dangers and risks involved to be understood and appreciated.

 

All Relationships Education will be in accordance with the Church’s moral teaching. It will emphasise the central importance of marriage and the family whilst acknowledging that all pupils have a fundamental right to have their life respected whatever household they come from and support will be provided to help pupils deal with different sets of values.

 

Values and virtues

Our programme enshrines Catholic values relating to the importance of stable relationships, marriage and family life. It also promotes those virtues which are essential in responding to the God’s call to love others with a proper respect for their dignity and the dignity of the human body. The following virtues will be explicitly explored and promoted: faithfulness, fruitfulness, chastity, integrity, prudence, mercy and compassion.

 

Aim of RHE and the Mission Statement

Our Mission Statement commits us to the education of the whole child and we believe that RHE is an integral part of this education. Furthermore, we endeavour to raise pupils’ self-esteem, help them to grow in knowledge and understanding, recognise the value of all persons and develop caring and sensitive attitudes. It is in this context that we commit ourselves, in partnership with parents, to provide children and young people with a positive and prudent sexual education which is compatible with their physical, cognitive, psychological, and spiritual maturity,key stage phases and rooted in a Catholic vision of education and the human person.

 

RHE Scheme of Work: Life to the Full Plus

Children have a dedicated RHE lesson every week, which follows the programme “Life to the Full Plus” by Ten Ten, a model Catholic RHE programme endorsed by the Catholic  Education Service. This programme provides planning and resources from Foundation Stage through to Year 6 and fully integrates the PSHE curriculum. 

Online Parent Portal

In addition there is an online parent platform so that you, as parent and carers, can view the teaching materials, engage with the teaching and deepen the experience for your child. To access the online parent platform please visit: www.tentenresources.co.uk/parent-portal

School username:     st-mary-angel-w2

School password:      palace-gardens

 

 

	Catholic Education Service Model Catholic Primary RSE curriculum	[pdf 271KB]
	Life to the Full Plus Curriculum Overview	[pdf 130KB]
	Whole School Skills Progression	[pdf 204KB]
	Life to the Full Plus Parent Booklet	[pdf 1MB]